Jamaica's Incredible Caribbean Food in 24 Hours | Epic Food Journeys with Mark Wiens | Nat Geo

[Mark] I'm in Jamaica, an island that makes you think about beaches, reggae, and jerk. The whole rib in one bite! But Jamaica is so much more than that. So this time I'm here to find out what locals really eat. Ackee and saltfish. Fire! Seafood plucked straight from the ocean. It's a string of lobsters. Woohoo! And Ital food. Ital is vital, man. Dishes that carry the real flavor and spirit of this island. I'm starting to tear. Whoo! I've got 24 hours to discover what Jamaicans really love to eat and get to the true heart and soul of the culture. Set in the heart of the Caribbean, Jamaica is an island full of color, sound, and seriously flavorful food. On the north coast of the island is Montego Bay, a famous tourist hotspot. But beyond the resorts, there is a Jamaica here to be discovered, one that cooks from the heart-- homestyle breakfasts, streetside grills, and culinary traditions passed down through generations. Here, fishing villages, markets, and local cookouts are a part of daily life. It's where we're gonna unearth the deep roots of Jamaican food and the pride locals take in keeping traditions alive. And that's the Jamaica I'm here to taste. [rooster crows] It's 5:30 AM, the sun is just coming up, and we're starting in a small fishing village just outside of Montego Bay, where they're bringing in the fresh catch. -Good morning. -Mornin'. [Mark] Hey. What's up, man? What's up? How are you? [Mark] What's your name? [Beenieman] Beenieman. [Mark] Beenieman. [Beenieman] Yeah. [Mark] Did you have a good catch out there this morning? [Beenieman] Yeah, yeah, yeah, good catch, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I'll show you my catch now. My nice, big catch. [Mark] Wow! No. A whole string of lobsters? That's as fresh as possible. [Mark] Oh, and what's that, Beenieman? [Beenieman] My favorite, Caribbean king crab. [Mark] Oh-ho-ho, yes! [Beenieman] Woohoo! [Mark] Oh, that claw. Carib--and all of this is from right here? You caught all of this? [Beenieman] Yeah, man, yeah, man. [Mark] And this is only the start. Welcome to seafood paradise in Jamaica. ♪ ♪ Oh, yeah, the smoke to the face. [Mark] Oh, yeah. Lobsters are on the grill and now reaching in for more seafood. What type of fish is this? [Beenieman] A surgeonfish, otherwise called doctorfish. [Mark] Oh, yeah, okay. I have a lot of kids. [Mark] 'Cause of this fish? Yes, this fish, yeah. Because of this fish, my wife don't want to leave me. She loves me. Yeah. [Mark] We definitely have to have that for breakfast. Breakfast! Woohoo! [Mark] And what's the Jamaican word for this, for the surgeonfish? Yeah, yeah, bunfinga. [Mark] Bunfinga. Why is it called bunfinga? [Beenieman] Because you touch it, burn a finger. [Mark] Oh, okay. In Jamaica, bunfinga, slang for "burn finger," is a nickname for doctorfish, grilled over open flames and flipped by hand, often leaving you with a few scorched fingers along the way. Beenieman said I should flip the doctorfish. [Mark] Okay. [Beenieman] Burn a finger. [Mark] Okay. Pick it up? Ohh! That's the burned finger right there. That's why it's called bunfinga. Oh, it burns your finger, but it's worth the risk. [Beenieman] Yeah, yeah. [Mark] Seafood is on the grill, but it's time to clean up the king crab. Oh, the size of that head. [Mark] Oh, open up the juices. This one is ready for the grill now. [Mark] Oh, perfect. [Beenieman] Yeah, man. [Mark] Perfect, look at that. [Mark] Oh, and right on the grill as well. Oh, it's gonna be so good. As Beenieman tells me, the seafood is so fresh there's no need to add anything apart from a quick rinse in the seawater to give it a hint of natural saltiness. Breakfast is served. [Beenieman] Yeah, here, you want a taste? [Mark] Okay, oh, thank you. Okay. Oh, you break the whole, you'll break the whole tail off. Ohh. [Man] You see that juicy meat? [Mark] Yeah, look at that. It's so like oily and buttery on the inside. Oh, that smells so good. [Beenieman] We are Jamaicans, we love to share. [Mark] Mmm. All the sweetness of it. Mmm. [Man] What do you taste? [Mark] It is so