We had the good fortune of connecting with Travis Edwards and Joseline Josue-Edwards and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Travis and Joseline, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
We both came from big families who would always cook big cultural meals. My husband (Travis) is from Walterboro, SC and they cook soul food such as Collard Greens, Yams, Fried Chicken, Chitterlings and so much more. For myself, being raised in a Haitian household, we would cook Diri Djon Djon (rice with black mushrooms), Griyo (fried pork), Mayi Moulen ak Poi (cornmeal and beans), Soup Joumou (pumpkin/squash soup), which is a soup we would eat to celebrate Haitian Independence Day, and so much more.

We have gatherings at our home very often, and the joy we feel by feeding others, especially in our community, with the experiences of cooking in large quantities and with the many compliments that we received, we started TJ 5 Cuisine using the concept of combining and incorporating both styles of cooking.

When it came to sweets, Travis loves Red Velvet cake. We would either purchase it from a family friend or he would drive to Jacksonville, FL to purchase from a bakery. By us cooking, I kept telling him to try making the Red Velvet Cake himself. He then purchased the ingredients, and they sat in the pantry for a month. I decided to take it upon myself and try it out. First try, the color wasn’t there (lol) but the taste was. I tried again and ever since; I couldn’t put the spatula down… JJ-Sweets was born.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Travis has been an automobile transporter for the past 20 + years. And being on the road, cross-country, it can get very lonely and tiring. When he would come home on the weekend and get behind the grill or the stove, you can see the joy on his face when he feed and serve others. And for myself, I worked in the medical field for 10 years as a Medical Biller & Coder and was not happy at all. However, due to the Global Pandemic in 2020, my department was let go. I didn’t know what to do due to only knowing the medical field for the past 10 years. I knew for sure I didn’t want to sit behind a desk anymore.

My husband had been wanting to start a catering business for years and once the pandemic happened and life slowed down, we were cooking more often. We became a 1-income household. We could have just given up and felt sorry for ourselves. However, we persevered and were motivated to work harder. We took it as an opportunity to finally do what we love and that’s to cook. Our passion for cooking was the beginning of TJ5 cuisine.

After several months of catering, we started the bakery business (JJ-Sweets) and that in itself can get very tiring and fulfilling. We are not where we would like to be just yet however pushing to get there. This has not been an easy walk by any means. Being an entrepreneur, you are the head of every department!! This takes LOTS OF PRAYERS AND HARD WORK! We overcome many challenges each day by just getting it done no matter what obstacle comes our way. We have learned that owning a business is not a walk in the park. it takes CONSISTENCY, DEDICATION, BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS, a GOOD SUPPORT SYSTEM, and GOD!

We put pride, good intentions and authenticity into our work. You can taste the time and attention that goes into the dish and cakes. We try to partake in all the major community events and festivals, when we are not catering by bringing joy and good food to any occasion. We stress the importance of being informed, kind and confident as it relates to our customer service.

We have also joined the Stuart/Martin Chamber of Commerce, which we have gained a lot of our clients from. Also, being a part of a healthy and spiritual community, such as our church home, El Roi Lighthouse in Port St. Lucie, FL and a non-profit organization that I’m a part of, His Diamonds Touch, has been a stable in our support system!

Adversity builds character. The love and support from family, friends, and supporters push us each and every day. If you want to be successful you need to push and work hard. Anything is possible if you put God first and work hard toward your goals. We are still working toward what success looks like for us. Our story started with what looked like the end but is only the beginning.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Our household is a football home. Our kids play and Travis coaches. So, we spend a lot of time at the local parks for sporting events. In the past, we would leave town to go places, such as West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Miami, Orlando, or out of the state. However, due to the market changing, and more people moving to Port Saint Lucie, more local businesses and recreational spots are opening up. We enjoy the beaches, restaurants, and lounges.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
We would like to shoutout our family, friends and supporters. Their support over the years has given us the drive and cultivated our passion for cooking. Our cooking has also been a tool we’ve used to help give back to the same community that has helped us grow and thrive.

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