Chef Maureen Cubbon
Ready to cook, freshly prepared healthy meal kits, delivered to your home.
Chef Maureen Cubbon, affectionately known as Chef Mo, brings a new and innovative food delivery service to Cayman through her business Zest, providing a healthy range of complete meal kits that are delivered to your door, ready to cook, complete with easy-to-follow instructions.
Since winning first place at Cayman Cookout in 2013, hosted by Food & Wine Magazine, Chef Mo has been a notable culinary pioneer in Cayman, bringing a fresh and exciting, convenient concept to home cooked meals!
Where are you from originally?
I am originally from Vancouver, Canada.
When did you first come to Cayman?
I first arrived in 1996 and it has been my home ever since.
Where else in the world have you worked prior to arriving in Cayman?
I have been lucky to be mentored by chefs in Italy, Spain, Canada, the Caribbean and America.
Who or what inspired you to become a chef?
I always wanted to go to culinary school but could not afford it so… I became a “nerd”, hit the books, obtained scholarships, and went to university where I achieved two degrees. Throughout this time, I always worked in hospitality which helped get me through school. My big career change came after winning Cayman Cookout in 2013, I have not looked back since!
How did you come up with the concept for Zest?
I wanted to make mealtime easy, cost effective, convenient, tasty while addressing food waste and encouraging people to connect and cook together. This model works well across the world and is a great compliment to our overall business model.
What are your “go to” seasonings and why?
Anything that is bold and aromatic and, being creative about blending flavour profiles (we make our spice blends in-house). This allows for delicious flavours and also minimalizes the need for adding extra salt.
What is your favourite dish and why?
Oh, I can’t really answer that! But I will say Asian inspired cuisine is both a company and customer favorite.
How do you decide what to include on the menu?
I take inspiration from my favourite chefs, blogs, other meal kit companies and then Cayman-ize it!
What you would reccomend as a romantic meal for two?
A beautiful bottle of wine served with perfectly prepared fresh catch, because you can’t beat literally ‘just out of the water’ seafood, accompanying elegant sauce with lots of farm fresh veggies!
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a culinary career?
Go for it… but be ready to work hard with an open mind and heart. Even though I came to the table later in life, I would not change it for the world.
We have so many amazing chefs, restaurants, food & beverage concepts in Cayman and it is a wonderful thing to be a part of the culinary capital of the Caribbean.
Favourite expression?
Son of a Goat! To replace any other unpleasant expressions that I may use otherwise J.
Let Zest bring out your inner chef! With an extensive menu selection to choose from, combined with healthy ingredients and perfect portions, Zest makes home food preparation fun for all the family.
For more information about Chef Mo and Zest, visit: https://zestmeals.ky/
Email: info@zestmeals.ky
Telephone: 1-345- 939 9378
By Juliette Heath
Juliette Heath is a Caymanian foodie, weddings and events planner, and author of kids’ books.