Yvette moved to New York in the late ‘80’s Yvette  was already infused with the passion to cook and create. Yvette soaked up the smorgasbord of aromas and culinary delights from her grandmother’s kitchen. 

She studied at prime the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York.

Yvette worked in the noted Italian eatery Le Madre in Manhattan; this experience nurtured her love for Italian food.  

In 2003, Yvette was appointed the chef de cuisine at the trendy and well-known Negrill restaurant in New York City. While at Negrill she was featured on New York TV station, Gourmet Magazine, and Daily News. She was also a guest on Fox 5 News where she prepared her irresistible Polenta also known as Coo Coo. Yvette was the personal chef for supermodel Naomi Campbell 

Yvette is the chef for most of the Caricom countries with representative to the United Nations. Yvette catered official gathering and social events hosted for Prime Ministers , ambassadors, and other diplomats for  Grenada, St. Lucia, Bahamas , St. Vincent, Dominica and many other  islands.

Yvette conducted cooking demos for her catering service at the noted William Sonoma store in Manhattan, which she considers “A Great experience for my Food Network spot!” 

Working in the intense cultural and competitive melting pot that is New York has honed and crafted Yvette’s abilities to a point where she feels confident in turning her prowess to anything. She calls this experience a carnival to her customer’s culinary cravings and a fiesta for their five senses! 

Yvette have been told by many people who’ve been apart of the Yvette James dining experience that the secret ingredient in her food isn’t something that can be found in a cook-book, but instead they think that it’s PASSION.  Yvette sums up the way she feels about what she does and the food she creates in two word “Passionate and Love”– like her!”