Friends for a decade, Jamaican entrepreneurs Kadine Gordon-Cunningham, Anarica Harding-Burgess and Sashonna Carter have turned a shared love for authentic Jamaican flavours into a business venture, bringing Jamaica Fried Chicken (JFC), a franchise born in Queens, New York, to Miami Gardens, Florida.

Drawn to the brand’s bold flavours and distinctive dining experience, the trio took a leap of faith, opening their own JFC location with a vision that extends beyond the restaurant business. For them, the venture is a celebration of friendship, faith and entrepreneurship — and the courage it takes to believe in an idea. “We saw the vision, believed in it, and decided to take a leap of faith,” Gordon-Cunningham shared with Thursday Food.

Now serving the Miami Gardens community, JFC brings a taste of Jamaican-inspired comfort food to South Florida, with a menu that balances its signature fried chicken with familiar island favourites. The original-recipe fried chicken is a standout, served with fries and a biscuit or alongside rice and peas, topped with a gravy of choice. Other popular picks include curry goat, Sunday-special oxtail, pastas, and the JFC chicken sandwich.

Chicken sandwich.

Beyond the menu, the franchisees are keen to recreate the familiar charm of the Jamaican neighbourhood corner restaurant, complete with its much-loved box-food tradition. “We try to mirror the authentic Jamaican corner restaurant, box-food style, in all the JFCs,” they explained.

Since officially opening their doors on Friday, September 11, the Miami Gardens outpost has been generating plenty of conversation — and business. The restaurant quickly caught the attention of social media users, with viral content bringing curious diners through its doors and inspiring a wave of online reviews.

“The feedback has been great,” shared Gordon-Cunningham. “We went viral on social media platforms, and that caused more people to want to come and try JFC, be a part of the movement and share their reviews. Even people who had never done reviews before wanted to review JFC.”

(Photo: IG/@jamaicafriedchickenmiami)

While not every review was glowing, the franchisees welcomed the attention. “Some of the reviews were not very nice; however, it was still support. Good or bad, we welcomed it,” she told Thursday Food.

The enthusiasm has translated into strong sales, with the trio reporting significant business from day one. Now, with JFC available through Uber Eats, DoorDash and
Grubhub, customers can also enjoy the convenience of having their favourites delivered. The franchisees are exploring additional delivery platforms to further extend their reach.

Behind the counter, a strong team has been equally important to the restaurant’s progress. The owners have focused on identifying standout employees and placing them in leadership positions, resulting in noticeable improvements in customer service.

Jamaica Fried Chicken (JFC) Miami Gardens franchisees (from left) Anarica Harding-Burgess, Kadine Gordon-Cunningham, and Sashonna Carter (Photo: Eaize Photography)

The journey has also offered each franchisee an opportunity to step into a new entrepreneurial space. One owner brings experience as a boutique operator, while her two business partners have backgrounds in health care. Though the restaurant industry presents a different pace and set of demands, the trio has embraced the experience.

“Being a restaurateur right now is different, but I love the journey,” Gordon-Cunningham shared. “My other two sisters who are with me on this journey are in health care, but they also love being restaurant owners. The JFC environment is very energetic. It is a fun place to work, and we love being there.”

They are not navigating the transition alone. The wider JFC ownership network has provided valuable guidance and encouragement, with fellow franchise owners remaining accessible whenever support is needed.

And Miami Gardens is only the beginning. The trio is preparing to open another location in Hartford, Connecticut, in December — an ambitious next step that comes less than three months after their Florida debut. They have also received enquiries from prospective customers and supporters in other states, with expansion firmly on their radar.

Fried chicken, fries, and biscuit .

“We’ve had a lot of requests from different states, and we are taking all of them seriously, looking to expand one at a time,” they shared.

From a decade-long friendship to building a growing restaurant venture, Gordon-Cunningham, Harding-Burgess and Carter are proving that a shared appetite for good food, backed by belief and determination, can be the recipe for something much bigger.

Photos: Eaize Photography, courtesy of JFC Miami Gardens

Fried chicken and rice & peas remain a top pick on the menu .

Jamaica Fried Chicken

2675 NW 207th Street, Suite C

Miami Gardens

Menu items include (top row, from left) salmon, chicken, and shrimp pastas. (Bottom row, from left) oxtail and rice & peas, fried chicken with rice & peas. (Photo: Eaize Photography)

FL 33056

IG/@jamaicafriedchickenmiami

Available on DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub