His crazy Caribbean style definitely shines through his music selection, his energy, and his food. DJ Nasty Naz’s professional career in the music industry as a tour chef, tour hype man and a tour DJ has allowed him to work with artists like the Black Eyed Peas, The Game, Akon, Wyclef, Danny Fernandes and Sean Paul to name a few. This attitude of continuously being on the grind has pitched this Trinidadian-born entrepreneur into a class of his own, with not only being a top DJ in the East Coast, but to having an award-winning restaurant in Fredericton, “Caribbean Flavas.”

His skills in the kitchen have allowed him to cater for a number of groups, including Akon, Sean Kingston, Girlicious, Hedley, The Trews, and even rock and roll legend Leonard Cohen. DJ Nasty Naz Flava of the Week will be a weekly column where Naz takes readers inside his world of cooking, performing and rubbing elbows with the stars. For more information on DJ Nasty Naz, visit www.djnastynaz.com, Join the “fan page” www.facebook.com/djnastynaz Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/djnastynaz. Or, to taste d’island life, visit Caribbean Flavas on 123 York St. Fredericton.

Somebody call N-A””Z… he’s got them shawtys fire burning in tha kitchen… whoaaa… Haha, how about I just stick to the cooking and leave the singing to the professionals, a customer told me this week. So much for me putting on dinner and a show.

Myself and Sean Kingston are on tour again, so I hope you enjoy this Jamaican dish.

Oh well, the reason I was singing that song is because I am on tour AGAIN with Jamaican reggae/pop sensation Sean Kingston (‘Fire Burning’), and triple platinum R & B singers Danny Fernandes (‘Private Dancer’) and Karl Wolf (‘Africa’).

This is the second time on tour with these acts, and so far every venue has been sold out. So with that whole island vibe, I decided to do up a Jamaican dish, in light of ma boi Sean Kingston.

Ingredients for the Salt fish Fritter

– 1lb of soaked, washed and stripped cod

– 2 chopped garlic cloves

– 1 red bell pepper, sliced.

– 1 tspn of paprika

– 1 red onion chopped sliced

– ½ cup of all purpose flour

– 2 habanero chili peppers

– 2 large tomatoes

Directions

1. Wash and dry the salt fish.

2. Use your hands and shred the salt fish finely and set aside in a mixing bowl.

3. Cut the onions, garlic, habanero pepper and tomatoes in to fine pieces.

4. Combine the onions, garlic, pepper and tomatoes.

5. Cook this seasoning thoroughly in a frying pan (skillet) using a small amount of oil.

6. Add flour and water to the salt fish and make a thin batter. Stir this batter till it is smooth.

7. Combine the fried seasoning and paprika with this batter. Mix batter.

8. Dip a large spoon in oil and “spoon scoop” thin batter into frying pan.

9. Deep fry in a frying pan till brown and crisp on both sides.

10. Drain on paper towel and serve, with a side of your favourite chutney.

I decided to put my little recipe into a ‘song.’ Now remember to sing it to the tune of Sean Kingston’s ‘Fire Burning.’ I’m not saying I’m gonna win any Grammies here people, but you can certainly try… ha.

Can you say REMIXXXXXXX …

Shawty got that super thang

with tha pepper its hotter than the sun in Spain

Got me soon as I walked through the door ..orrr

My mouth started water-ing

The way she dropped it low that thang

Got me wanna eat more and more ”

She roll it, shape it, and drop it in tha oil,

That salt fish frit,

Got a candle, or a match to get that fryer lit,

Now take my BMO card or my CIBC

Shawty that fritter is HOT like the fire,

HOT like fire

Somebody call N””A-Z

He got them Shawty fire burning in tha Kitchen

Whoa

I gotta cool her mouth

It will burn the roof of your mouth, in the kitchen

Whoa

It’s fire burning, fire burning in the kitchen

That little fritter’s fire burning in the kitchen

It’s fire burning, fire burning in the kitchen

That little fritter’s fire burning in the kitchen

Fire burning fire burning

That taste is a masterpiece

You can place your order every couple days

But ain’t no doubt you’ll eat it before you get home… home…

I’m afraid it’s not made with eggs

So all you vegans, yup, that’s what I said

Once they taste it, it will be in kitchens all over the world …world

She roll it, shape it, and drop it in tha oil,

That salt fish frit,

Got a candle, or a match to get that stove lit,

Now take my BMO card or my CIBC

Shawty that fritter is HOT like the fire,

HOT like fire

Somebody call N””A-Z

He got them Shawty fire burning in tha Kitchen

Whoa

I gotta cool her mouth

It will burn the roof of your mouth, in the kitchen

Whoa

It’s fire burning, fire burning in the kitchen

That little fritter’s fire burning in the kitchen

It’s fire burning, fire burning in the kitchen

That little fritter’s fire burning in the kitchen

Fire burning fire burning

Somebody call N””A””Z

Now even though Sean Kingston usually eats my mom’s homemade Coconut Bread, I guess I will be making some Salt fish Fritters for him this time around. Okay I gotta bounce outta this kitchen now, because my customers in the restaurant are looking at me funny, as I am singing while I’m cooking. Make sure and look out for me while on tour in a city near you with tha Crew… come up and say ‘Hi’ even.

