Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

D'Angel shows the meal she prepared to THE STAR.

"They have me as a big chef all over the world," declared STAR of the month, D'Angel, before preparing lunch for the 'In the kitchen' feature last Tuesday at her home.

At the end of the day, THE STAR team was eager to proclaim D'Angel the super chef extraordinnaire.

Preparing a health-conscious meal of stir-fried shrimp, brown rice, vegetables and home-made carrot juice, D'Angel is always watching her slim-and-trim figure. She explained, "I have to eat properly, even though I lost the baby weight, I have to be careful not to put it right back on."

D'Angel explained that friends were always complimenting her on her cooking, having grown up with her mom, watching her cook dinner. Describing herself as a lazy child growing up, D'Angel said she hated doing housework and cooking, leaving that to her sisters. But when she moved out of her mother's house, she was always calling mom for advice in the kitchen.

Although D'Angel doesn't get to cook often because her housekeeper Judith takes care of the meals, D'Angel says she always makes the effort to cook Sunday dinner, and in December, Christmas dinner. As D'Angel chopped onions, tomato and scallion, her son, Marco Dean, was happily smiling away at the breakfast table.

"Anything Jamaican, I love it. Curry chicken back, dumpling and yam is my ting. Tin mackerel, aka dutty gal, a my ting dat," she laughed. As she looked around the kitchen, she cried out: "Where's my apron? Only angels cook in white, only angels don't get messy. My apron is always sparkling white."

After putting the shrimp in the pot, she added her long-time favourite, Gold Seal margarine, and stirred the pot. Putting the shrimp on a low flame, she started on the brown rice. As the rice cooked, she took out the carrots, lime and Splenda to make her natural juice.

In the kitchen, D'Angel happily sang along to Marco Dean's baby music as he was being bathed. She told THE STAR: "Marco Dean makes me feel like a child again, I know all his songs. I never had these things growing up, but I got good morals."

Meticulously cleaning and washing up as she went along, D'Angel explained that her mother always taught her to be a clean cook. Taking out a bottle of Vybz rum, she said, "This is the only dancehall rum. After a meal, mi haffi have Vybz rum. It's always in my kitchen, it's really good."

It was a wrap in the kitchen as D'Angel offered THE STAR a tasty and well-presented meal.

D'Angel pays close attention to her stir-fried shrimp. - Ian Allen photos