ISLANDTASTEBUDZ

My name is Kana Ellison and I am the founder and Chef of ITB. My culinary experience started in Jamaica, in the kitchen of my grandmother, Miss Mavis. I grew up in Kingston 13 where having enough ingredients for a full meal was hard to come by. The neighborhood kids and I would come together with what ingredients we collectively had- flour from one home, an onion from another- and from there I would make a meal for all of us to share. Learning to cook like this from a very young age has shaped me into the chef I am today. A chef who can bring simple and fresh ingredients together and make something amazing. I have since moved from my island home and for the past ten years, I have been cooking and learning in kitchens across the United States. From Chicago to San Francisco, I have worked in both casual and high-end dining, cooking with ingredients from all around the globe and learning techniques from different cultures. Today I blend my traditional Jamaican cooking with what I have learned in my decade of culinary experience. I now create elevated, healthy, and fresh Island-inspired dishes for my clients. My cooking lets your Taste Budz explore while giving you proper nourishment and leaving you feeling satisfied and healthy.