Jacqui Tyson is a singular presence on the Jamaican culinary scene. Her penchant for melding the worlds of hardy Jamaican fare and Continental cuisine has earned her numerous clients and accolades (including the prestigious Chairman’s Award at this year’s Jamaica Observer Food Awards). And this approach to her cuisine is embedded in the very title of her restaurant, Jacqui Tyson — From Yardstyle to Gourmet.

Tyson is also a vocal promoter of the downtown Kingston area — indeed, her restaurant is located along the scenic waterfront. Never one to rest on her laurels she has taken her signature brand of cooking from the breezy aisle of Ocean Boulevard to the pristine lawns of the Constant Spring Golf Club. The Jacqui Tyson’s Reggae Jammin Café had its opening night last Friday, and Thursday Life was there for the sizzling event.

It all came together pretty quickly for Jacqui Tyson’s Reggae Jammin Café. Tyson tells us she was contacted by poultry powerhouse The Jamaica Broilers Group just a few months ago to discuss the idea of her working with the kitchen at the Constant Spring Golf Club.

“I thought it was going to be a consultation, but then it grew into a full-sized project,” she tells Thursday Life.

It’s no idle boast! Within weeks, she explains, tiles were gutted and refitted, ATL provided commercial- grade kitchen equipment, and she was devising a brand-new menu for the site.

“It was a rapid pregnancy with an early delivery,” she says, laughing. But all the hard work was well worth it.

So what kind of delectable bites can we expect from this new Jacqui Tyson venture?

As it’s at a golf club, expect a menu that’s “a bit more sporty”.

On opening night, we enjoyed a delectable array of Best Dressed Chicken Buffalo Wings, Reggae Jammin Beef Sliders and Hamilton’s Smoke House Deli Cuts.

But that was just a sample of all the delicious menu items that will be available at the Reggae Jammin Café. Tyson stresses that healthy offerings will be a premium, with a broad array of salads on offer as well as menu options cooked to order. This being Jacqui Tyson, however, her offerings are both playful and hearty. Reggae Jammin Hot Dogs and Hamilton’s gourmet meats share equal billing with grilled salmon and Reggae Jammin Rotisserie Chicken.

In the mood for a panini or a hot wrap? Well, you can have them pressed right on site; and for breakfast, golfers can have a power start with Jamaican classics like mackerel rundown, ackee and salt fish and stewed chicken.

“What we have at our fingertips is the whole array of the Jamaica Broilers line,” Tyson says.

And on top of that, there will be signature Jacqui Tyson dishes, such as her famous Mango Glazed Pig’s Tail.

If that’s not enough, there is a trained chef on site each day just in case you’re in the mood for something you can’t find on the extensive menu.

“So if you’re in the mood for pasta with salmon, our chef can make that specially,” she informs.

Nigel Davy, president of Constant Spring Golf Club, said the opening of the café is part of a larger redevelopment plan for the club. “We conducted a survey earlier this year, and a restaurant with good food was among the high-priority improvements golfers wanted to see at Constant Spring.” Davy said that the café now puts the club on mark as a sports and entertainment destination, particularly for business travellers.

The chef herself exudes supreme confidence: “When you dine at Jacqui Tyson’s Reggae Jammin Café you can expect food with rhythm, food with flavour, food that will jump off your plate.”

We concur.

— Kedon Willis