What to know
- Chef J. turned his life around after house arrest by focusing on cooking.
- He started his business, Entree’s by Jay, specializing in Caribbean fusion comfort food.
- A viral review of his oxtail grilled cheese sandwich brought him widespread attention and support.
- Chef J. encourages others to “keep showing up for yourself” and believes change is possible through perseverance.
After a troubled past that included house arrest, Brampton’s Chef Jay found purpose in the kitchen. Now, he’s serving up hope, warming hearts, and inspiring others to choose a better path: one plate at a time.
As he was stuck inside on house arrest with nothing to do, Jayden Bailey, known online as Chef Jay, shifted his energy towards cooking.
“I always loved to cook, and it’s always been a passion of mine. But I never took it really seriously until I got into the situation of me being on house arrest,” Bailey told Now Toronto. “I found that fire, that passion within cooking, and I just wanted to continue with it.”
Bailey shared that his mom, who had also taught him how to cook years ago, was his biggest support through his life struggles and his cooking journey during his time on house arrest.
From cooking as a way to keep busy to opening ‘Entree’s by Jay’
Nine years ago, while on house arrest, Bailey’s passion for cooking inspired him to start Entree’s by Jay.
“When I made that turn to stop doing the nightlife and go back into cooking full-time, that’s when I realized that this is what I’m really meant to do,” Bailey shared.
He chefs up Caribbean fusion dishes, including his favourite oxtail grilled cheese sandwich, jerk chicken poutine, mac and cheese jerk chicken pie, or sweet rum plantain, all available for catering, meal prep, to-go plates, or event requests.
‘It really warms my heart’: Chef Jay on increased support after viral review video
Recently, Facebook Marketplace food reviewer Yoyo, under the handle @yoyoyummyyy on Instagram, tasted Chef Jay’s favourite dish: the oxtail grilled cheese sandwich.
The video received over 10,000 likes, and Bailey’s received endless support.
“I’m overwhelmed right now. Ever since he posted that review, it’s really been like every single person almost, within the GTA, just messaging me,” he said.
The support goes beyond borders, with people from Australia and Africa showing love, Bailey added.
“What keeps me going is serving people, seeing people happy when they eat my food, especially with the review,” he said. “It really warms my heart to know that I can make people feel good when they try my food.”
‘Keep showing up for yourself’: Bailey shares advice on changing your story
“Keep showing up for yourself,” Bailey said. “There’s gonna be a time where you really want to change, and you just have to progress and press forward and push that you want to change, and that change will come as long as you don’t give up on yourself.”
He shared it takes time, but as long as you keep showing up for yourself, the change will come eventually.
Now that he’s accomplished turning his life around, Bailey hopes to have his own ghost kitchen and lean into private cooking around the world.
Those interested can order from Chef Jay on Instagram.
