OUR CHEF
Leonie McDonald – Owner/CEO. After over 30 years of working as a Legal Records Manager in law firms in Miami and Los Angeles, Leonie was unfortunately laid off during the financial crisis in 2010. Being the eternal optimist that she is, Leonie saw this as an opportunity to pursue her passion of health-inspired creative vegan cooking. Her delicious vegan culinary dishes became such a hit that her husband Lloyd McDonald, founding member of the legendary reggae group, The Wailing Souls, along with their son Jamhari McDonald and best friend Eloise Hay, encouraged her to start her own catering company. With a stroke of luck, Leonie recruited executive chef Wiletta Harmon and together they created some of the most sought-after Jamaican-style vegan meals in California and Nevada.
A TASTE OF JAMAICA
Leonie has used her managerial and organizational skills gained throughout her law office career to form a well run business. Strictly Vegan Jamaican Cuisine offers dishes such as the Reggae Wrap, Love Salad, and Hot & Spicy Gluten Free and Curry Tofu dishes which are overwhelming favorites for festival goers and culinary enthusiasts. She has created some of her tastiest meals simply by using all natural ingredients from her native land of Jamaica, and recently added Ziggy Marley Organics (ZMO) coconut oils as an ingredient in all her dishes. At least twice per year she travels to various vegan/vegetarian restaurants in Jamaica to pick up hints and culinary tips. She manages the very popular Strictly Vegan Jamaican Cuisine booth at major entertainment events and festivals.