The post Shawty fire burning in tha kitchen appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

DJ Nasty Naz’s professional career in the music industry as a tour chef, tour hype man and a tour DJ has allowed him to work with artists like the Black Eyed Peas, The Game, Akon, Wyclef, Danny Fernandes and Sean Paul, to name a few. This attitude of continuously being on the grind has pitched this Trinidadian-born entrepreneur into a class of his own, with not only being a top DJ in the East Coast, but to having an award winning restaurant in Fredericton “Caribbean Flavas”.

His skills in the kitchen have allowed him to cater for a number of groups, including Akon, Sean Kingston, Girlicious, Hedley, The Trews, and even rock and roll legend, Leonard Cohen. DJ Nasty Naz Flava of the Week is a weekly column where Naz takes readers inside his world of cooking, performing and rubbing elbows with the stars. For more information on DJ Nasty Naz, visit www.djnastynaz.com, Join the “fan page” www.facebook.com/djnastynaz, Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/djnastynaz. Or, to taste d’island life, visit Caribbean Flavas on 123 York St, Fredericton.

I have seen the “This is it” movie with Michael Jackson a number of times since it came out. My cousin “Trimz” and I, tried to get in to see it the first night, but it was sold out, on both shows. However, we definitely made it by the second night. If I said we didn’t cry in the theaters during some of his performances I would be lying!

Many have said he was one of the BEST singers, songwriters, producers (and after watching the movie) performers of all time. He has brought many races, colours and ages together, and managed to equalize race issues over the years with his music. One song (besides Heal the World) which caused a HUGE positive movement was Black or White.

Some of his lyrics for that song, have taken me through many tough times interacting with people who don’t understand diversity, internationalism or differences in culture. I have experienced it “subtly” with people who refuse to try my restaurant but one day though, I hope with more education (more acceptance) we can all live by the rule ‘it don’t matter if you’re black or white.’

“It’s not about races, just places, faces. Where your blood comes from is where your space is;

I’ve seen the bright get duller, I’m not gonna spend my life being a color.”

With some of his powerful lyrics being quoted, I thought it would be fitting for me to make a dish with that theme in mind, to honour one of the fallen greats “” MJ. Here’s the recipe for Black Bean (Shrimp) & White (Potatoes).

Black Bean Sauce

Sauces can often bring out the best from the ingredients or make a delectable treat out of any common food when added in the right quantities. A sauce that works well with many Asian Cuisines especially stir fries would be – Black Bean Sauce. It’s made with fermented black beans, and thickened with caramel and wheat flour to add that nice thick body (GLUTEN WARNING here)

It would be easiest if you used a ready made sauce from your local Chinese grocery, for consistency purposes.

Ingredients for the Stir Fry

– 2lbs of peeled and de-veined shrimp

– 2 chopped garlic cloves

– 1(each) small red and green bell peppers, sliced.

– ¼ lbs green beans

– 1 red onion chopped into wedges

– 1 cup of broccoli

– 1 carrot cut diagonally

– 1 tblspn sesame seeds

Directions for the Mashed Potatoes

So “I wanna be starting something” now, by simply making the mashed potatoes as you normally would. Peel and cut about six medium potatoes, boil for about 15 minutes and then drain. Put about ¼ cup of warm 2 per cent milk, butter and some low fat cream cheese. Mix all together and just “beat it” or mash it whatever works. Mmmm mashed potatoes “the way you make me feel”… definite comfort food. Now since we have our “white” we are onto our “black.”

After heating up your pan, simply take all of your ingredients and your black bean sauce and throw it in your skillet. The beauty of Asian cooking is that it’s quick but more importantly preserves the colour, nutritional content and texture of food. Stir it around for about 3-4 minutes (hence the name stir fry) at least until the shrimp turns a pink/red color. That was easy”¦maybe like “abc.”

Okay, “this is it” when we start plating it up. Pretty simple actually, take your plate, and place a nice heaping spoon of fluffy, creamy mashed potatoes on it. Then place an equal amount of stir fry shrimp and veggies, sprinkle some sesame seeds over the top, for the finishing touch.

