About Soca & Seasoning
My Story
Hi, I’m Terri — the voice and flavor behind Soca & Seasoning.
I’m a Caribbean-rooted, plant-based cook shaped by the flavors of my childhood in Trinidad & Tobago. The aromas of Sunday lunch, the rhythm of soca and steelpan drifting through the house, and the warmth of family gatherings taught me early that food is more than nourishment — it’s memory, connection, and home.
Soca & Seasoning was born from a desire to honor those flavors while reimagining them for today. I take the dishes I grew up on and recreate them through a plant-forward, wellness-minded lens — without losing the soul, spice, or vibrancy that define Trinbago cooking.
Cooking didn’t always feel natural to me. But moving abroad for college changed that. The kitchen became my grounding space — a place to reconnect with my roots, find joy, and stay close to the people and traditions I love. It’s where I honor where I come from while embracing who I’m becoming.
People often ask how difficult it was to go plant-based as someone who loves Caribbean food. My answer is always the same: “It was easy.” That ease came from my mother, Sharon. Her creativity, warmth, fearlessness, and deep knowledge of our culinary heritage laid the foundation for everything I make. Her influence is woven into every recipe, every memory, and every dish shared here.
The Heart of Every Dish: Green Seasoning
If there’s one ingredient that defines Caribbean cooking, it’s green seasoning.
In Trinidad & Tobago, it’s the foundation of flavor — the first thing blended, the last thing adjusted, and the quiet hero behind dishes that taste like home. It’s fresh herbs, aromatics, and heat working together in harmony: chadon beni, thyme, green onions, garlic, peppers, and whatever your household swears by.
But green seasoning isn’t just about ingredients.
It represents the blending of cultures that shaped our islands — African roots, Indian influence, and generations of creativity in the kitchen. Every family makes it differently. Every jar carries a story. And every spoonful builds depth, warmth, and identity into a dish.
Flavor Has Rhythm
Like soca music, green seasoning carries rhythm.
It holds the heat of the Caribbean sun, the heartbeat of the land, and the instinct that lives in every Trinbagonian cook. When you hear a panman strike steel or feel the bassline pulse through a fete, that same intuitive rhythm guides the hand that says, “Add just a lil bit more green seasoning.”
Cooking, like soca, is performance — vibrant, expressive, full of joy.
And green seasoning? It’s the rhythm section…rhythm in edible form.
It grounds every flavor that follows.
The Art of Caribbean Fusion
Caribbean food and music have always traveled — bending, blending, and finding their place in kitchens and cultures around the world. Trinidad & Tobago is a cosmopolitan nation, shaped by African, Indian, Chinese, Indigenous, Middle Eastern, and European influences. That blend of people, rhythm, and flavor is why we naturally create dishes that feel both deeply rooted and globally connected. In my series, I broaden the recipes to reflect that spirit — exploring flavors from other cultures while honoring the heartbeat of home. It’s the same way soca borrows, evolves, and still remains unmistakably ours. These fusion dishes invite everyone, from children to adults, to enjoy cooking that feels familiar yet exciting… comforting yet new. Because food, like music, is meant to be shared, remixed, and celebrated across borders.
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Book Me for a Cooking Demo or Wellness Talk
Want a plant-based Caribbean cooking class, a live demo, or a wellness-focused session for your group or event? I teach approachable recipes, cultural food stories, and practical wellness habits — without the fluff.
