Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
E chef.. big star
d, has a sequel in the says: “I’m proud. I him. out of school at Year he teachers said he of doing his SATS in is dyslexia. there were so many at in on every single eetings and eventu“do you know what know?’ uying cookbooks. I e wanted to do was ook. I bought the Food Tech GCSE book and I’d do tests with him. But he’d do his own research for science. “As he expanded his vocabulary I realised homeschooling really was best for him. Instead of trying to get him to perfect everything, I got him to understand everything he does.
“I’ve since seen the teacher in question in a supermarket car park.
“She told me I’d done an amazing job. It made me quite emotional. When you decide to home-school your child you take on a financial commitment. You don’t get any extra help. But we were committed.”
The youngster’s CBBC TV show, What’s Cooking Omari, came about after the director’s partner visited the Boxpark and spotted him in the kitchen.
Leah says: “She saw Omari cooking up the food, he brought it to her and she said, ‘Mum, do you know what? I’m going to have to take your email address!’
“When we look at all the people we have worked with, the most important thing is that Omari is spoken to in a way that shows he is involved in the decision making.
“It’s his vision. And, to be fair, that’s exactly what his publishers and the show director have followed. We’ve already filmed the first 10 episodes and they have respected his dreams and goals.”
Omari added: “I love the show so much because I get to bring my family into it and it’s fun for other children to watch.”
His brother, Laquarn, 15, has ambitions of his own to become a film producer and is responsible for inspiring the prodigy to show his charisma on camera.
Leah, who is also mum to Mahkai, 11, Kiara, nine, Kainon, seven and their cousin Jaylen, also seven, says: “Omari is my quietest child! It was Laquarn, who set up his Youtube channel and got him to explain what he was doing when he cooks on camera.
Among Omari’s favourite dishes are his lasagne or his vegan shepherd’s pie. Jermaine also pushes his son to experiment in the kitchen as the pair enjoy cooking challenges.
Unsurprisingly Omari’s dishes are popular with his extended family. “Last weekend my mum said to him, ‘You’re not going to be on TV doing all this cooking and not cook for me!” Leah laughed. “He made her a three-course meal with banana fritters for the starter, chickpea curry with a roti and rice and peas for main and the dessert was a strawberry cheesecake. He was in the kitchen all day!”
The youngster, however, plans to help other children with the difficulties his family has faced.
“I have this thing called a Vision Board,” he said. “It has all my goals on it. I’ve nearly achieved them all but now I want to provide ready meals for children.”
Leah added: “He’s got a cheque from one of my old cheque books for £1million which he wants to give to children who look after their parents. I don’t doubt that he will do it. Omari tends to achieve all of his ambitions.”