Before you know it, the contents of your plate would be “gone too soon.” With a winning dish like this, which is so simple, delicious and contains a LOW calorie count.

If you decided to make it for your main squeeze, you can just sing “the girl is mine” because she will certainly love you for it. She may even say you “rock her world.” Second helpings are definitely in order, so “don’t stop till you get enough.”

Do you “remember the time” when we actually HAD time for good food? When we actually sat around the dinner table and talked, with family and friends? Now we are all so caught up in speed that it’s no longer an adventure and a time for sharing culture, OR discovering NEW cultures and food – Asian, Caribbean, whatever.

I guess it starts with “the man in the mirror” to want to make that change of trying something new, something different. All I gotta “say say say” is “black and white” seems to go just perfectly in this case, for not only food, but for life in general!

The post Black and White a tribute dish to Michael Jackson appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

His Crazy Caribbean Style definitely shines through his music selection, his energy, and his food.

DJ Nasty Naz’s professional career in the music industry as a tour chef, tour hype man and a tour DJ has allowed him to work with artists like the Black Eyed Peas, The Game, Akon, Wyclef, Danny Fernandes and Sean Paul, to name a few. This attitude of continuously being on the grind has pitched this Trinidadian-born entrepreneur into a class of his own, with not only being a top DJ in the East Coast, but to having an award winning restaurant in Fredericton “Caribbean Flavas”.

His skills in the kitchen have allowed him to cater for a number of groups, including Akon, Sean Kingston, Girlicious, Hedley, The Trews, and even rock and roll legend, Leonard Cohen.

DJ Nasty Naz Flava of the Week will be a weekly column where Naz takes readers inside his world of cooking, performing and rubbing elbows with the stars.

For more information on DJ Nasty Naz, visit

www.djnastynaz.com,

Join the “fan page”

www.facebook.com/djnastynaz

Follow him on Twitter

 www.twitter.com/djnastynaz.

 Or, to taste d’island life, visit Caribbean Flavas on 123 York St, Fredericton.

Halloween and all its spookiness was just lingering around me this past weekend. ON HALLOWEEN DAY…all 5 of my watches DIED…they all seemed to work perfectly the day before…and then my swordfish died, and then my agent in Toronto got me a VIP pass for tha Jay Z & Drake’s (aka Jimmy Brooks from Degrassi) private party, which I didn’t end up going…take ONE GUESS WHY….yup, u guessed it, because my time was all messed up!

SO really..what was soooo good about this Halloween? Hmm let’s see, tha restaurant was fairly busy. The good weather and the need for everyone to have their candy fix had a part to play in the slower downtown traffic, however we still had customers so I guess I can’t complain too much. Hmm what else…a couple of my “fans” decided to dress up like “DJ Nasty Naz” for Halloween…ha-ha, with the tee shirt and clothing, the posters, and EVEN the beats.

This one dude, crazy French Guy from Ontario, who is the top “kicker – punter” for the “Laval Rouge et Or” actually made a chain like mine! Ha, die hard fan…no doubt! I wonder if I can talk the CFL into giving “Cam” another championship ring,..just for pulling off a “championship costume”? Ha.

Maybe not I guess, because I tried calling tha CFL and they won’t take my calls, ha, so instead, I will do something half as cool, and less “blingy”! I’ll do up a dish, with a French Flare to it, seeing as he plays for Laval and all.

This Laval conch salad is like Salad Niçoise (pronounced nee-suaz) which is essentially a French composed salad with raw veggies and Tuna, however we are substituting the Tuna with Conch (pronounced –konk) which is a large saltwater snail.

Ingredients for tha Vinaigrette

-6 Garlic Cloves

– ¼ cup chicken broth

– ½ cup of basil and the same of Oregano

– 8 tblsp of lemon juice (this is gonna “cook” the conch.

 – 2 tblspn Dijon Mustard

– 2 tblsp of Evoo (aka Extra Virgin Olive Oil, come on we gotta be cool while we are cooking too J)

For tha Salad

–          3lbs of Conch meat

–          3 eggs

–          7-10 small red or purple potatoes

–          ¼ lbs green beans

–          3-5 cups mixed greens

–          3 cups romaine lettuce

–          ¼ cup grated carrots and the same of sliced yellow bell peppers & halved cherry tomatoes.

