SEASONHOOD – JOURNAL NO. 01
“The Moment I Realized Flavor Was My Purpose”
I have spent most of my life trying to understand what I was built to do.
For years, I ran from the kitchen.
I chased other dreams — fashion, management, creative roles, anything that felt safer than admitting food was calling me. I did not grow up thinking of myself as a chef. I grew up watching the people around me cook with instinct, soul, and love. No measurements. No fancy training. Just legacy.
But purpose has a way of circling back.
There were seasons when I felt stuck — moments when I changed cities, changed jobs, or changed direction because nothing felt like mine. Moments where the bills did not care about my creativity. Times when I questioned if I was building a career or just surviving. Seasons where I felt unseen, even when I was working harder than ever.
And still… flavor kept finding me.
The Turning Point
The turning point was not glamorous. It was not a TV moment or a big opportunity. It was a quiet moment in my own kitchen when I realized the way I cooked connected every chapter of my life — my grandmother’s hands, my family’s stories, the Sunday tables I grew up around, the heat I loved, the discipline I learned from being an athlete, the creativity fashion taught me, and the precision from restaurant operations.
It all belonged in one place.
That realization became the beginning of Jerk Reserve — not just a brand, but a home for everything that makes me who I am.
Heritage. Heat. Discipline. Art.
A way to honor my family while building something new for the world.
The Early Struggles (The Part Most People Do Not See)
Starting Jerk Reserve was not smooth.
There were moments I felt like I had no roadmap.
Moments where things fell through.
Moments where money was tight.
Moments where I doubted myself.
Moments where I wondered if anyone would care about what I was trying to build.
There were nights I stared at formulations, labels, spreadsheets, and still felt like I was not moving fast enough.
There were days when self-belief had to be louder than fear.
And then there were the wins — small at first, then bigger. Wins that reminded me I was walking in purpose. Wins that told me I had something the world had not seen yet.
Why Seasonhood Exists
Seasonhood is the space where we share the journey between the milestones.
Not just the products.
Not just the brand.
But the humanity behind it.
Here, I want to talk about the lessons that shaped me:
• How failure sharpened my purpose
• How my grandmother’s flavors became my compass
• How exploring global cuisine rebuilt my identity
• How discipline, wellness, and creativity shape my kitchen
• How culture, music, and memory fuel my ideas
• How I’m building an ecosystem — not a business
• And why I believe honoring your roots is a superpower
Because I want people to know this: your purpose will meet you where you are — even when you think you’ve missed it.
What’s Coming Next
Seasonhood will spotlight the things that make me move:
Cooking. Training. Music. Travel. Culture. Storytelling.
And the behind-the-scenes truths of building Jerk Reserve, Cook & Vybz™, the GALA Legacy Foundation, and everything in between.
If you’re reading this, thank you for stepping into this chapter with me.
I hope my story pushes you to keep chasing yours — on your timeline, in your identity, with your own seasoning.
Welcome to Seasonhood.
Welcome to the world behind the flavor.
By Christopher Callender
November 24, 2025