Humble Beginnings

Situated on the south-western end of Trinidad is a common destination known to locals and tourists alike as Mayaro. It's from the village called Rest House where Chrissie, co-founder of this business hails.  

​Also, originating from these parts but having settled to the east of the island in Arima is her peculiar and fun loving husband Widel aka 'Chino' who is the founder and brainchild of "The Little Cottage".

Being much more than "just another food joint", Widel and Chrissie have together managed to lay the foundation of a business model designed to last for generations. With catering as the foundation of what they like to refer to as their Webstaurant,  they have created a popular yet unique concept of preparing delectable and appetizing dishes that is made with high quality products and priced to be most affordable to their customers nationwide. However, the envisioned product model for The Little Cottage is far greater than what meets the eye. It is the intent of the founders of this establishment to merge culture, class and creativity into every aspect of their business operation. The Little Cottage will encompass strong roots and connectivity to the the historically rich culture of Trinidad and Tobago through entertainment, music and art at every facility established. The featured attractions will draw patrons from across the globe and give a sense of pride to every member of the Cottage Community. Business and pleasure can exist in harmony as have been defined by Widel and Chrissie time and time again. Every customer (community member) is treated with love and respect and a sense of belonging as they take pride in tailoring their services to satisfy individual needs. This is the result of the harnessing of positive genealogical traits from both ends of the field.

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Anyone who encounters this family and have the pleasure of their company will soon come to the indisputable conclusion that they can surely cook. Given their multi-cultural background and country upbringing you will always be pleased to enjoy the sensational flavours in any meal of your choosing. An important factor which must be highlighted as it a key influencer in the genesis of The Little Cottage is the answer to "Why the Cottage was created". 

Across the nation you can find a variety of good eats and fun places to  recreate or get business done with ease. However, you can also find many over rated, over priced and simply disappointing establishments that offer food or services with the added 'benefit' of poor customer service. These were commonly experienced by the couple as they would frequently travel around the country on casual and business endeavours.

It is no secret that customer service is one of the areas in Trinidad that is highly neglected. Having on numerous occasions being subjected to it all and recognising their skill and passion for planning and catering events, Widel and Chrissie set out to transform their negative experiences into a positive and productive idea. The main focus as envisioned by Widel was to provide an avenue where others can access some of the things that they themselves enjoy with ease of access at a reasonably affordable price. He insisted that as a Caribbean destination, Trinidad should be top tier if not for its beaches or heritage sites, but definitely from the experiences and cheerful memories of the people. In my interview he stated, "Locals and tourists alike must be able to visit a location, spend their money and know that both their time and money was well spent. The Little Cottage is going to be centred around God, family and love." It is with this vision and drive that The Little Cottage was born.

In closing, I take pleasure in writing not about this outstanding business venture but appreciating the opportunity to express to you the reader about the genuine nature of these young and aspiring entrepreneurs. This cheerful duo features the bright smiles and laughter of Chrissie. She has exquisite talents in event planning and decor which is unique as her East Indian flare  distinctly defines her skills that also extend to the kitchen. Her use of flavours combined with her artistic nature and "Monkish Perfection" is nothing short of culinary expertise. Although, she insists that there is much more to learn. Widel has a wild and exciting  determination whose heartbeat is like the drums of war but in a fun loving way. His love for food extends far beyond having a meal as he too has the proven ability to engage in culinary finesse as the products of The Little Cottage speak for themselves. These qualities set them apart and are clear milestones that the vision is being achieved one step at a time. My only hope is to be blessed with long life to witness the completion of this unique and inspiring endeavour which is well on the road to success.

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written by: Andre Julien