Akim Cornwall doesn't have a lot of spare time these days.

With preparing grab-and-go meals for sale, managing his restaurant and hosting his own cooking show on YouTube, the 28-year-old Wallerfield native has a tight schedule.

Given his energy and fast-paced lifestyle, it might be hard to believe that less than a year ago Cornwall could barely lift his own head after being infected with covid19.

He spent most of November 2021 warded at the Couva Hospital and Multi-Training Facility.

In his few conscious moments Cornwall said he found the strength to overcome the illness and has a renewed sense of purpose.

Speaking with Sunday Newsday at his Saddle Road, San Juan, restaurant last Thursday, Cornwall said while his time in the hospital was one of the most difficult times of his life, it was an eye-opening experience which taught him the value of life.

[caption id="attachment_945645" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Chef Akim Cornwall at his restaurant on Saddle Road, San Juan. - PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB[/caption]

For as long as he can remember Cornwall better known as "Chef Akim" has had a passion for cooking.

Growing up with his extended family, Cornwall said he often spent time observing his grandparents in the kitchen, studying their movement and skills and eventually joining in as he got older.

"I have done a lot of other things with my life, playing football, studying electrical installation, and plumbing but it always came right back to cooking, that's always where my talent seemed to lie."

Cornwall took his passion for learning new recipes and experimenting with different dishes into adulthood getting jobs in restaurants where he learned the basics of commercial food preparation.

Beginning at the Valpark Chinese Restaurant, Cornwall said he got first-hand experience on what it took to cook authentic dishes from scratch and the subtle details needed to make a meal memorable.

He then began working at Castro's restaurant in Arima where he was exposed to other styles of cooking, developing friendships that sharpened his skills in the kitchen.

"Castro's was one of the places where I made my name and the head chef who really created me and gave me a chance was the late head chef Gidron King.

"He showed me the ropes and taught me about the job.

"I wasn't privileged to attend hotel school, I grew up poor so he always taught me, 'Here is your hotel school, here is where you will make something of yourself.’''

There Cornwall learned not only the skills needed to make him a better chef, but also developed an appreciation for hard work and adequate preparation.

[caption id="attachment_945647" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Exotic fish combo, one of the dishes on the menu at Chef Akim Exotic Foods. - PHOTO BY ROGER JACOB[/caption]

Using these skills, he began his own catering business. Operating out of his mother's kitchen, he began preparing food for large-scale events even while working in the restaurant.

While his popularity caught on relatively quickly, developing a modest following