Flavour combos take Cyprus consumers by storm

Spicy yet sweet, tangy but tropical: this exotic fusion cuisine is proving a favourite with island locals

Many families in Cyprus enjoy multi-cultural roots. But Pearl Antoniou’s background hot got to be among the most diverse! Born in the UK, her mother is Cypriot, her father from St Vincent in the Caribbean. Her husband is from Nigeria, and her business partner hails from Anguilla. And now, living in Ayia Napa, she’s putting her eclectic background to excellent use with Jerk & Jollof.

The only Afro-Caribbean fusion restaurant on the island, Jerk & Jollof is named for the two signature dishes that unite this unusual cuisine. “Jerk, which refers to the way in which meat is marinated, smoked and grilled, is a style of cooking that’s native to Jamaica,” explains Pearl. “And jollof, which originated in West Africa, is a wildly popular rice dish that includes tomatoes, onions, red pepper, garlic, ginger and chillies.

“There’s a common heritage to both,” she continues. “Jollof is a long-time favourite in Nigeria, and the spice palate of jerk was originally concocted by African slaves in Jamaica. Together, they exemplify both cultures, building on the ancestral connections between African and Caribbean foods!”

Of course there’s a great deal more to the restaurant’s unique menu! While jollof rice and jerk chicken or jerk pork (marinated in special seasoning and spices, grilled on the barbeque, and pulled into strips) are the signature fare, Pearl and co have capitalised on their gastronomic knowledge to create dishes such as Curried Goat (complete with carrots and potatoes), Caribbean coleslaw (packed with exotic secret ingredients), and melt-in-the-mouth caramelised plantain. There’s even a vegetarian platter (jollof rice, mac’n’cheese, plantain, and coleslaw) or a delectable side of jerk fries (chips drizzled with jerk barbecue sauce) for those who prefer less meaty fare. And an iconic Caribbean tropical rum punch (rum, guava, pineapple and orange juice, ginger and nutmeg) to wash it all down!

“There are over 20 items on the menu,” Pearl explains. “Every single one is an explosion of Afro-Caribbean flavours, and each is cooked by specialists in the cuisine!” Corrin Brooks-Meade, a former Fulham pro and expert in Caribbean cuisine, is the professional grill master. And two Nigerian chefs, working under the expert eye of Pearl’s husband Dammie Adufe, complete the cooking complement.

Together, Corrin, Dammie and Pearl launched Jerk & Jollof at the height of summer. “Actually, we had a soft launch, a taster weekend during which we offered free samples and tropical rum punch to everyone and anyone, purely to get a feel for the public’s reaction to our food and flavours. It was an absolute hit!” she exclaims. “We had no idea so many people would turn up and the feedback was amazing!”

Surprisingly, it’s not just tourists who love the cuisine. “We opened the restaurant in the very centre of Ayia Napa, right beside Black ’n White club,” says Pearl. “It was a strategic location, because it’s a hotspot for tourists of all backgrounds…

“From the very start we predicted our demographic would be visitors from the UK and local Africans or people from the Caribbean – and we certainly drew a lot of this crowd. Yet we were also astonished to see that many of our customers hailed from nations with no particular affinity for Afro-Caribbean cuisine: Sweden, Israel, Switzerland.

“But what shocked us the most,” she adds, “was the crowds of locals. They turned up in their droves! The jerk pork in particular is a huge hit with Cypriots. We get loads of the younger generation, who are embracing this new explosion of flavours on the island. As well as many a regular local customer, some of whom drive down to Ayia Napa each weekend purely for our food!

“Of course it has been a risk,” she continues. “As with any new venture, you’re always going to worry it might not work. Especially since we’re in a seasonal town. But we’re already into October and we’re still seeing hundreds of customers each night. As the first Afro-Caribbean fusion restaurant on the island, I reckon we’ve found a gap in the market. And now we can just let the flavours speak for themselves!”

Although Jerk & Jollof is still very much in its infancy, such is its success that Pearl and co are already thinking of franchising. “At the moment, we’re operating mainly as a take-away and delivery place,” she explains. “This is street food at its best, so many of our customers drop in for a quick bite. We’re also on both Wolt and Foody, delivering across the entire Famagusta region, and that’s something we hope to expand in the coming months. And there are a few outdoor tables for anyone who prefers to sit and eat and enjoy the ambience of the square…

“But we’re seeing such interest from other towns that we’re already considering franchising – not immediately, of course, we don’t want to get too much ahead of ourselves! But in time, if our customer base keeps growing, there’s definitely a lot of potential in the pipeline.”

Pearl and the team are certainly capitalising on the success of their flavoursome fare in the Mediterranean. “The island has really taken to Jerk & Jollof, far more than we suspected it would,” she concludes. “For us, the founders, this fusion has always been part of our lives: it’s the tastes we grew up on, and we all have a lifelong experience of this cuisine. So we’re thrilled the island is sharing in the tastes we love: spicy and sweet, tangy and tropical. Perhaps it’s exactly the flavour profile that Cyprus was missing…”

For more information, visit the Facebook page ‘Jerk & Jollof’ or the Instagram account @jerkandjollof.cy