Ben Tsedek starts a 'Firelight'

Ben Tsedek Yehuda is the first one to point out that the name of the vegan restaurant he runs on Maeven Avenue, off Hope Road in St Andrew, is potentially ironic. For while it is named 'Firelight', he does not spark a single flame in his food-preparation process, using the power of the sun (which he calls "the greatest chef") for his raw-food delights.

So the Ben Tsedek refers to is the sun, consistent in its revolutions. But he is also involved in another process which depends on revolutions - at least, in CD format - to be heard, deejaying about social issues. There is, naturally, a connection between his culinary and musical exploits, one piece about healthy living advising "yu belly no fi hang over yu belt" and "health food no dear ... stop turn the doctor into millionaire".

Another, especially relevant in the current politically charged atmosphere, declares "two party, same philosophy, different strategy", this after stating "the Queen no have no subject/the youth them get free scholarship to UWI from GG salary".

Ben Tsedek returned to Jamaica from the US six years ago. "The music and the food came together," he said. In the US, he was exposed to the African Hebrew Israelites. "We have a mandate to live healthy," he said. His culinary skills blossomed after he volunteered with the movement in the US and, on returning to Jamaica, "I wanted to establish even one location".

"I was able to get help from some 'sacred souls' here and in the African Hebrew community in the States," Ben Tsedek said. Firelight has been at its current location for approximately 18 months.

However, returning to Jamaica also lit a musical fire. "When I moved back the songs started coming to my mind. The songs I am doing now were written five years ago," he said. So for some time he has been taking a stance against socially negative lyrics, saying "we can't give them high salary for vulgarity". The material has not yet been put into widespread release.

On the restaurant side, Ben Tsedek said "one of the things that Firelight prides itself on is creativity". So in the live-food range there is sushi, a mushroom or ackee burger, chick pea nuggets and raw-food pizzas, with the base made from different grains and nuts. Similarly, the crust of the patties at Firelight is made from grains, which encase fillings of mushroom or ackee, among others, or a mix like cabbage and ackee.

With food preparation in the US, Ben Tsedek said "I started experimenting and thought 'I can do this'." And, in Jamaica, the musical creative juices started flowing, making for a healthy body and mind blend at Firelight.