durhamregion.com | This Week | Thursday, June 23, 2022 | | 8 Kwasi Douglas has cooked in just about every setting you can imagine. A finalist on Master-Chef Canada, the executive chef at a downtown Toronto hot spot, a culinary arts professor at Durham College, a private chef in people's home kitchens, the head chef at a long-term care home. But his latest project is something totally new -- and a longtime dream come true. Work is underway on the Douglas Food Emporium and Culinary Institute, which is set to open late summer or early fall at 190 Station St. in Ajax. Douglas, known as "Da Food God" by his fans, describes the space as "2,000 square feet of food heaven." The main floor will be Caribbean-inspired eatery and grocery store where grab-and-go items will be available, including prepared and frozen meals, seasoned meats and produce -- Douglas plans for a jerk chicken sandwich on coco bread to be a staple. "You can get something to eat now and something to cook later; I really like that idea," he explains. Growing up in Whitby, Douglas was a big fan of Halenda's, where you could grab a deli sandwich or hot table item for lunch, as well as something to make later for dinner. He envisions Douglas Food Emporium to be similar, but with a Caribbean twist. Upstairs there will be a multi-use space and studio kitchen for events and cooking classes -- teaching people about food and cooking is something Douglas is passionate about. Douglas describes his cooking style as "international fusion." His family is from Guyana and he is the first to be born in Canada. Growing up, many of his friends were also first generation Canadians and he was inspired by the diverse dishes they introduced him to. "I'd go to a friend's house for lunch or after school and I would be eating first generation curry or borscht," he says. When he's not cooking for work, Douglas cooks from home and offers his creations through social media, everything from jerk chicken pot pie to premade meals. People across Canada have asked to have his food shipped to them. He says the new space in Ajax will make it possible to produce and ship larger quantities. The food emporium is the start of a new chapter in his career, one that Douglas says will bring together so many things he loves -- cooking, teaching, community and making connections with people. "In the industry, a lot of chefs are stuck in the kitchen, that's where they want to be," he says. "Not me. Part of the joy for me is seeing people eat my food, seeing them enjoy it, talking to them." We want to hear about your favourite places to eat in Durham! Old favourites, hidden gems, new restaurants opening, awesome food trucks. Send your great eats to reporter Jillian Follert at jfollert@durhamregion.com. FOOD AND DRINK CHEF DUBBED 'DA FOOD GOD' BY FANS IS BRINGING '2,000 SQUARE FEET OF FOOD HEAVEN' TO AJAX Kwasi Douglas is a well-known local chef who has appeared on MasterChef Canada and taught at Durham College. His latest project is Douglas Food Emporium and Culinary Institute, a 2,000 square foot space under construction in Ajax. Susie Kockerscheidt/Metroland JILLIAN FOLLERT jfoller t@durhamregion.com You have to learn -- and often unlearn -- in order to grow. Ajax resident Joanna Johnson has taken to TikTok to help people do just that, and the response has been overwhelming. "If I wasn't in teaching I never would have done it," Johnson said of TikTok, where 1.1 million people currently follow her account @unlearn16. She started posting during lockdown as a way to connect in isolation. It began mostly with dance videos and lip-syncs, but one day Johnson decided to share her thoughts on current events and was surprised by the response. "I started to talk a little bit more and give my opinion, first on silly things like which spoon to use to eat cereal or how to eat an Oreo, but then it started to get more political and I had an incredible response," she recalls. "That's when it sort of clicked for me that 'oh, I can be myself and address the things that are important to me.' I try to be funny when I can, even though most of what's going on right now is not very funny and I try to be respectful in the way I address people, even people who send me hate." That type of respectful discourse is a crucial element of Johnson's platform and she has brought it with her to her new podcast, Unlearn16: Class is in Session. "Every once in a while someone will come on my page and say something stupid and I'll just talk to them until some of them -- not all of them -- will say 'you know what, I'm sorry, I judged you'," she explains. "That's the victory right there. People who already agree with me, I don't need to educate them, but to talk to people who come at me with hate or judgment, that's my true audience, because I think those conversations are vital. The only way we get to better solutions is by people who adamantly disagree still having intelligent, mindful, respectful discourse." Johnson teaches full-time at a private secondary school in Toronto, and praises both school administration and students for supporting her extracurricular activities. "I think it's a testament to the school I work at for encouraging that kind of thinking," she said. "I get a lot of followers telling me 'I wish you could teach my kids' and that to me is the highest compliment. All the power of change comes from education and fighting for diversity and inclusivity. A lot of people keep their work life and private life separate but for me teaching is just who I am." Johnson notes that she walks the walk as well, constantly learning -- and unlearning -- from her students, her girlfriend, her family and more. "I'm very open to ways I have come up against it," said Johnson, who recalls a female student breaking down the inherent double standards in school dress codes for her about four years ago and how it opened her eyes. "She was 1000 per cent right, and I never addressed an off the shoulder shirt again." That willingness to learn and grow and change is at the heart of Johnson's TikTok podcast and it's something she will continue to encourage as she embarks on a new string of speaking engagements. For more information visit Johnson on Tik Tok @unlearn16, online at www.unlearn16.ca, or tune in to her podcast. LEARNING TO UNLEARN WITH AJAX TIKTOK STAR Ajax resident Joanna Johnson has gained a massive TikTok following for her Unlearn channel, which features videos where she breaks down social issues and encourages viewers to educate themselves. Joanna Johnson photo MOYA DILLON mdillon@durhamregion.com WHAT'S ON JOANNA JOHNSON CRAVES RESPECTFUL DEBATE