Grandma’s Kitchen: The Heartbeat of Barbs | Bajan Family Recipes

Barbs wouldn’t exist without my grandma. She turns 95 this year, and her traditional Bajan family recipes are still at the heart of everything we do. Growing up in the UK, she kept our family’s connection to Barbados alive through her incredible cooking, which inspired the dishes we serve today.

Her recipes are the foundation of Barbs—flavours she grew up with and passed down to me over the years. She’s taught me everything, from making souse with just the right balance of tang and spice to the perfect seasoning for fried chicken. And she’s never stopped learning herself. Even now, she’ll tweak a recipe or experiment with something new, showing me that cooking is about curiosity as much as tradition.

My grandma story isn’t just about food; it’s about resilience and love. She emigrated to the UK from Barbados, making a tough decision to leave her two children behind until she could afford to send for them to join her, raising a family here while holding on to the culture and traditions she grew up with. Years after my grandfather passed, she remarried William—who, at 102 this May, is as sharp and quick as ever. Together, they’ve shown me the power of staying rooted in where you come from while building a life filled with new experiences.

When I think about Barbs, it’s not just a business—it’s a tribute to her and everything she’s

shared with me. Her food taught me that great cooking is about balance: bold flavours complemented by subtler ones, comfort that’s not too heavy, and always just enough heat to keep things exciting.

So when you taste a dish from Barbs, you’re not just tasting my food. You’re tasting her legacy. It’s the food that built our family, and it’s an honour to share it with you.