Ol’ Joe — Preserving Our Culture #Jamaica55
Ask the average Jamaican what they consider to be good food and chances are the answer will include yam, dasheen, cocoa and banana. Notice the trend? Yup, ground provisions: the broad term that somehow says it all.
Ol’ Joe Restaurant in Montego Bay takes this part of its cuisine very seriously and has made its mandate to preserve this aspect of our (food) culture.
“Ol’ Joe’s was created in an effort to preserve our country’s culture through food and present it in a fast-service and price-conscious package, as we know that those are the determining factors for almost every consumer decision and also the direction that the society is going in,” explained Robert Joseph Jr, director, Jamaica Prime Foods.
“It’s our way of changing the misconception visitors have that jerk is the only thing considered Jamaican food. We want our fellow Jamaicans to have access to their food right throughout the day. A very big selling point is the availability of fresh vegetables and ground provisions, as we are aware that most consumers are very health-conscious. So we work hard to provide healthy options from farm to table,” Joseph Jr explained further.
With a “grab and go” concept, making it easier, accessible and more affordable, the eatery has seen its customer base grow since opening its doors at Fairview in 2014 and now with a recent addition in the heart of the city, Sam Sharpe Square, inside the Montego Bay Cultural Centre. The centre also houses the National Gallery West and National Museum West.
“Everything is prepared fresh daily, as we open our kitchen from 5:00 am every morning; we intend to maintain our quality, consistency and standards. The tricky part about true Jamaican food, as you know, is that it has to be seasoned properly, and this can be challenging based on the availability of all the ingredients we need for each dish, but it is something that the chef works towards maintaining daily,” Joseph Jr stated.
Ol’ JoeMontego Bay Cultural Centre, Sam Sharpe Square,
Montego Bay
Shop Unit B10 Fairview Shopping Centre
(Beside Fontana Pharmacy), Montego Bay
Call: 876-618-2622
