August Town youth spicing up Texas

Aldaine Oakley, a Jamaican chef living in Houston, Texas, is making strides, bringing Jamaican cuisine to the taste buds of locals in his community.

Oakley, who left Jamaica in 2016 to join his wife, April, said the decision to venture into the culinary business came after he got rave reviews from persons who tasted his hands at a Fourth of July celebratory event.

"I was in charge of the grille and I was jerking some chicken. Everybody loved the chicken. One of my wife's friends was saying 'This jerk chicken is so good', and she came to me with US$60, and said this is a token of appreciation. I was like, I know I have something," he said.

Oakley said that he developed his culinary skills by watching his mother, Opal Batten Hall, in the kitchen when they were growing up in August Town, St Andrew. He said that following the approvals at the Fourth of July event, he decided to "take everything she taught me and share it with the world".

Oakley said that his venture into the jerk chicken business was so successful that it served as a springboard into the catering business, which focused on preparation of dishes such as oxtail, curried chicken back, jerked pork and his own 'Rasta waffles'.

He later created an authentic Jamaican spice product, which is called Reggae Blend All Purpose Seasoning.

"Reggae and dancehall are very important genres to me when I am cooking in the kitchen, it gives me the vibes. I realise anything I put the Reggae Blend on, it just goes well with it same like reggae music. I just had to name it the Reggae Blend, and you know reggae music always has a positive message, just like my journey to success," Oakley said.

The Papine High School old boy is hoping that he will one day expand his brand to the point where he has many restaurants and food trucks.