JOURNAL

Nine Years Ago
To
Present Day

2002 - 2007

I have travelled long and far to find flavor. It had started nine years ago while working my first job as a line cook.  I had applied for a serving position but ended up with a line cook position, at the same resort. That very same day, I met a woman in the lobby on the day of the cattle call of interviews, who changed my life. That woman's name is Darlene Bray(Dolly), Sous Chef for the resort. Lost, and trying to find my way, Dolly came to my aid. We began talking, and she learned that I had an interest for food. Miss Dolly sensed my unforseen abilities and brought me into the kitchen, where I morphed from a tentative line cook to a confident young chef. That kitchen is where my quest to find flavour began; I began my pursuit of "the history of the spice trade." The season ended, but my passion for flavor did not.  Over the following winter, I envisioned chasing a dream, in which my own television show on the Food Network was my quarry. I had watched enough cooking shows to be familiar with what the Food Network may benefit from. I didn't know how to go about pitching a concept, let alone to having one to sell. Three seasons had passed, and my dream had been tearing to get out. It was time to make a move, and follow the passion that flavor had set Centuries ago. It was time to head to the Southwest! 

With limited funds in my pocket, I set out, from eastern Canada, to fulfill my fantasy, in the name of spice! I did not have a Visitors Visa, nor did I need one. Passport, enough money to last six months, and a tank full of gas: first stop, Texas! After Texas came New Mexico, Arizona, California, Baja California and Mexico. I met a lot of people, experienced a lot of flavors, and asked a lot of questions regarding spices.

2008

I set my sights on developing a concept that may possibly be interesting enough to have people notice me. With my treatment (script), a hand held video camera, and three thousand bucks, I'm off to Oaxaca, Mexico, in search of Mole Negro. A blend of chocolate, chili pepper, peanut and cinnamon. The base of Mole Negro, a beautiful celebratory sauce. The name of my show became "In Search Of," which later changed to "The Travelling Spice." Neither of these "catchy" names pushed my show to the surface. Dissapointed, I had no clue what to do with the footage, because without funding, the show could not be created into something sellable. I decided to set it aside for a later date. To this day, I still hold the treatment and footage of Mole Negro, one of the first building blocks of my dream. Now, back to Canada to replenish my funds for the next trip.

2009 - 2012

I set out to explore the Wild West in Arizona: the Cowboy way of life, Pioneer days and the art of Chuck Wagon cookin'. This is where I fell in love with Southwestern style and it's food. A culture of cowboy classics such as chicken fried steak, biscuits and gravy, and the proud Mexican influence. I left, by choice, to further blend the two together. Suprisingly, the years spent striving to fulfill my dream had not gone to waste. Once I arrived on Vancouver Island, things began to fall into place for me. A good friend of mine said to me," My only hope for you is that you let Spice Cowboy grow! " That was in November 2012. He was familiar with my dream, and inspired by how passionate I was about it. His support, in turn, inspired me, and the fire feeding my dream was once again lit.

I took it upon myself to set out and encourage the growth of Spice Cowboy. A cookbook seemed like a good idea, but became a great cost. With selling out being the only feasible (yet unfavorable) option, I decided to set that aside for awhile. A spice line was the next step, with plans to highlight a blend of spices that holds its own Southwest flavour.  I worked on it for nine years, it's got to be good right?  Heck yeah!! Once again, the cost factor put this dream on hold.  An investor could possibly make it happen; now how to make an investor happen?!  After all, I just moved here. I don't know anyone; it's not going to happen. I again played with the idea of a cooking show concept. What does this look like?!

Time to get to work! I re-developed the concept from back in the day ( remember "Travelling Spice!" ) to a brand that said it all: "Spice Cowboy." While taking a drive to the neighborhood coffee shop, I decided to go for it... Shaw TV is the local provider in my hometown... I'm feeling pretty good... I'm going in! I believed in Spice Cowboy and gave it my all. Marjorie Greaves, Video Journalist at Shaw TV/North Island, was good enough to take the time to hear what I had to say. I pitched the Spice Cowboy concept and piqued her interest. Next, off to set up a meeting with the Program Director of Shaw TV! We agreed on three segments, and a deadline for the treatments. I left Shaw TV feeling like a million bucks! Finally, someone else believed in Spice Cowboy!

With everything moving along as planned, suddenly there it was!  My dream coming true. Time to film three segments...despite being green to the whole experience, I had no choice but to go with it. After four days with no more than 16 hours of sleep (combined), countless cups of coffee, organizing the set and the food, here it was! The most substantial moment of my life, to date.  Suprisingly, what came to mind, during those first nerve-wracking moments of filming, were the friends & family that my support system consisted of.