West London College Alum Opens His Own Restaurant

West London College Hospitality and Catering alum, Rushaine Vincent, has opened his own restaurant, Kingston 20, in Shepherd’s Bush. Although the restaurant officially launched in February shortly before the national Lockdown, it continues to thrive despite COVID-19.

Rushaine Vincent studied Culinary Skills Level 1 and Professional Cookery Level 2 at West London College from 2014 to 2017. Princee Pownall-Weir studied Professional Cookery Level 3 at West London College in 2017, and works alongside Rushaine as part of the staff team with Head Chef Eugene Thomas and Assistant Chef Lasai Ghent. 

Both students reserve nothing but praise for their teachers and the quality of their courses, as they say they learned invaluable skills in technique, time and kitchen management, and for Rushaine, it meant gaining the confidence to build his dream of running his own restaurant.

Rushaine says: “I ran my own restaurant business in Jamaica, but when I came to this country the courses really brought out more of me, cooking the way I like, from simple things like cutting veg, to giving me a broader understanding. Many thanks to West London College it lifted up my potential, so I could start walking to success.”

Princee says: “I’ve always loved cooking and wanted to expand my skills and knowledge. So when I was admitted into Hammersmith & Fulham College on the Professional Chef course, it was above what I could have hoped for. Being welcomed into a family, they began to lay down the blueprint for me becoming the Chef I am today. Now working full time in a restaurant in west London, I would like to thank Sylvain, Denise, Bob, Richard and Jeffery. Great respect.”

As the restaurant’s name suggests, Rushaine prides himself on having created a truly authentic tiny bit of Jamaica in West London, and he says: “This is a true Jamaican standard, which is love for everyone that comes in and everyone that comes in is treated with five-star Jamaican treatment –  for everyone. It’s equal for everyone.”

Rushaine worked with an interior designer to ensure that Kingston 20’s charming decor is just like that of a similar cafe/restaurant in Jamaica. Stripes of pale blues, white and lime green abound, with a mix of stunning paintings reminiscent of Jamaica, past and present, as well as a huge mural of a beachside view. On two floors, the ground floor is light and airy with crisp white linen tablecloths and serviettes for those who want to eat in. In the basement is a bijou bar with a dreamy magical feel. Diners can also eat outside at tables cafe-style, and Rushaine offers a highly popular takeaway menu.

Rushaine describes regular visits to the market to ensure he has the freshest most delicious produce ready to serve for the Kingston 20 Caribbean menu. Rushaine is proud of the dishes that have been handed down to him from his grandmother, who was also a chef, which includes sweet potato pudding, oxtail, and rice and peas. 

Rushaine describes his signature dishes as pepper steak, lobster platter, and oxtail brown chicken stew.

Head of School for Hospitality and Catering, Denise Charles, said: “I felt like jumping for joy when Rushaine let me know about the restaurant and how well it’s doing. Thanks to his determination to achieve his vision, combined with the knowledge and practice he gained at West London College, he has become a role model for our catering and hospitality students.” 

As well as being the successful restaurant owner of Kingston 20, Rushaine is also a chef manager working with NHS Health Care across West London.