Irma Gottshalk was born in Kingston, Jamaica. At the age of 14, she migrated to the United States to live in Houston, Texas where she graduated from Elsik High School and joined the Army. Irma was deployed to Operation Desert Storm and Shield, and Iraqi Freedom. She retired from the United States Army with 22 years of service.

After her military career, she attended Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School in Austin before opening the first Jamaican restaurant, iGott Island Cuisine, LLC in Temple, Texas in 2014. With the insistence of her customers, Chef Irma transitioned her restaurant to a catering company, which she now calls IGott Flava Catering. 

Chef Irma is married to Kevin Gottshalk, and they have two beautiful daughters, Aletheia, and Xoana Gottshalk. Xoana transitioned to heaven and is the inspiration for Irma’s cookbooks. This Jamaican cookbook project is in honor of Xoana.

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