Hugging the Block X Lomography: A Day With Modder's Kitchen and the Simple Use Camera

For this series of articles, we're collaborating with Hugging the Block, a community market who's goal is to create support and community for BIPOC and first-generation Latino immigrant entrepreneurs in Pasadena, California.

In the spirit of their mission, we're here today to highlight a day in the life of Five and his team at Modder's Kitchen — a family run Jamaican restaurant whose concept is entirely inspired by their matriarch's cooking — all documented on the Simple Use Camera.

Hi Five, welcome to Lomography Magazine! Can you start off by telling us a bit about yourself and Modder's Kitchen?

Thank you for having me, it’s a pleasure. I’m born and raised in LA. I grew up pretty much all over Los Angeles, that’s why I claim the whole westside of LA. I am passionate about fashion, the business of gaming and of course food.

Modder's Kitchen was an idea made a reality, based on my grandmother's history of being a cook. When my grandparents retired I didn’t want them bored or just getting old in front of my eyes. They have always been active individuals, so making Modder's Kitchen a reality was a vital part in keeping them young, excited and to feel proud about all they have accomplished and experienced.

It's always been our family tradition to cook authentic Jamaican food to share with friends and family, and now fused with the American style food I grew up eating we created Modder's Kitchen. We use my grandmother’s authentic recipes, where she's been able to teach me first hand her tricks, tips and cooking style to make sure our authentic Jamaican flavors are not lost in translation and you can feel the authenticity in every bite no matter what it is. I am grateful God chose me as the one to lead my cultural flavors forward and to be able to work with my family.

Can you tell us a bit about what you decided to shoot with the Simple Use Camera?

Growing up in LA I always felt the need to document every moment big or small. In my childhood days I remember we would always use disposable cameras to document everyday moments. From birthdays, holidays to hanging out with family. Until this day those photos hold my most cherished moments with family and friends. Trying to achieve that same feeling now that taking photos is so accessible, I enjoyed shooting and not knowing how the photos would turn out. But I knew that it would be special because it would document my journey with Modder's Kitchen alongside my grandmother and family.

How did you decide what moments and aspects of your business to capture with the camera?

Choosing what to capture was easy. When I think of what I want to convey through these photos I knew it would be of my grandmother and I cooking and showcasing the best parts, which is being around family and friends who support us unconditionally. Our philosophy was, “just go with the love”, point, shoot and let the magic happen on its own.

Can you walk us through a day at Modder's Kitchen?

A day at Modder's Kitchen starts with my grandmother yelling at me to “wake up” whether she is calling my phone a million times or just yelling really loud like Jamaican women do. We have very early mornings.

Once we're up we begin with making a batch of our famous jerk sauce, which is the secret sauce and base to all of our amazing dishes. That usually follows with us cleaning and prepping our veggies and meats. I then head to fire up the grill and bless it with Jamaican rum. It’s tradition for us to set positive and loving intentions when we prep and cook. We love to turn on R&B and Reggae music to create a space where we are in our element and happy.

Maybe there will be some ganja flowing but over all a lot of love and yelling from granny. Usually if we don’t have a pop up, collaboration event or a catering event we have family and friends come by to do taste tests. We appreciate authentic feedback, so that is very important for us. Overall, every day we cook, test out new ideas and plan our next events to make sure we're being consistent.

What would you consider the best aspect of operating Modder's Kitchen and sharing Jamaican cuisine?

One of the best aspects of operating Modder's Kitchen is the bonding experience between my grandmother and I. Her teaching me first hand everything she knows and it being so authentic is something that I believe makes Modder's Kitchen so special.

Another aspect is being able to keep Jamaican food alive in Los Angeles. My grandmother cooked at Stones Bakery on Crenshaw which was one of the few places that you could eat in LA and experience something authentic. I remember the love and satisfaction people felt for that place but due to the changing economy they unfortunately closed. I look at that and think of the importance for people of this generation to experience something authentic and with Modder's Kitchen I believe we are accomplishing that.

Sharing our Jamaican cuisine makes people feel good when they eat and experience our food. It's made with love, patience and good intentions and being able to bring that to my community in a new way is important to me, along with being able to take care of my family all while doing something positive.

Can you expand a bit on the concept of Modder's Kitchen and working with Hugging the Block?

The ladies over at Hugging The Block are great individuals that share my similar background of having immigrant parents, grandparents and siblings. They operate with love and they are all very smart and driven. To be a part of what they do for the community was something I could respect and stand behind.

I come from taking care of my own community working on Fairfax and Rosewood. There I was able to lead The Hundreds store, where I created a community that led many young individuals to reach amazing goals and receive many accolades that was all fostered through community, love and a little tough love too. I believe the ladies over at Hugging The Block are fostering that same love and commitment to their community and I'm excited for what's to come.

What are your hopes for the future of the restaurant?

My hopes are to build Modder's Kitchen with like-minded individuals, and be able to pass down the skills and knowledge I have gained from my grandmother and through my own journey. I hope for us to have a real brick and mortar soon and to continue to lead with love.

Anything else you'd like to share?

Yes, I would like to thank the ladies over at Hugging the Block for sharing this opportunity with me, and Lomography for choosing me. And of course thank you to everyone that supports Modder's Kitchen.

If you're interested in keeping up with Modder's Kitchen, make sure to follow them on Instagram.

written by eloffreno on 2024-02-17 #gear #culture #people #restaurant #community #cuisine #documentary #photo-diary #suc #small-businesses