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Desmond Riley, right, with Mr Cee’s owner, Charlton Chambers |
Mr Cee gives black youths a taste of business success
Desmond Riley tells Peter Gruner why a successful Caribbean restaurant is a worryingly rare example of a black commercial success
MR Cee’s doesn’t just do wonderful Caribbean food – the restaurant is also an inspiration to young people about what can be achieved in the culinary world.
Community worker Desmond Riley believes black youths are looking for positive male role models – which is why he is a big fan of the restaurant and its management.
“I’ve been coming to Mr Cee’s since it opened,” said Desmond.
“There’s a friendly atmosphere and staff are very courteous. It’s a very well-run black business that shows young people that hard work and vision can lead to success.”
When I met Desmond for lunch at Mr Cee’s he talked about violent street culture and how he tries to deal with it.
He meets groups of young boys hanging about the streets or parks on a regular basis and knows that genuine work needs to be done in the area to engage and nurture them positively.
He blames the weapons culture on a lack of team participation and competitiveness which has been weaned out of our children. He believes they lack the ability to interact with their peers, so they regard any situation as a threat. He also blames the influence of violent computer games and American “gangsta” music and violent film which glamorises killing.
Desmond said: “Young people need to be reminded that guns and knives spell death, either to themselves or someone else – and a very, very long prison sentence.”
As volunteer community worker for Islington Link-Up centre in Finsbury Park, Desmond is equally outspoken about the lack of job opportunities and support for young people.
He has condemned the borough’s building sites for not employing sufficient local labour, and more recently he hit out at a government report that wanted single mothers – struggling to cope with their children – to go out and get a job.
He wants to see more black businesses and believes there is “institutionalised racism” when it comes to banks lending money to black people.
Desmond ordered his favourite dish, braised oxtail in rich brown gravy, with rice and peas.
I had a plate of Ackee salt fish – the Jamaican national dish – with rice and peas. Ackee is a tropical fruit that has a savoury taste a bit like scrambled eggs, served with the fish. Delicious!
Desmond added that the food at Mr Cee’s is always beautifully cooked and as good as you get at home.
Mr Cee’s has been going for four and a half years and includes among its famous customers Simon Webbe from Blue and DJ Spoony.
It is run by Charlton Chambers, a former Hatton Garden jeweller, whose other specialities include jerk chicken – chicken marinated in a spicy seasoning – steamed and stewed fish and curried goat.
You can get a wonderful meal for £5 or £6 and they do an excellent Guinness punch or carrot and ginger smoothie for £2-£3.
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