–          ½ Niçoise Olives

–          2 tblspn capers

Directions

Okay lets “kickoff” this thing…The vinaigrette is pretty simple to make, just take everything and run it through your blender or food processor, and in 3.5 seconds just like a “snap” the ball is now officially in play…sorry I meant the salad is now ready to get going J

To prepare the salad, take the conch and marinate it using about 4 tblspn of vinaigrette, and about 5 more tblspn of lime juice, shake and leave in a plastic bag for about 20 mins. That’s our First Down.

Boil your potatoes, your eggs and your green beans (for about 7-10 mins) or so, then cut into nice thick slices. This is our Second Down.

Okay hold tight, we are almost to the “end zone”! No room for “fumbles” here! Combine all the ingredients, your greens, tomatoes, peppers, olives, potatoes, beans, in a nice big bowl with the remaining vinaigrette and start adding your fantastically marinated conch meat.

Okay, now let’s start dishing up this great yummy conch salad for my “frenchie crew”. We gonna go straight for tha “touch down” here on this one; after plating up your salad, in some nice big bowls, you can now place a couple of slices of your hard boiled eggs on top the salad.

I think we can get an “extra point” here, we are gonna sail between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost on this one, just add some chunks of pineapple (to take us back to tha islands), some capers and some FRESH cracked pepper, and for some added heat, some crushed chilies.

The post Laval Conch Salad appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

His Crazy Caribbean Style definitely shines through his music selection, his energy, and his food.

DJ Nasty Naz’s professional career in the music industry as a tour chef, tour hype man and a tour DJ has allowed him to work with artists like the Black Eyed Peas, The Game, Akon, Wyclef, Danny Fernandes and Sean Paul, to name a few. This attitude of continuously being on the grind has pitched this Trinidadian-born entrepreneur into a class of his own, with not only being a top DJ in the East Coast, but to having an award winning restaurant in Fredericton “Caribbean Flavas”.

His skills in the kitchen have allowed him to cater for a number of groups, including Akon, Sean Kingston, Girlicious, Hedley, The Trews, and even rock and roll legend, Leonard Cohen.

DJ Nasty Naz Flava of the Week will be a weekly column where Naz takes readers inside his world of cooking, performing and rubbing elbows with the stars.

For more information on DJ Nasty Naz, visit

www.djnastynaz.com,

Join the “fan page”

www.facebook.com/djnastynaz

Follow him on Twitter

 www.twitter.com/djnastynaz.

 Or, to taste d’island life, visit Caribbean Flavas on 123 York St, Fredericton.

Last week I have had a lot to be thankful for…and this week has been a big one for me. Not only do I have an amazing family, to always help (cover) my shifts when I go touring (shout outs to Johnny and Mama), but they always help keep me grounded.

Today, I was named one of the hottest DJ’s in the US (on a skill level…not on looks…we all know there aren’t many points to be won there…ha-ha). This prestigious hip hop magazine is an Atlanta based magazine – Ozone Magazine – with not only distribution in Atlanta, but in Miami and NYC as well. They surveyed all across the US, for the nations most influential DJ’s, who have continuously been on their grind and hustle. I was actually fortunate to attend their major music awards show in Miami, 3 years ago. It seems they have been following my path since then, and decided I would be THE ONLY Canadian DJ to grace the pages, with the likes of platinum selling artist – Pitbull ( yup that guy who sings that – 1, 2, 3, 4 I know you want me – song). They asked everything from “what’s my most embarrassing moment as a DJ” to “who’s my favourite artist to work with”

So in sticking with the ATL feel of things, that whole “Southern Hospitality” vibe just took over my senses. I had to do something for the vegetarians out there.

Southern food is comfort food, Creole, Cajun, soul food – Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Gladys Knight type food. There is quite an array of corn dishes (like corn bread, or corn muffins, even the famous Grits are always tasty, which Britney Spears eats for Breakfast by tha way. Not forgetting the fresh seafood like catfish and prawns. This made me remember a promoter out in New Orleans I met while on a show out there, instead of having dinner at the hotel, he just brought two very large cardboard BOXES of steamed prawns, and said I had to experience that southern hospitality vibe. I had never seen anything like that before. It was definitely an experience & messy, but good ha-ha. Some favourite Atlanta dishes include barbeque, black-eyed peas (nope not the artists…but the same name though , biscuits, okra and sweet potatoes.

