McHugh comes from a family of entrepreneurs and dreamed of owning his own business one day. He emigrated to the United States in December 2015 and settled in Cleveland about two months later in February 2016.
He was introduced to EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute through a mutual connection who suggested the program after McHugh shared that he wanted to attend culinary art school. McHugh decided to apply for the program and was accepted.
"With EDWINS, and that's where I get the fundamentals," McHugh said. "I know how to cook, but I didn't know the fundamentals. EDWINS teaches the fundamentals. Everything about fine dining experiences and all that, I learned the critical stuff from EDWINS. That was the best experience for me in cooking and trying to get my career started."
Following the six-month program, McHugh's career took a number of twists. He entered the restaurant business working for other chefs, including his father-in-law, but decided to pursue his dream of owning his own restaurant. Through a mutual connection, McHugh found a spot inside the Kabas African Market on Lee Road to open his own restaurant. He stayed at the location for two years before he moved down the road to a new location.
McHugh and his wife were then the victims of aggravated assault, which forced McHugh to return to cooking from his home. He continued to build his business for about three years from his home before settling into his current location at the Shoppes at Buckeye on Buckeye Road in Cleveland.
When he officially opened Rich Caribbean Cuisine at the Shoppes at Buckeye, McHugh said the restaurant was filled with people. And since then, he has consistently seen his business grow, where they have steady traffic of customers. As his business has grown, he prides himself on being the only chef in the kitchen, preparing all the food on the line daily.
"I pride myself to try and do the best that I know, to keep it Jamaica," McHugh said. "I try to do it the way it's supposed to be, how I learned it the original way from my mom, all of my people and all the good chefs that I've been around in Jamaica growing up. So, I keep it that way."