Jerked chicken vendor turns restaurant owner
January 23, 2023
Desrick Hamilton (left) and a member of his staff preparing food.
Ever since he started doing jerked chicken, a craft which he learnt through trial and error, Desrick Hamilton has always aspired to have his own restaurant.
This became a reality last September when he opened D&T Crunchy Munchy Restaurant, which is located on Chisholm Avenue, off Maxfield Avenue in Kingston. D&T Crunchy Munchy offers breakfast and lunches on weekdays to residents in the nearby communities, staff from corporate and government agencies, as well as passers-by.
"I got my first break doing jerked chicken at an event called Sashi in the early 2000s, after I was introduced to jerk by a friend. After doing that event, I got a link to other promoters, including Mello Vibes promoters, and from there I started doing other events through the years," Hamilton explained.
Hamilton is a regular fixture at the retro party series Mello Vibes. He started doing jerked chicken inside the original Mas Camp venue on Oxford Road in New Kingston.
"Much respect to the Mello Vibes promoters for giving me the opportunity to showcase my talent, and providing me with an outlet to meet a lot of people who have been instrumental in my success," Hamilton shared.
When the latest edition of Mello Vibes takes place on January 28 at the new Mas Camp, Hamilton and his team of eight staff will be out in force to provide not only jerk dishes, but also various soups.
"I love seeing the patrons having fun while I am providing a service to them. It also warms my heart that I am able to provide employment for other inner-city youth who want to better their lives," he said.
Hamilton is a former competitor in the annual CB PAN Chicken competition. He entered six years ago, and although he didn't make it to the finals, he is grateful for the opportunities that have come his way.
"The people at CB have been really good to me and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I also want to thank the various promoters of events such as Marco Polo, Dream Weekend and Funfest, among others, who have allowed me to be a part of their events," said Hamilton.
Hamilton is supported in the business by his wife Tameka, and their first initials are what explain the restaurant's name, 'D' and 'T'. Hamilton said Tameka has been his rock.
"To be honest, she is the main person beside me. She has been there for me through it all, providing support and even running the business," he said.
January 23, 2023
Desrick Hamilton (left) and a member of his staff preparing food.
Ever since he started doing jerked chicken, a craft which he learnt through trial and error, Desrick Hamilton has always aspired to have his own restaurant.
This became a reality last September when he opened D&T Crunchy Munchy Restaurant, which is located on Chisholm Avenue, off Maxfield Avenue in Kingston. D&T Crunchy Munchy offers breakfast and lunches on weekdays to residents in the nearby communities, staff from corporate and government agencies, as well as passers-by.
"I got my first break doing jerked chicken at an event called Sashi in the early 2000s, after I was introduced to jerk by a friend. After doing that event, I got a link to other promoters, including Mello Vibes promoters, and from there I started doing other events through the years," Hamilton explained.
Hamilton is a regular fixture at the retro party series Mello Vibes. He started doing jerked chicken inside the original Mas Camp venue on Oxford Road in New Kingston.
"Much respect to the Mello Vibes promoters for giving me the opportunity to showcase my talent, and providing me with an outlet to meet a lot of people who have been instrumental in my success," Hamilton shared.
When the latest edition of Mello Vibes takes place on January 28 at the new Mas Camp, Hamilton and his team of eight staff will be out in force to provide not only jerk dishes, but also various soups.
"I love seeing the patrons having fun while I am providing a service to them. It also warms my heart that I am able to provide employment for other inner-city youth who want to better their lives," he said.
Hamilton is a former competitor in the annual CB PAN Chicken competition. He entered six years ago, and although he didn't make it to the finals, he is grateful for the opportunities that have come his way.
"The people at CB have been really good to me and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I also want to thank the various promoters of events such as Marco Polo, Dream Weekend and Funfest, among others, who have allowed me to be a part of their events," said Hamilton.
Hamilton is supported in the business by his wife Tameka, and their first initials are what explain the restaurant's name, 'D' and 'T'. Hamilton said Tameka has been his rock.
"To be honest, she is the main person beside me. She has been there for me through it all, providing support and even running the business," he said.