• 1 banana pepper
• 1 small jalapeno chilli pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 celery chopped
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 green bell peppers, chopped
• 1 quart vegetable broth (store bought or made from scratch)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 cup fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
• 2 lbs wild rice
• parsnip, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (which are a BIG favourite in (Caribbean / Creole culture)
• 1 cup canned black-eye peas, rinsed and drained (a reminder, if you’re a parent trying to be cool here, please DON’T SING one of their songs to your kid while making this dish especially when their friends are around )
• 2 cups frozen cut okra, thawed

1. Preheat oven to broil.
2. Arrange the banana, and jalapeno chilli peppers on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Watch carefully and broil just until the skins blacken and blister, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the peppers (with gloves or tongs – TRUST me, I used my fingers, and 2 days later, put in my contacts. Even after washing, I am just a DJ, but I was SINGING some pretty high notes, with the pain). Continue broiling until all sides are blackened. Remove the peppers from the oven and place in a sealed bag to steam. After 15 to 20 minutes, peel off black skin. Coarsely chop, and place in a bowl.
3. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over a medium temperature until a pinch of flour sprinkled over the oil just begins to bubble. Whisk in the rest of the flour and cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture is well blended and dark brown, about 10 minutes. This in cooking terminology is called a Brown Roux. Once it becomes dark brown, remove the roux from the heat.
4. Place 2 tablespoons of canola oil into a deep soup pot and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is just about to smoke, stir in the celery with half of the onions and the carrots. This is called a mirepoix. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the onion is transparent. Stir 1/4 cup of the vegetable broth into the pot. Cover, and simmer until almost all the liquid is evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Stir the banana, and jalapeno chilli peppers, along with the bell peppers, onions, garlic, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika. Stir the roux and 1 cup of stock into the vegetable mixture until the roux dissolves. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, sweet potato, wild rice, parsnip, red beans, okra, remaining stock and black-eyed peas (yeah yeah I know, you just cant resist the feeling to sing, okay fine, but let me tell you, with all those hott peppers you threw in, everyone will be saying “they heard it through tha grapevine” that you have tha best gumbo ).
6. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, Serve in soup bowls while hot.

The post Ozone Magazine Veggie Gumbo appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

[here] Magazine.

His Crazy Caribbean Style definitely shines through his music selection, his energy, and his food.

DJ Nasty Naz’s professional career in the music industry as a tour chef, tour hype man and a tour DJ has allowed him to work with artists like the Black Eyed Peas, The Game, Akon, Wyclef, Danny Fernandes and Sean Paul, to name a few. This attitude of continuously being on the grind has pitched this Trinidadian-born entrepreneur into a class of his own, with not only being a top DJ in the East Coast, but to having an award winning restaurant in Fredericton “” Caribbean Flavas.

His skills in the kitchen have allowed him to cater for a number of groups, including Akon, Sean Kingston, Girlicious, Hedley, The Trews, and even rock and roll legend, Leonard Cohen.

DJ Nasty Naz Flava of the Week will be a weekly column where Naz takes readers inside his world of cooking, performing and rubbing elbows with the stars. For more information on DJ Nasty Naz, visit www.djnastynaz.com, Join the fanpage “” www.facebook.com/djnastynaz or follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/djnastynaz. Or, to taste d’island life, visit Caribbean Flavas on 123 York St, Fredericton.

I was the Deejay for an event this weekend, and I played the track Jai Ho by A. R. Rahman, and I remembered everyone had the Oscar Fever, especially with the many build ups and sneak previews the networks aired during that week. After it was all said and done, I think that Slumdog Millionaire definitely deserved all the credit it has gotten. It was a total underdog project that no network wanted in the first place to now an Oscar award-winning film.

That hits close to home, as my award winning restaurant Caribbean Flavas was an underdog project as well, which no one wanted or believed in at UNB. Now, four years later, we have won BEST restaurant in the province, where to dine in Canada and we have gone on to cook for acts like Hedley and Snoop to Leonard Cohen and the Trailer Park Boys.

So I decided in keeping with the Indian theme that I would do up a nice recipe for some curried duck. Of course any protein can be used here, from chicken to lamb, including tofu, which would be an excellent choice. I didn’t want to have beef in this recipe, as I said I am sticking to the Slumdog theme, and the cow is seen as a sacred animal in their beliefs.

Having lived in Trinidad most of my life, curry was always part of our Sunday traditional “River Lime.”

I guess I should lend some insight to this new lingo:

Lime/Liming “” a party or any get-together/to hang out with friends and acquaintances. Example: Hey Johnny, we are liming at the mall, you should swing by.

Anyway, our “River Lime” would entail having most of the family and many friends pack up the trunks of their cars with coolers “” properly stocked with drinks and duck, and head down to the nearest river to “make ah cook!” We would then find a suitable spot, bring out the cast iron pot, start up the fire, bring out the playing cards and blast tha music from tha trunk.

Slumdog Curried Duck

Main Ingredients:

Duck: 2lbs (if you are ah true Trini, the whole duck would be used here!)

