Peppers Jerk Centre – a hot ticket
Published:Thursday | March 10, 2022 | 12:08 AMStephanie Lyew/Gleaner Writer
With what can be described as a no-frills restaurant, a short walk from the centre of Falmouth’s busy town and the historic port, Peppers Jerk Centre boasts unexpected flavour and a secret spicy rub that combines to make a fiery menu to feast on. The menu emphasises its signature ‘peppers’, which is local businessman Clint Rennie’s way of sharing his passion for the authentic tastes of Jamaica with all those who live and pass through the community.
Jerked chicken and pork may be found on every corner and street side in Jamaica, and no one would argue if a decision was made to officially name it as the second national dish, said Rennie, but “the variations of the seasonings used in jerk are hard to define”.
“It’s not simply spice; there has to be a secret ingredient that makes those customers want to return… that is what we offer. For us, it’s the blend of local hot peppers which we get from our local farmers and our usual vendors in the market. It is important for us to support [the] local economy,” Rennie told The Gleaner during a quick visit to the establishment.
Merging 10 years of know-how and understanding of their international customers’ wants and needs with the usual neighbourhood atmosphere, its small yet dynamic team draws on the island’s authentic culinary culture by keeping up with the traditional jerk and Western foods to offer a casual and classic dining experience.
In a matter of minutes, the businessman had his waitress serve up plates of chicken and pork prepared by Chef Winston Minott, charred to perfection and decorated in red, green and yellow. The fresh, peppery smell was the first warning sign, but the temptation to take a bite into the alarmingly hot garnish was hard to resist.
“You can’t say I never warned you that Peppers means hot peppers. Our business is all about being the hot ticket, whether it is with our fiery food or our weekly fiestas, though the latter has been put on pause. It is true that a restaurant that sells jerk – a jerk centre like ours – or a jerk pan man is not hard to find, but I guarantee there is something exotic that makes our customers go wild. It could be that the pepper gives them the extra perk or awakens their senses; it’s like that burning sensation in your nose and ear, makes you curious [about] if you should take another bite,” the manager said.
He shared that the restaurant has depended on the tourist cruise ships and the traffic from the hotels over the past decade. Nowadays, drivers exploring the town on a trip across the north coast and essential workers have become their primary customers.
“About 70 per cent of our customers were tourists, but we’ve seen more persons taking the scenic route through the town and stopping by. We’re trying to grow the business to be the number one spot in the western region, and we are doing that by adding a few additional features to the restaurant’s structure. I don’t think there is much we need to change as it relates to our menu – Peppers remains authentically Jamaican and a hotspot. We want it to be scorching hot,” he said.