Cooking With Soul: Myles Stephenson’s Food Journey
From Punishment to Passion
My first real cooking lesson wasn’t out of curiosity, it was a punishment.
I got suspended from school when I was 12. My Jamaican nan, always one step ahead, told me that since I wasn’t going to class, I’d be learning something useful instead. For two straight weeks, I was in her kitchen cooking curried chicken, fried dumplings, rice and peas, ackee and saltfish, proper Caribbean soul food, all from scratch.
And even though I acted like I hated it, I loved every second.
That “punishment” lit a fire in me that’s never gone out. Food became a way of expressing love, reconnecting with my roots, and bringing people together, even when I couldn’t always find the words.
Food as Identity
Growing up mixed race, light-skinned in a Caribbean family, there were times I felt like I had to prove who I was. Cooking became part of that identity. It gave me a deeper connection to my heritage, my family, and the culture I’m proud of. When I cook jerk chicken, I’m thinking of my nan. When I make fried plantain, I hear old reggae records in the background. Every dish tells a story, and mine starts with family, struggle, and soul.
Now, I blend that heritage with everything I’ve picked up from my travels and my taste buds. Caribbean food will always be home, but I’ve got a soft spot for Asian spice, Italian comfort, and proper hearty British grub. If it’s bold, flavourful, and feeds your soul, I’m into it.
Cooking in the Spotlight
Food wasn’t always part of my public image, at first, it was something personal. Something I did for myself, friends, family, for love. But over time, it became clear that this wasn’t just a side passion. People started paying attention. Brands, festivals, and even TV saw that food was a big part of who I am.
One of the biggest turning points was Celebrity MasterChef. It was mad to be on a show like that, cooking under pressure, timed challenges, proper chefs watching your every move. I remember plating up one of my nan’s dishes and thinking, she would’ve been proud of this. It gave me a chance to show people that I wasn’t just in the kitchen for content — I could really cook.
That opened up a whole new chapter.
This year, I’m headlining the Great British Food Festival across multiple locations around the UK, cooking live on demo stages for crowds of all ages. From homemade gyoza to shakshuka and my signature jerk chicken, I’ve shared stories through food.
Cooking With Brands I Rate
Over the past few years, I’ve collaborated with some of the UK’s biggest food and lifestyle brands, always bringing my own twist, culture and energy into the kitchen. I’ve worked with the likes of Sainsbury’s and Tesco, teamed up with Ben’s Original for home-cooking spotlights, and partnered with Pizza Hut to create content that mixes good vibes with great flavour. With Wagamama, I explored bold, fusion-style dishes, and even worked with Lily’s Kitchen.
What’s Next in the Kitchen
Right now, I’m deep in the kitchen and behind the scenes, building something bigger. I’m working on new video content that blends recipes, culture and real talk, the kind of food series that feels as much about people as it is about plates. I’ve also been developing some flavours of my own, playing with Caribbean and Asian influences to create something bold, bottled and made to be shared. There’s talk of taking that further, maybe even a retail range, but I’ll let the flavour speak first. And who knows, maybe one day there’ll be a cookbook on the shelf. One that brings together the recipes I was raised on, the ones I’ve reimagined, and the stories behind them all.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel. I’ve got a new wave of content landing soon, from behind-the-scenes cookalongs to unfiltered food challenges and market deep-dives you won’t want to miss.