Frying Oil: 4 tbsp

Onion: 1 (large)

Garlic: 3 cloves

Coconut milk: 1 cup

Yogurt: 1/2 cup

Fresh ginger: 2 tbsp (grated)

Curry powder or curry paste: 3 tsp

Salt: 1/4 tsp

Black Pepper: 1/2 tsp

Coconut flakes

Slivered almonds: to garnish

Cooked jasmine rice for 4 (to serve with)

Note: Again if you are a crazy Trini like me, Scotch Bonnette Peppers are in order here, probably at least 2-3 whole peppers.

Directions:

1. Peel and chop the onion. Peel and finely dice the garlic cloves.

2. Rinse the protein (lamb, duck, tofu etc) with lime juice to take away some of the freshness; pat dry. Cut into one-inch pieces

3. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the chopped onion and sauté until tender. Add duck and sauté about 5 minutes or until slightly browned. Transfer the duck to a medium-size bowl.

4. Add remaining 1 tbsp of oil to the pot. Add the rest of the chopped onion and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Drain.

5. Add coconut milk, yogurt, grated ginger, curry powder, salt and pepper to the pan. Bring to a simmer. Add the duck and water, simmer for about 30 minutes.

6. Transfer the curry to the serving bowl, garnish on top with slivered almonds, chopped cilantro (coriander) and grated coconut (optional). Serve with jasmine rice.

After serving up such a great dish, you would surely get a great nod of approval but if you are going for the Oscar award, like my good friend Marion (aka Dev Patel look alike), then a lovely side of Naan (which means bread “” similar to a pita bread) and some mango chutney would surely give you a standing ovation and the Oscar for best role as a leading Chef.

The post Slum Dog – Curry Duck. appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

By the time they get to university, most people think they know what career path they would like to take. But life is a tricky thing and no matter how many plans you make, you can still end up somewhere different down the road.

When Naz Ali started his business career at the University of New Brunswick’s BBA program in Trinidad and Tobago, he dreamed of becoming a Pediatrician or Marine Biologist. Little did he know he would go on to become a successful restaurateur and internationally known DJ.

Back in Trinidad and Tobago he had already started out being a DJ at various shows and this career forced him to come up with an interesting and unique stage name, and so “Nasty Naz” was born! 

Naz decided he would bring his music and culture to the Canadian Maritimes and he moved to Fredericton in 2003, after being offered a scholarship to study business at UNB. He earned an MBA degree and managed to turn his underdog business plan, which he created for an entrepreneurship class, into a successful restaurant. Caribbean Flavas is an award winning restaurant located in Fredericton, owned and operated by Naz and his family.

Naz received a lot of media attention last year when he was invited by the famous singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, to become his personal chef during his Atlantic tour. Naz catered to Cohen and his crew for their entire stay in the Maritimes.

Naz’s dual career has him working 18-hour days, but he’s not complaining. He loves the crazy hours he keeps. Naz says that his two jobs are really more like six. Other than being a DJ and chef, he is also a radio and television personality, artist promoter, production director, marketing promotions manager, and more. He has also worked on tour with artists such as the Black Eyed Peas, Akon, Snoop Dog and Sean Paul.

Russell Simmons, Naz’s mentor and a music and fashion industry mogul, said that Naz was, “highly motivated, a born winner, full of resilience and faith”.  To this day, that memory still makes Naz’s jaw drop. He continuously works hard to stay true to Simmons’ statements.

In Salisha Baboolal’s interview with Naz for the April, 2009 issue of Caribbean Belle magazine, Naz said that whatever path you go down and where ever it leads you “be true to yourself. Find your groove and stick to it; stand your ground and be strong. Sometime’s others won’t see your idea or vision but it’s yours. No one can take that from you – ever! It’s your job to make people see it and believe in you”.  Naz is an inspiration to finding and following your dream.

Even with the little downtime Naz has, he still has time to connect with his fans on the DJ Nasty Naz fan page on Facebook. If you would like to learn more about Naz and the people he has worked with you can visit his website, www.djnastynaz.com.

The post MBA Graduate Turned Local “Celebrity” appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

Dj Nasty Naz has been featured in the “Caribbean Belle” Magazine – one of the top Caribbean Magazines, which has started to take over not only the Islands by storm, but North America as well. He is featured as one of the Caribbean’s “Movers and Shakers”. This is for the April 2009 Issue, with an extensive write up, with how he got started, right up to some advice he gives to aspiring DJ’s.

Check out the link to read more.

