Rameish Desouza one step closer to fulfilling 4-year dream with keys to new restaurant
Tamoy Ashman / Our Today
When he set off on his journey to join the restaurant industry, Rameish Desouza was confident he would succeed and now he is one step closer to fulfilling that dream, having acquired the keys for a spot in downtown Kingston.
Four years ago, a 17-year-old Desouza had a vision. He wanted to open a spot to share his unique culinary creations with Jamaica. Though he did not know where the funds would come from, he was determined to make the mark.
“It feels really good to know that I have the keys, but there is still a lot of void. Mi feel like the more mi go, the more me want. But me grateful and dis is a step in the right direction,” he told Our Today.
Known as the ‘Woyooie’ chef on Tiktok, Instagram and YouTube, he has created unique dishes such as Cactus Burger, Ackee ice-cream and the controversial curry banana skin.
The now 21-year-old has left many on social media either drooling or questioning his creations, desperate to get a taste.
Well, in February of 2023 they will, at his restaurant Rameish Kitchen, a business he registered in May of this year. Just seven months later, he received the keys to his opening location on December 6, an early Christmas gift.
Supporters can expect to see a few of his out-of-the-box culinary creations on the menu. But he noted they will also see classic Jamaican dishes such as fried chicken and curry goat.
Funds stolen and partnerships ended
Opening a restaurant is no easy task. In fact, one of the biggest challenges is trying to build revenue to acquire a suitable location and buy equipment.
Desouza shared that he first considered partnering with a company to open his restaurant. But, after negotiations and tours of other possible locations, their visions simply did not align.
“First time mi did ah look, it was like a partnership. Them did ah say ‘alright, we see you have the vision and we have the money, so let’s partner,” he told Our Today.
But the partnership became difficult when discussions surrounding the name of the restaurant began.
“Them never really on board wid my dream and weh them did ah say nuh really in line wid weh me want. So mi did affi separate myself and just do mi thing as usual.”
“Dem a say if we a go partner, them a encourage mi fi nuh name di restaurant after myself cause that is like self praise and it wudda just make your fans dem alone support yuh. But mi a say anuh suh it guh…mi restaurant affi name afta mi,” he passionately expressed.
To make matters worse, the debit card on which he stored all his GoFundMe money for the restaurant was stolen. By the time he was aware, J$100,000 was gone.
With many odds against him, Desouza told Our Today that he continued to pursue his dreams, because he knew that this is what he was meant to do.
“Mi know seh mi a do di right thing. Once upon a time me use to be a dancehall artiste, me use to sing, all of these things. But when mi start do the cooking mi feel more happy and mi know seh mi nah influence the people fi do foolishness.”
“Mi a inspire a whole heep a people, and that make mi feel good fi know seh mi a have a positive impact pon Jamaica, and soon the world,” said the self-proclaimed Master Chef.
Now he is on this journey alone, funding his dreams with the money he has left from his GoFundMe and his personal savings.
Desouza noted that supporters of his vision can still donate here.
Plans to start a franchise
Though he has this milestone achievement, he is still hungry for more, already thinking about plans to start a franchise.
“After getting the keys and seeing weh the future a go be like after dis restaurant, mi happy,” he shared smiling.
“Probably can have Rameish Pizza or name it something similar, maybe Rameish Burger, who knows. But mi jus a experiment more and more with more meals so mi customers can have a wider range of meals to choose from when that time come” he told Our Today.
It is clear that this is just the beginning of the ambitious journey that the young chef has ahead of him. But he is confident that, as long as he has God on his side, he will succeed.
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