Joel Swaby’s love and passion for cooking Jamaican dishes is obvious and so is his understanding of what Jamaican food means to the rest of the world.
Swaby runs Shellybellys, a pop up restaurant that promotes the authentic experience of Caribbean street food on the streets of Walthamstow, East London. In the video below he opens up about the importance of Caribbean food culture.
Most Caribbean people love food. They love eating it. They love discussing it. But Caribbean food means a lot more to us than just a simple meal. People like Swaby, some operating in their home kitchens, others in local restaurants or food stalls, have been able to bridge the gap between Caribbean culture and the rest of the world.
Today jerk chicken, Trinidadian doubles and Guyanese Roti can be found in major cities across North America and Europe. So Caribbean food do have a story–Everyday somewhere across the globe stories are being told about people who just had a tasty Caribbean inspired meal.