Caribbean Belle – The Caribbean’s Mover and Shaker – DJ Nasty Naz

The post Dj Nasty – Caribbean Belle Magazine appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

The tour was booked by JBizz Entertainment and consists of 3 dates:
Feb 6th – Nicky Zees – Fredricton, New Brunswick
Feb 7th – Club Hypnotiq – St.Catharines, Ontario
Feb 14th – Time Supper Club, Montreal, Quebec

The tour also features local opening act Farahri and Trinidadian born DJ sensation Nasty Naz.  Naz, who is based in Eastern Canada has been pulling triple duty as DJ , Hype man and Catering for Farenheit with his Award Winning Restaurant – Caribbean Flavas.

www.myspace.com/farenheitmusic
www.mysticurchin.us
www.caribbeanflavas.ca                                                                                                                           www.djnastynaz.com

The post Mystic Urchin & Sean Paul’s Hypeman come to Canada appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

Fredericton DJ serving up a menu for Cohen http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2008/05/22/nb-naz-cater…

22/05/2008 11:19 PM

Fredericton DJ serving up a menu for Cohen

Last Updated: Thursday, May 22, 2008 | 12:04 PM AT

CBC News

A Fredericton restaurateur has spun his way into catering for Leonard Cohen and his crew while the

singer-songwriter tours the Maritimes.

Naz Ali travels North America spinning records in clubs and concert halls when he isn’t operating his

restaurant, Caribbean Flavas, in Fredericton.

Also known at DJ Nasty Naz, Ali’s job in the music industry has led him to rub elbows in L.A. and Miami

with some big stars.

“The light bulb went off in my head and I thought, I can cater and chef and DJ at the same time, so that is

what I would do,” Ali said. “I would DJ during the concert and as soon as the concert is done, I would throw

back on my jacket and start cooking up a storm for these artists.”

Ali started catering for the stars about three years ago and his clients have included Snoop Dogg, Akon and

the Pussycat Dolls, as well as Canadians the Trews, Hedley and Bedouin Soundclash.

Ali was recently asked to make lunch one day while Cohen and his crew were performing in Fredericton.

The musician liked the food, and a single meal led to several others, Ali said.

“By the third day he is in love with the food, his entire crew loves the food and he makes a joke to … his tour

manager, ‘We should take Naz and his family on tour with us,'” Ali said.

The request was no joke, and on Monday, Ali packed up his dishes, cutlery and Cohen’s favourite ingredients

to travel to Moncton with the crew.

Cohen, a Montreal-born singer, songwriter, poet and novelist, was inducted into the U.S. Rock and Roll Hall

of Fame in March, and the day after the New York gala announced he would be embarking on a tour,

including major stops such as three days prior to the Montreal International Jazz Festival (June 23-25), four

dates in Toronto (June 6-9) and a headline slot at Glastonbury Festival in the United Kingdom (June 29).

It is Cohen’s first string of concert dates in 15 years, and includes many smaller, more intimate performance

dates in Atlantic Canada, Ontario and Quebec.

Ali said he hasn’t yet been asked to stay on tour with the musician but he’s prepared to serve as Cohen’s

personal chef for as long as he’s needed.

For now, he’s adding a photograph of Cohen and an autographed menu to his restaurant’s walls, which are

already plastered with images of celebrities.

The post Legendary Rock Icon – Leonard Cohen back on Tour appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.

By LAVERNE STEWART
stewart.laverne@dailygleaner.
THE DAILY GLEANER/STEPHEN MACGILLIVRAY PHOTO

FULFILLING WORK: Naz Ali runs his downtown restaurant, Caribbean Flavas, and is also a DJ — DJ Nasty Naz — who often records live shows for syndicated radio programming heard in Toronto, Calgary, the Netherlands and New York City.

He loves to feed you — body and soul.

The lunch crowd at Caribbean Flavas is just leaving and Naz Ali is able to leave his openconcept kitchen and come into the dining area for a chat. He’s been up since dawn. Ali won’t stop until sometime in the wee hours of tomorrow but he’s not complaining. Ali loves the crazy hours he keeps.
As a restaurateur and DJ, he’s having a love affair with his dual careers. Because he often works 18-hour days in demanding, albeit fulfilling occupations, he doesn’t have time for a relationship presently, he says. If and when it does happen, it will have to be with someone who is involved in some way with the industry and who understands the demands on his time.

“Food and music are my girlfriends,” says Ali.

The reality of Ali’s life is far from his boyhood dreams. As a kid growing up in Trinidad, he wanted to become a marine biologist or a pediatrician and he never would have considered leaving his tropical island paradise home for a life in this city. Then he was offered a university scholarship but declined it. He was offered a second time and agreed to come to the University of New Brunswick’s business program but just for a semester, he thought. That was five years ago.

He’s still here.

