PHOTOS CREDIT: ASHEVILLE CHANNEL
She now owns and operates Calypso, Asheville’s only St. Lucian restaurant. “I had been in New York for over 25 years and was looking for a slower pace, something different, a better quality of life,” says Joseph. After suffering abuse and poverty as a child, Esther moved to New York in search of a better life, intending to leave her pain and past behind on the island. For her, the opportunity to move to Asheville and open a restaurant was as much about connecting with her culture and past, as it was a business opportunity. “Asheville reminds me of St. Lucia in a lot of respects. I like the small feel of the community. I like the greenery, the slow pace compared to New York, the mountains, and even though there is no ocean, there is always water.” For Joseph, opening Calypso was about regaining something she had lost – to reconnect with her childhood and culture – something she had forgotten during her decades in New York. She began to reflect on her childhood, the pain she had endured and the memories – both good and bad – she had left behind. “In trying to recapture that, I realized there were good memories as well,” says Joseph.” “We were poor growing up, but there was always an emphasis around food. All of the
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good memories I have were centered around food and centered around the recipes that I love.” If you’ve never heard of St. Lucia, you’re not alone. Joseph enjoys the challenge of educating people on the island’s food and culture. “When people hear Caribbean, most people think of Jamaican,” she says. “Few people have actually heard of St. Lucia.” So what’s the difference between St. Lucia, Jamaica, and any of the other Caribbean islands? “I think it’s something small,” says Joseph. “I think it’s differences in the history of the peoples who were there before. St. Lucia has the English, the French, and African influences. With the English also came the Indian influence, which I think the curries come from. The blending of the people who occupied those islands made a difference in the culture and the cuisine.” For Joseph, the food she’s creating at Calypso aren’t just dishes, they’re pieces of her. “Every item on the menu is a memory to me,” she says. Her favorite item: The Salt Fish Suzanna, which she named to honor her mother.
PHOTO CREDIT: ASHEVILLE CHANNEL