Chef Akim turns up the heat: Recovers from covid19, rises to social media stardom

Akim Cornwall doesn't have a lot of spare time these days.

With preparing grab-and-go meals for sale, managing his restaurant and hosting his own cooking show on YouTube, the 28-year-old Wallerfield native has a tight schedule.

Given his energy and fast-paced lifestyle, it might be hard to believe that less than a year ago Cornwall could barely lift his own head after being infected with covid19.

He spent most of November 2021 warded at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility.

In his few conscious moments Cornwall said he found the strength to overcome the illness and has a renewed sense of purpose.

Speaking with Sunday Newsday at his Saddle Road, San Juan, restaurant last Thursday, Cornwall said while his time in the hospital was one of the most difficult times of his life, it was an eye-opening experience which taught him the value of life.

For as long as he can remember Cornwall better known as "Chef Akim" has had a passion for cooking.

Growing up with his extended family, Cornwall said he often spent time observing his grandparents in the kitchen, studying their movement and skills and eventually joining in as he got older.

"I have done a lot of other things with my life, playing football, studying electrical installation, and plumbing but it always came right back to cooking, that's always where my talent seemed to lie."

Cornwall took his passion for learning new recipes and experimenting with different dishes into adulthood getting jobs in restaurants where he learned the basics of commercial food preparation.

Beginning at the Valpark Chinese Restaurant, Cornwall said he got first-hand experience on what it took to cook authentic dishes from scratch and the subtle details needed to make a meal memorable.

He then began working at Castro's restaurant in Arima where he was exposed to other styles of cooking, developing friendships that sharpened his skills in the kitchen.

"Castro's was one of the places where I made my name and the head chef who really created me and gave me a chance was the late head chef Gidron King.

"He showed me the ropes and taught me about the job.

"I wasn't privileged to attend hotel school, I grew up poor so he always taught me, 'Here is your hotel school, here is where you will make something of yourself.’''

There Cornwall learned not only the skills needed to make him a better chef, but also developed an appreciation for hard work and adequate preparation.

Using these skills, he began his own catering business. Operating out of his mother's kitchen, he began preparing food for large-scale events even while working in the restaurant.

While his popularity caught on relatively quickly, developing a modest following on social media, Cornwall said it didn't take long for him to realise that he needed a larger area for his catering business.

"It got to a point where I couldn't do it at home anymore out of my mom's kitchen and that's unfair to her, so I knew I had to get my own.

"Also, I wanted to get more jobs and they (clients) wouldn't take me seriously if I was cooking out of a (home) kitchen.

"Customers want to see an establishment for you to get the response you want."

Eventually Cornwall found a space to rent at a building on Saddle Road, San Juan, where he could begin the next phase of his career as a chef.

By November, days away from the opening of his restaurant, Cornwall was infected with the coronavirus and had to be taken to the hospital when his condition worsened.

He spent two weeks in the intensive care unit, a week on the ward and another week in a step-down facility.

Cornwall says while he would never want to repeat the experience of being covid19 positive, it was an important part of his development to see the value of life.

"What was going through my mind the fact that my girlfriend was pregnant and I didn't want my child to go through life without his father.

"I have a friend, Samantha, who used to call me every day and tell me to stay awake and I feel that's what saved my life by staying awake, because covid19 puts you in a deep sleep.

"I just stayed awake everyday with my eyes open and I kept reminding myself that I have a child to live for and that there were things waiting for me outside of this hospital."

In time he was discharged from the hospital and went ahead with opening his restaurant.

From that moment he began a new phase of his life, dedicating all of his time to building his brand.

While he remains a relatively new face to the San Juan community, Cornwall said his most faithful followers on social media still take the time to visit him and support his business.

He believes the secret to his popularity is his ability to add his own unique twist to classic food items, using his experience from working in the restaurant industry to create his own blend.

"Putting my own flair and twist to food is something that can help me stand out in a crowd.

"Each dish has a unique, distinctive taste and I have spent thousands of dollars modifying my own taste for what I want it to be."

Cornwall's need to distinguish himself from the competition isn't restricted to his cooking skills. He always seeks to upgrade the way people see his brand.

Capitalising off TT's passion for food and entertainment, he launched his own YouTube series, The Exotic Kitchen Show with Chef Akim, blending the two.

The series is about to go into its second season and features Cornwall cooking dishes with help from local celebrities like Superstar RiRi and Jessica James, while a DJ mixes music.

In each episode of the new season he also hopes to include a mixologist to create cocktails to complement the dishes.

"People may see a video talking about food and they may want to see what I do to create this dish, so I wanted to show the world what restaurants do that you can do home for yourself.

"The production team loved the concept and the DJs were on board and supportive as well.

"When the cooking show is up and running I get a lot of jobs. In fact, sometimes straight from a job I have to go on set to do the show. Sometimes I literally have my jacket in my hand getting ready."

Cornwall said while he may not be as experienced as some of his older counterparts, he feels the best way to distinguish himself is to focus on his passions and do what feels natural.

That means spending a lot of time at work preparing grab-and-go meals for cafes and gas stations along the East-West Corridor.

And while the schedule can be hectic at times, he said he wouldn't have it any other way given his new outlook on life.

"Being in a hospital bed and fighting for your life you tend to appreciate life and time more.

"You tend to want to work harder if you're given another chance, nothing to me is a problem anymore.

"Things can be fixed and solutions can be found for almost everything except death. There is no solution to that."

The growth of Cornwall's brand has also caused him to recruit friend and co-worker at Castro's restaurant Theodore McClatchie in the kitchen.

McClatchie who supported Cornwall while he was ill says he considers him to be a brother.

"He's almost a perfectionist in the kitchen, he's one of the best chefs and I know and an even better person.

"I don't think even death could handle him," McClatchie joked.

While waiting for the birth of his first child, Cornwall has had a lot think about, reflecting on his journey from working in his mother's kitchen to catering for entire communities.

He said his success is two-fold – making a living satisfying the appetites of his customers while in the process satisfying his own appetite for living a fulfilling life.

In both cases, he said, ingredients like hard work and sacrifice remain the same.