Shamal Kumal

You know how there are those people who developed or honed an existing skill or set up a new business during lockdown. Well, Shamal is one of those people. And, while we look on slightly enviously and in awe of her achievement, we are also extremely grateful that she has because her cooking experiences promise to bring joy back into meal times – and we all need a bit of that right now. Oh and also, we get to feature her on our lockdown built business (turns out we are those people too…).

Shamal has been cooking for as long as she can remember, helping her mum and nanee (maternal grandmother) in the kitchen to prepare dinner after school. It’s how she learned to cook and experiment with food. Coupled with her love of travel, she has developed the culinary confidence to cook inspiring meals that have the power to bring people together. 

Her family is from Guyana, so many of her recipes are inspired by Caribbean cuisine. Big family dinners/parties were always a thing for Shamal, whatever the occasion there was always food, people and music. These three things have been a constant throughout her life and she believes that sitting down with people and sharing food just makes you happier. 

Before Covid hit, Shamal had a busy life; eating out at least four times a week, so the pause in life was a welcome break. It allowed her the time to get back in the kitchen and cook again. Finding a community of people who were tired of eating the same meals and tired of having to cook 3 meals a day, sometimes only for themselves, inspired Shamal to share her knowledge and create a space for people who wanted to find the joy in cooking again. A place where people could learn some new recipes and get quick tips to help make mealtimes easier.  

That’s how the ‘Cooking With Shamoo’ adventure began and we’re excited to be a part of it.