Yum meets Ocean Basket

On June 17th, 2015, Yum Deliveries had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Chef JP at Ocean Basket. By partnering with Yum.co.ke, Ocean Basket is now delivering sushi to your home or office in Westlands and Parklands. For a limited time, enter sushi2table for free delivery!

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Chef JP has over 10 years of professional experience and has loved cooking since he was a little kid. As a child growing up in Nairobi, he would shadow his mother in the kitchen and think to himself that he could be even better! JP’s favorite dish from his mom was brown chapatti with chicken stew. However, his favorite food now is either salmon or a nice steak with a veggie stir fry.

At Ocean Basket, Chef JP is inspired by the restaurant manager. Both the manager, Yaniv, and JP share a love and passion for food. They are pushed each and every day to provide the best seafood restaurant experience in Nairobi, and they do just that! Ocean Basket, at the Westlands Oval shopping center, is sure to please everyone!

Here is a selection of questions that we asked JP during our time together. The questions and answers have been edited for this article.

Yum: Secret Ingredient?

Chef JP: A mix of spices. And, everything has to be very fresh, especially the ginger and garlic that get mixed in.

Yum: What is your opinion of Internet recipes?

Chef JP: Don’t stick to the actual recipe. Read and understand, but the final product shouldn’t be the same. Think about what you want the final product to be like and then adjust everything accordingly. Chef JP spoke about the importance of knowing your audience. At Ocean Basket, they really know how to please their customers. Chef JP loves to see customers leave with big smiles on their faces and when people say “thank you chef”, it really makes his day!

While I was there, I saw a lot of happy and smiling faces.

Yum: What is your favorite item to prepare at Ocean Basket?

Chef JP: All of the platters! When preparing the platters, you can’t work alone and will need to work as a team. The delicious Ocean Basket platter takes at least 3 people to prepare and this team atmosphere is a lot of fun!

When Chef JP was asked about African timing, he was in complete disagreement. He believes staying on time is a sign of respect. In his time as a chef, he prides himself on never being late. With the kitchen being such a team environment, it is super important for everyone to work together.

Everyone on staff at Ocean Basket seemed to be having a great time when I was there. The team camaraderie really shines through!

Yum: What do you like to do in your free time?

Chef JP: I enjoy taking 15 minutes every day to reflect on the successes and challenges. It helps me clear my mind and motivate me for the next day. I also play boxing in my free time.

Yum: Do you cook at home?

Chef JP: I don’t like cooking at home. My favorite meal at home is simple, ugali and spinach. I believe most things should be simple. My motto is “Eat with eyes, smell, and then taste”.

Yum: What was your favorite subject in school?

Chef JP: I liked biology and chemistry. It led me to study food science. The colors in food and cooking interest me and are really important in the kitchen.

From looking around at the full plates and platters, Chef JP has come to the right place. Despite the intricacies of sushi, the end result has a sense of beautiful simplicity. The variety of dishes and beautiful sushi plates are both a treat to the eyes and palate!

Ocean Basket has now partnered with Yum.co.ke and is bring sushi right to your home or office. For a limited time, using the coupon code sushi2table, delivery will be free. Sushi delivery can be made within the Westlands and Parklands neighborhoods. And, to live up to Chef JP’s protocol on timeliness, you can be assured with Yum.co.ke that you’ll get your food on time!