Cuisine in Ah Pot

The 67-year-old runs Cuisine in Ah Pot, a food business that caters and delivers. But all that Jones has now was earned through hard work and persistence.

The former domestic worker, who often worked three jobs to support her three sons [Keino, Ackedo and Ebo] after her husband, Socrates, got a stroke at 47, always had a desire to have her own business. But it was fuelled after she began selling tamarind balls at her primary school in Point Fortin.

“It was always a dream since I was a child [wanting to have one’s own business]. When I used to go to school I remember this lady would make tamarind ball and she knew I liked sales.

So she would put it in a pan and tell me sell it for her. I thought, why do that for her when I could get the tamarind and make it myself and bring it for my friends in school and keep the money for myself. So I started to do that....I would go home after school take my mother’s sugar, make the tamarind ball put it in the biscuit tin and go in school and sell...” She also sold chilli bibi to get the pocket change necessary to care for herself.

At 15, Jones left her family’ home at Point Fortin and moved to Port of Spain. She began working as a domestic worker for the Bernard family [Clinton Bernard, former Chief Justice of TT] in St Ann’s. Jones worked with the family for more than 20 years.

But while working there, Jones also worked as a security guard at the then National Library during the day and also cleaned offices, after work, just to support her family.

“ The people I worked with were very nice...they treated me like family...it was not like I was doing a domestic work...I work with them [the Bernards] for more than 20 years... then he became the Chief Justice. I would do about three jobs to support my family.

I would also go to sometimes 10 at night to 11.30 and then I would have to go home and wash clothes for the children. Then get up in the morning to prepare breakfast for school. I never looked at work as hard. I always believed if you looked at work at hard in life, you would never achieve what you want to achieve so.” But while at the library, Jones’ business really started to grow and develop. She said: “While working in the library I began making pone and selling...but while working at the library my husband got a stroke.

And I had three sons to see about. I wanted to educate my sons. I did not want them to just grow up like that.

So I started the business (Cuisine in Ah Pot) doing breakfast, lunch and then orders began coming in.

People would call me and I would cater for them. It grew from strength to strength.” When what was formerly known as the National Library became NALIS (National Library and Information Systems Authority) and meetings increased, Jones offered to cook for the meetings and from there she began getting orders from the library’s management. She would have to do tea plates in the morning and, “would get up at 3 am and begin preparing the tea plates. I always say I don’t like to give people stale things. If they wanted lunch I would do that as well. Tea plates, lunches, fruit bowls and have everything ready. By 10 am I would be down in the library with everything and ready to pick up work...” Jones began Cuisine in Ah Pot at 53 and after her retirement from the National Library went into it full-time. She would often “throw a sou-sou” and buy the items needed for the business. While many would think that Jones has reached the pinnacle of her success, she is far from finished.

She is now seeking to start a pastry shop and restaurant with her first son Keino after he graduates from culinary school in the US. She has a staff of three, although she once employed nine.

“I get up in the morning at 2.30 am. By the time the staff comes in, I would have already done bake and sweet bread. If I have the snack plates to do, I do puffs, I do cakes. All of the things are on the table and all I say is ‘all you all have to do for me is package’...” On average, Jones makes approximately 150 pies each morning, which is usually done in 30 minutes. She also makes about 40 to 50 coconut bakes each morning.

For her all of these things are easy to do, once you know what to do and you’re willing to go after what you want.

Cuisine in Ah Pot operates out of Hermitage Road, Belmont and can be contacted via Facebook or at 623-3008.