Archive: Jamaica's Culinary Journey, with Melissa Thompson and Riaz Phillips

Oct 13, 2024

Melissa Thompson, a BBC Good Food columnist and author of "Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook," and Riaz Phillips, author of "West Winds: Recipes, History and Tales from Jamaica," explore the rich tapestry of Jamaican cuisine. They discuss iconic dishes like jerk chicken and ackee and saltfish, highlighting their diverse cultural influences. Personal stories reveal how culinary traditions shape identity within the Jamaican diaspora. The conversation also tackles authenticity, cultural appropriation, and the evolution of Jamaican food, particularly in London.

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ANECDOTE

Thompson's Jamaican Connection

Melissa Thompson's father is Jamaican, and her mother is Maltese.
Her father's difficult childhood experiences in Jamaica made him reluctant to return.

INSIGHT

Generational Differences in Jamaican Identity

Riaz Phillips contrasts the Jamaican diaspora's complex relationship with Jamaica with their children's experiences.
Many second-generation immigrants have more exposure to Caribbean culture through friends.

ANECDOTE

Phillips's Childhood Food Experience

Phillips didn't realize Caribbean food was distinct until he attended a diverse school.
His family instilled pride in Jamaican heritage, but physical return trips were infrequent due to financial constraints.

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This discussion is a dip back into the extensive Intelligence Squared archive, first aired in late 2022. Jerk chicken, curried goat, ackee and saltfish - these are just some of the famous dishes which make up the varied patchwork of Jamaican cuisine. With influences from West Africa, Spain, China and the East India region, each dish can tell a different story ranging from the influence of indigenous groups to the arrival of settlers, colonialists, and enslaved people who have lived on the Caribbean island throughout history. In this episode of the podcast we're joined by cooks and food writers Melissa Thompson, author of Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook, and Riaz Phillips, author of West Winds: Recipes, History and Tales from Jamaica, to explore how Jamaican food has evolved and travelled throughout the world.

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