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From soulmates to business partners, Kenneth Hewitt and Gayle Talma took a leap of faith and opened Zemi East Coast Cafe (Zemi Cafe for short) in the heart of Bathsheba, Barbados. Passionate about family, giving back to their community and entrepreneurship, the couple is busy building their empire.
Perfectly located in the newly developed Hillcrest Community Centre with a scenic hilltop view, Zemi Cafe overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and is located on the site of an ancient Amerindian Village, capturing the spirit of Bathsheba, which is in the parish of Saint Joseph.
Hewitt and Talma named the restaurant Zemi after an Amerindian deity or ancestral spirit. It also represents a sculptured object housing the spirit among the Caribbean’s Taino people. They wanted to ensure they honored Indigenous people who made significant contributions to the area.
“I always wanted to open a restaurant from the time I was ten. I went on and got engrossed in hotels and never thought I would open a restaurant. I always had a passion for food and beverage,” says Talma.
What makes the restaurant even more special is Hewitt grows passion fruit and coconuts, and the fish is freshly caught off the shores of Bathsheba. “You’re going to eat quality food, good portions, tasty. We really try to concentrate on flavors and stuff like that, and we try to incorporate local things. We’ve had a garden for years,” he says. “I cut coconuts from my garden this weekend for coconut water.”
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The menu consists of local fresh-caught seafood, Chef Steffi’s “Tent Bay” ceviche, fish cakes, Bajan macaroni pie, rum-based pork belly, chargrilled octopus, coconut-crusted barracuda with a curry lobster bisque and chili oil, crispy fried chicken, vegetarian dishes and more. They also serve a variety of cocktails.
“We have a real core menu, but we really try to freshen it up as much as possible with specials and new drinks. There’s always something new and exciting,” says Hewitt, who is an avid surfer.
He adds, “We travel a lot, and we try to incorporate that into what we do. We try to get as much local content, very different in flavors than what you find in commercial products. My dad has a lot of mango trees. He used to make mango juice, margaritas and chutneys.”
Dreams Do Come True
“We currently live in Bathsheba, a small picturesque village in Barbados. We saw where they were rebuilding the community center, and I knew Gayle always had an interest in it and it was an opportunity. Gayle always wanted to open a restaurant. It was a good idea and it was a good fit,” the co-owner shares.
After completing market research to determine shortcomings and opportunities in the area, the two decided it would be a great idea to open a restaurant and began planning, eventually opened Zemi Cafe earlier this year.
The two are not strangers when it comes to hard work and business ventures. Although they have never worked in a restaurant, Talma’s background is in hospitality and management and she has been highly successful in her field. She graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Hospitality Administration and Management.
From there, she has over three decades of experience working in several roles, going from a food and beverage manager to director and then general manager. Currently, she is a group operations director for luxury properties on the island’s west and south coasts.
On the other hand, Hewitt graduated with a bachelor’s in business administration from Bishop University in Canada and has a background in supply. In 2002, the couple opened the family-operated Premium Seafood, Ltd., which offers a wide variety of local and imported fish to hotels and restaurants across the island.
“I worked in the wine industry for ten years, then worked in the seafood business for 21 years. I never worked in a restaurant. This is new for me,” shares Zemi Cafe’s co-founder.
Together, their backgrounds lay the blueprint for a successful venture.
Bringing Something New to the Island with Zemi Cafe
Managing a restaurant while holding down full-time executive careers can be challenging, but Hewitt and Talma appear to have everything under control. At the helm of the day-to-day operations is their 19-year-old daughter Ella Hewitt. She took a gap year from college and while home got involved with the business.
Ella manages a relatively young staff of eight between the ages of 17 to early 30s. According to Kenny, none of their staff had food service backgrounds except the chef, but they all work well together. “The youth and local employees are good. The employees have our energy!” he says.
“Working 6-7 days per week, I never worked in a restaurant before. It’s a different energy, but I find the restaurant refreshing in some ways. It gets a bit heavy sometimes,” he confirms.
Their customer base includes locals, young foodies and older adults who just want to relax. They thought it would be primarily tourists, but it’s mostly locals who visit the restaurant every week, some even four or five times.
“It was a good journey, and it’s been a good journey; very interesting. I learned a lot of things I probably wouldn’t have learned in the food industry. It’s been very educational,” says Ella about her role at Zemi Cafe.
When asked how it feels to own and operate such a beautiful spot in Barbados, the couple responds, “It’s rewarding!” Talma adds, “I love it. You love to see when the customers are happy when you receive a constructive comment. We are also open to that and to make ourselves better. Most of our comments are really, really good. It’s really rewarding to fulfill that.”
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Backing her up, Kenny says,” I find it totally rewarding because it’s my community. It’s all part of our community. We are Bathsheba people. Bathsheba is ocean and surfing. It’s a village. My family is from Bathsheba. I grew up in Bathsheba. It’s all part of our culture having Zemi there as well. I enjoy introducing people to where I’m from, and it’s as beautiful as beautiful can get. We have our own culture and vibe. I feel proud to entertain people like me.”
Get all the review highlights on Tripadvisor before planning your visit. For more about the food and culture at Zemi Cafe, follow along on social media (Facebook and Instagram).