New Brunswick winters can be brutal but the warmth of the people in this city and this province are wonderful, he says. While at university, Ali had a business plan to open a Caribbean restaurant. His professors dismissed the plan, telling him it would never fly in this city.
Not dissuaded, he went looking for seed money. He knocked on the doors of business development agencies and banks but couldn’t get financing. So he went to family and friends who were happy to back him. Ali was determined to prove the naysayers wrong. And he did.

Caribbean Flavas has been awarded BEST Restaurant in the Province and also been given top marks by Where to Eat in Canada.

In the past three-and-a-half years, his restaurant has gained a who’s who clientele, he says. Artists such as Snoop Dogg, Akon, Russell Simmons, Rihanna, Eva Avila and members of the group Hedley have all enjoyed his food.

“Anybody who’s anybody comes to my spot,” says Ali.

He first became interested in food while watching his mother prepare meals at home. The first dish he made on his own was a curried chicken. The real pleasure in preparing food for others, he says, is watching people’s facial expressions as they take the first bite. Long after the restaurant closes for the day, Ali is still working.
But he turns his attention to music.

After a quick shower and a change of clothing, he becomes DJ Nasty Naz and he’s off to his nighttime gig.
You will find him at Nicky Zee’s and The Back Nine several times a week, spinning music for large crowds who are hungry for R&B, reggae, hip hop and urban beats. Often when he is there, he is recording these live shows for syndicated radio programming which is heard by over one million listeners in Toronto, Calgary, the Netherlands and, as of this week, New York.

He will soon be off to New Orleans and New York City to be a part of what he describes as ‘an elite DJ coalition.’ “They invite key people in the industry who’ve been making changes. “All these artists e-mail or text (message) me with their new songs the labels don’t even know about yet. Myself and other people listen to them and make suggestions about changes they could make.

“We set trends.”

Ali says one of his biggest thrills was being invited to Alicia Keys’s office with his family.
They met through her record label, he explains. “I was just hanging out with everyone. It was crazy. Then her manager invited me to go to her birthday party a year-and-a-half ago. I couldn’t go because of (university) exams. I had to say ‘Wish Alicia a happy birthday for me.’”

Ali got his start in the music industry after hanging around DJs in Trinidad at radio stations and concerts. “I would get in their faces. So they let me become their crate boy carrying their music in milk crates to concerts.”
His musical break came at a concert when the DJ left on a break but couldn’t get through the large crowd in time to change the music. So Ali stepped in to fill the dead air.

“So I put on a record and started scratching it. The crowd went crazy.”

He’s been a DJ for artists such as Lauryn Hill, the Fugees and Shaggy. When the dance parties are over and Ali finally goes home, he remains awake chatting with music artists on MSN.

His mentor, he says, is music and fashion industry mogul Russell Simmons.

About four months ago, Ali says, he asked Simmons how he measures success. “He said, ‘Naz, if you find a job you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.’” If this is the measuring stick of success, then Ali is already hugely successful as the co-owner of an award-winning restaurant and an internationally known DJ “I get paid to party. I can’t see anything better than that.”
But Ali is a driven man wanting more and determined to get it. In 10 years, he says, he wants to expand his business with restaurant franchises but he also wants to find more time for himself. Ali says if he had to choose between food and music, he would pick the music. He says he has chosen to remain in Fredericton because he is established here both as a chef and DJ.
If he were to move to a larger centre such as Toronto it would mean starting over. Now, whenever a DJ is needed in Atlantic Canada, he says he has made enough connections in the industry that he will get the call.

When the Black Eyed Peas and the Pussycat Dolls performed on P.E.I. last summer, he was there.

It was fantastic, he recalls, to hear some 40,000 people screaming his name. And he says it’s especially satisfying to know those artists appreciate his work. He recalls the American Music Awards, during the Black Eyed Peas’ acceptance speech when they mentioned his name, thanking him for his work.
Ali hasn’t returned to Trinidad since moving here in 2003. But his parents and sisters are here with him, working at the restaurant so he says he doesn’t miss the island life. The atmosphere at Caribbean Flavas is definitely tropical. Bright hues of blue, pink, yellow and orange are on the walls. Views of the ocean and a tropical beach can be seen through faux windows. “I have created my own little island here.”

Having his family live and work with him is wonderful.

In Caribbean culture, he explains, families stay together for life. “Family is huge. We work, eat and pray together,” he says. Leaving the business in the hands of his parents and sisters affords him peace of mind whenever he is away. With so much on his plate is he worried about burnout No, he says.

“This is not a job. It’s a passion.”

The post Driven to succeed appeared first on DJ Nasty Naz.