Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Jansz.
Hi Heather, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Colombo Sri Lanka (Formally Ceylon) came to the US in 1975 – Started my 1st Restaurant called the Sri Lanka curry House in 1978 – at that stage in time – it was the Only Sri Lankan Restaurant in North America. I was very young – cooking has always been my passion ever since I was a little girl – even in school I chose the cooking lessons and watched my Mom and Aunties and everyone cook – I started cooking when I was about 10 years old learning from my mother and anyone that would let me help with cooking – growing up in this little island in beautiful tropical weather – I learned to cook on 3 brick stones with firewood that I would collect – cooking things in clay pots and my mother would roast and grind all the spices – and now I roast and grind all my spices – the smells of spices would fill the air in the house and in the garden as well – it was like perfume to me – at a very young age I always knew that I would be cooking for everyone someday – each time I learned something – as I got older I made it better and actually better for you to eat, for you health and healing.
My Sri Lanka Curry House restaurant is now closed – and I own and operate the business called The Curry Diva – serving Sri Lankan food and all different world foods – focused on Ayurveda style of cooking – where you activate all the six senses (Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, Pungent & Astringent. Where the spices are roasted to bring out their natural oils and healing benefits, I am lucky to have a job that I love to do even though most days can be challenging with the hauling of vegetables and meats and meeting with local farmers and hours of standing most days – its what I still love to do – there is no better joy than seeing someone feel so good when they are done eating my food.
My journey has been a happy and long one – and I am happy to say that I am still doing what I do even after all these years – when I had my own child, my daughter I carried her to every gig I did and she was with me all the time so that I can watch her and cook as well – I enjoyed that even though it was very hard at times.
Over the years – we have had the pleasure of cooking for many many very famous people – that would travel from all over the world and once they heard about the place would come over to eat ( I have a big long list – that I can send you if you would like that as well) most of them you would have heard of and some were from way back like Black Sabbeth – the band – If you were here in the midwest and wanted your curry to fix you would find this place somehow and I loved that.
I am still doing what I love to do – the only difference being that now it’s not 7 days a week – less days a week is what I go with these days – it catches up with you. Times are changing but I am excited to say that everyone’s taste buds are as well so I can make someone happy everyday.
The Curry Diva is the name of my business – 612.250.6556 The Website is very beautiful and if you want to get a glimpse of me in action there is a 4-minute video that says it all. www.currydiva.com
I believe that if you Nourish your Body you will feed the Soul “Nourish the Body Feed the Soul.”
Most people worry about the soul when it’s gone – “I believe you should feed your soul when it is still here.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting up a business was not an easy road _- I worked 3 jobs – raised my daughter and collected money for the rent in the 1st place that I had, We opened up the restaurant where I would afford it – it was in North East Minneapolis – at that time in 1978 there was not another ethnic restaurant in town – starting to cook Sri Lankan food was tough – I had to most times have my family send me spices from all over the world – when I travelled back home I remember lining the bottom of my suitcase with Ceylon Cinnamon the best in the world – I would get the chilies and dry them all year round to make my hot chili sauce.
Also being a woman and a person of brown color – there were not many women owners – especially in the cafe and restaurant world.
It was very hard – but because it was something I enjoyed it so much I just kept at it – some days we would only have a few people come over to try something they had never tried before – but then there would be a British soccer team or something that would come in because they needed their fix and then many followed.
Until we got a food cretic that ate it and loved and gave us a great review and that was the start of it all.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What sets me apart was that it was the 1st Sri Lankan in all of North America (at the time we started it).
What do I do – – I am a cook, a teacher, an artist with food.
I specialize In Sri Lankan food and also other world foods – Indonesian, Malaysian, etc.
I am known for my Mother Curry Sauce – My famous Chutneys – and condiments – and my famous curries and the woman who started the very first Sri Lankan restaurant in the midwest.
Thanksgiving will never be the same without a Churney on your table – to add to the turkey or whatever meat or vegetarian meal you make. (We sell hundreds and hundreds of them each year!)
I meet with farmers – I go to local farmer markets – making sure that the local stuff is what I use – I Cook – I teach people how to cook – I cater events.
I like to think of myself as a creative artist because each time I cook I am creating something wonderful and new and also good for you, My food was gluten-free, dairy-free and nut-free before it was a thing. (- Before Dr. Oz 🙂)
I never really ever had to think about those things that is a very big issue for lots of people whether it be by choice or preference. That is one of the ways it sets me apart Anyone – pretty much anyone, can eat this food – the spice is served on the side as an add-on – or spicy by request.
I am most proud of the fact that I was a girl/woman from a little Island called Sri Lanka (formally Ceylon) could start a cult following of the Midwest part of the world – making it, once you taste it – you can feel the difference when all your senses are activated – and everything in you just starts to work – its like magic!
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in the Island of Sri Lanka (formally known as Ceylon).
I am an easygoing person and that is my personality as well – I am able to get along with pretty much anyone – I love people and I think I was always funny – I am able to laugh a lot and keep others laughing- when I was a little girl I used to love hanging out on the beach – and still do.
I was always interested in food and the world of food and unique fruits and vegetables and making things with them.
I used to love to sing, I was a singer in my younger days – loved to travel and take trips and still do.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.thecurrydiva.com | wwwcurrydiva.com
- Instagram: @currydiva
- Facebook: The Curry Diva
- Twitter: @currydiva
Image Credits
Kelly Photography
