From Mon Repos to Bayonne: Ray and Jazelle Are Building a Seafood Success Story

For many Guyanese, the dream of building a successful business abroad begins long before they leave home. It starts with a willingness to work hard, take risks, and seize opportunities wherever they arise. For Ray and Jazelle, a husband-and-wife team from Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara, that dream has become a reality through C Steam Seafood in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Having relocated to the United States just three years ago, the couple has already established a restaurant that is attracting seafood lovers from across New Jersey and beyond. Their journey is another example of the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit that continues to define the Guyanese diaspora.

C Steam Seafood specializes in seafood boils, offering guests an interactive dining experience centered around fresh crab legs, shrimp, lobster, mussels, clams, crawfish, potatoes, corn, and signature house seasonings. While the cuisine draws inspiration from the popular Cajun seafood boil tradition, the dedication behind the business reflects values deeply rooted in Guyana: hospitality, perseverance, and a commitment to serving others.

Starting a restaurant is never easy, especially in a highly competitive market. For newcomers to a country, the challenges are even greater. Building a customer base, managing day-to-day operations, and earning a reputation for quality require long hours and unwavering determination. Ray and Jazelle have embraced those challenges, steadily growing C Steam Seafood into a destination known for generous portions, bold flavors, and welcoming service.

Their success story resonates with many Guyanese living abroad. Across North America, Guyanese entrepreneurs continue to establish businesses that contribute to their local communities while proudly representing their homeland. Whether in healthcare, transportation, construction, technology, or hospitality, Guyanese are proving that hard work and resilience remain among the country’s greatest exports.

For Ray and Jazelle, Mon Repos remains an important part of their identity. Located on Guyana’s East Coast Demerara, the village has produced generations of hardworking families whose values travel with them wherever life leads. Those same principles of dedication, humility, and community are evident in the way they have approached their business.

One of the defining features of C Steam Seafood is its atmosphere. Guests gather around tables covered for seafood boils, sharing meals that encourage conversation and togetherness. It is a dining experience built around family and friends, something that feels naturally familiar to Guyanese culture, where food has always been a way of bringing people together.

From holiday pepperpot to seaside fish fries and family cook-ups, Guyanese traditions have long celebrated the idea that great food is best enjoyed in good company. While C Steam Seafood offers a different culinary style, the sense of warmth and connection behind every meal reflects those same values.

The restaurant’s growing popularity has also been fueled by social media. Eye-catching seafood platters and enthusiastic customer reviews have introduced C Steam Seafood to audiences well beyond Bayonne, drawing visitors eager to experience one of the area’s most talked-about seafood destinations.

As Taste Guyana continues to spotlight members of the Guyanese diaspora, stories like Ray and Jazelle’s deserve recognition. They remind us that success is not defined solely by where we come from, but by what we build with the opportunities before us. In just a few short years, they have transformed a dream into a thriving business while carrying a piece of Guyana with them every step of the way.

Their journey also serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs. It demonstrates that starting over in a new country does not mean leaving your identity behind. Instead, it offers the chance to combine the values learned at home with new opportunities abroad.

From the streets of Mon Repos to the waterfront city of Bayonne, Ray and Jazelle are writing a story of determination, partnership, and entrepreneurial success. Through C Steam Seafood, they have built more than a restaurant. They have created a business that reflects the ambition, resilience, and community spirit of Guyanese people around the world.

As the Guyanese diaspora continues to leave its mark across the globe, C Steam Seafood stands as another reminder that wherever Guyanese go, they bring with them not only their work ethic, but also the warmth, generosity, and determination that make their stories worth celebrating.

Editor’s Note: If you are a member of the Guyanese diaspora making an impact in food, hospitality, agriculture, or culinary entrepreneurship, we’d love to share your story. Contact Taste Guyana and help us celebrate the people taking the flavors and spirit of Guyana to the world.