Rising Jamaican culinary star Rameish Desouza recently represented the island in Ålesund, Norway, at the Norwegian Seafood Council’s international saltfish showcase, where he brought his signature Jamaican creativity and flair to a global stage.
Desouza, known for his viral takes on classic Jamaican dishes, was one of six chefs invited to the event, joining culinary professionals from Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mexico. Each chef brought their own cultural influence to the showcase, highlighting saltfish—a staple ingredient in several cuisines across the globe.
At just 23 years old, Desouza was the youngest participant selected, a fact that surprised many of his peers during the trip. “The moment everyone found out I’m 23, everyone was surprised,” he said. “They thought I was in my late 20s or early 30s judging by how I carry myself and how focused I am about my career. But it was a good feeling knowing that my talent brought me to cook amongst older chefs.”
The showcase, which previously hosted Jamaican journalists last year, immersed the young chef in the depth of Norway’s seafood heritage. From touring fjords and a saltfish factory to visiting a fisheries museum and taking part in the main culinary presentation, the experience offered both cultural and professional growth.
Desouza originally planned to prepare Jamaica’s national dish, ackee and saltfish. But those plans were derailed when airport security confiscated the canned ackee from his carry-on bag. “I brought canned ackee in my carry-on bag and they were thrown away at the checkpoint,” he explained. “During my layovers in Atlanta and Amsterdam, I searched hoping to find a replacement, but had no luck. When I arrived in Ålesund, I knew I had to switch gears.”
That pivot led to an improvised but distinctly Jamaican menu: coconut fried festival with cabbage and saltfish, and saltfish fritters with a twist—cream cheese. The dishes turned heads.
“Everything turned out perfect in the end,” he said. “My food got some of the most positive feedback out of all the countries that were represented. One woman told me my dish reminded her of her grandmother’s cooking. That meant everything to me.”
Beyond the food, Desouza absorbed valuable insight into Norwegian seafood culture.
“The first thing that surprised me is that in Norway and most other countries, they don’t refer to it as saltfish,” he noted. “There are different types of salted bacalao fish. The salted bacalao distributed to Jamaica is saithe, and we Jamaicans just call it saltfish. But in Norway, it’s referred to as saithe bacalao.”
The trip deepened his appreciation for how culture influences food preparation and presentation.
“The way culture shapes the preparation and flavours really opened my eyes,” he said. “Just by tasting the food, I learned different ways of seasoning and flavouring dishes—from how to plate them to the overall presentation. I’ll definitely be incorporating new techniques I learned on this trip into my kitchen.”
Though there were unexpected challenges, the experience solidified Desouza’s commitment to culinary excellence and national pride. “It felt like a dream come true to finally be representing my country,” he said. “From early in my career I’ve always said in my videos, ‘mi do this fi mi country,’ and I look forward to doing it again in more cook-offs and events in the future.”
The event was hosted by the Norwegian Seafood Council under its Saltfish from Norway and Seafood from Norway brands. For Rameish Desouza, it was more than a showcase—it was a moment of learning, adapting, and sharing Jamaica’s story through food.
