Trinidad flavour hits JFDF
Antonia Fifi gives Kuyah, Trini-Yaad high marks
Published:Thursday | November 14, 2024 | 12:10 AMJada Powell/Gleaner Writer
Trinidad and Tobago-born Canadian fashion influencer Antonia Fifi described the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival (JFDF) as an experience like no other. Speaking with Food at Saturday’s Meet Street, Fifi said the celebration of local flavours, foods and culture felt “like home”.
“I’ve been having an absolute blast!” said Fifi. “Any festival I come to that’s playing Caribbean music in the background – that’s what I love. They’re playing dancehall and soca, and the minute I enter, I’m feeling the Caribbean vibe.”
Known for her love of variety, Fifi has been drawn to the festival’s unique approach to food.
“The food here is all us – Jamaica from every angle. And everything is bite-sized, which I love because I want to try a little of everything!” she explained. “Each bite is bursting with flavour, and the fact that I can move around sampling everything is amazing.”
Although she’s usually a red wine girl, Fifi admits that she’s been stepping out of her comfort zone. “I’ve been leaning into all the cocktails, and I have to say, I’ve loved every single one!”
When it comes to festival highlights, Thursday night’s Kuyah stands out for her. “My favourite event was definitely the first night. It felt so intimate, with a beautiful layout that made me feel like I was discovering something new at every turn,” she recalls. “There was a lot of live music too, so even if I was in a line, I was entertained with music or a live performance. It was just beautiful.”
Fifi speaks warmly of the love and welcome she’s received from Jamaica. “This island has given me so much love. I’m Trinidadian, but here, I feel like I’ve been told, ‘You’re one of us.’ Thank you, Jamaica,” she added with a smile.
And while she’s loved the flavours of Jamaica, her Trini pride shone through when she discovered a Trinidadian food truck at the festival’s Meet Street event, TriniYaad. “They had doubles, curry goat, and all my favourite flavours. I felt so proud!” she laughs. “If I didn’t feel at home before, I definitely did after that!”
Named by Fifi as her favourite JFDF spot, Trini-Yaad offered its special fusion of Trinidadian and Jamaican flavours at Meet Street.
When Food caught up with Trini-Yaad’s director, Misir Ramberran, for a quick chat amid the bustling crowd at Fort Charles, he spoke of his three-year-long goal of bringing “our little piece of Trinidad to the heart of Jamaica”.
Trini-Yaad offered a line-up of crowd favourites at the festival, including doubles, roti, buss up shut, bake and shark, and a variety of curries, with vegan options as well. “We also make our own curry powder and sauces,” Ramberran proudly adds.
He spoke of how his two-year-old restaurant, located at 82 Lady Musgrave Road, St Andrew, within Kaya Dispensary and Café, is bringing more than just food to the table.
“We do live events where we fuse not only Jamaican and Trinidadian cuisine, but also entertainment like reggae, steel pan, karaoke, and vinyl sessions,” said Ramberran.
“We are just trying to build the culture more and encourage people around the world to learn about these two great islands.”
He was grateful for the festival for giving them an opportunity to share their fare.
“We love the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival for giving us the platform to do just that. This is our second year, and it’s been great because we have returning customers — even people who came for the first time this week came back during the event,” he said.