fresh, it's so clean. And the other thing is, again, no seasoning, just pure. [Beenieman] Yeah, natural. [Mark] Natural. [Beenieman] Natural, natural. [Mark] Moving on to that roast conch. Look at that. Oh, it's crispy on the outside. This is what it's about. Mmm. It has such a sweet flavor to it. It's absorbed that smoke, then it's crispy on the edges. Oh, that's delicious. Okay, the crab is coming along nicely. You see it's steaming and juicing. [Man] Nice fish, watch this. [Mark] Thank you, thank you. Taste of the claw. -Woohoo! -Oh! [laughter] [Mark] That is unbelievably sweet. [Beenieman] Juicy. And flaky and juicy, yeah? I'm faster than you, man. [Mark] Incredible seafood. [Beenieman] Seafood, of course. [Mark] This is a memory I'll never forget. [Beenieman] Never forget. Welcome to Jamaica again. [Mark] Thank you, guys. [Man] Proper. [Mark] Time for breakfast number two. Good morning, Chef. [Oshane] Morning, morning. [Mark] Hey, what's up, bro? Hey, what's up, man? Next up, I'm gonna have another breakfast. This time, a dish that includes ackee, the national fruit of Jamaica. So we're going to make ackee and saltfish next. One of my absolute favorite Jamaican dishes. And this is the unique ackee fruit. It's very, very special, and it's a huge part of the culture, something you have to try when you're in Jamaica. So the ackee needs to boil for about 15 minutes, and there's also some saltfish going, that's going to pair together. Bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, the thyme, scallions. Oh, and you got to have the Scotch bonnets as well. [Oshane] Yeah. [Mark] Oh, and that aroma of the thyme. Oh, and it's so colorful already. Now it's time for the ackee. All of it goes in. Oh, and you can just see how buttery that texture is. Okay, so that's ready? [Oshane] Yeah, man. [Mark] And what's the next dish? [Mark] Rundown gets its name from simmering coconut milk until it runs down into a thick and rich condensed sauce. [Oshane] Okay, you wanna taste the sauce? [Mark] Oh, yeah, sure. Oh, thank you, Chef. Oh! [Oshane] You can taste the coconut milk? [Mark] Yeah, the saltiness of that, that fish. [Oshane] Scotch bonnet. [Mark] Then the richness of the coconut milk. Yeah. [Oshane] Yeah, man. Yeah, man. [Mark] Scotch bonnet's coming through, the seasoning, the thyme in there, the onion simmered down. [Oshane] Yeah, man, it's basically ready right now to eat. [Mark] Yes, and that means we're ready to eat. [Oshane] Yeah, man, yeah, man. [Mark] Chef Jonathan, thank you. pleasure, pleasure. [Mark] Okay, here we go. We got the ackee and saltfish. We've got the rundown with the salted mackerel. There's some steamed vegetables, and then Chef Jonathan hooked it up with the Scotch bonnet chili on top. Oh, the presentation and rice to bind it all together. But you gotta start with the ackee and saltfish. This is a breakfast of champions. Oh, you can see it's just crumbling, so soft. Mmm. Mmm. The softness, the like silky creaminess of that ackee is incredible. It almost has like a scrambled egg texture to it. Yeah, just more creamy, more buttery and rich. Oh, it's such an incredible fruit. Mix that with some of the rice. Taste the thyme in there. You taste that salted fish, which has this deep complexity to it. Wow. But you can't beat the ackee. Now let's move over to the rundown. Oh, it's this condensed flavor of coconut milk. You almost taste the coconut oil that's come, emerged out of the coconut milk and paired with that preserved salted mackerel. The flavor is intense, it's strong, it's so flavorful. The coconut oil flavor is what's really standing out in that rundown. Oh, it's so good. This is such a good plate of food. This then. I think actually when they slice off the top like this, you can dab it. That way a little bit of that chili heat, that Scotch bonnet chili heat, the intensity of it rubs off on your food. Little bite. And then little bite. Oh. All the Scotch bonnet, all that fruitiness, the fumes of chilies go up your nose. Fire. An ultimate meal in Jamaica. [Ashani] Hey! [Mark] Hey, what's up? Hey, thank you, thank you. I'm here to meet Ashani, a Rastafarian whose small restaurant in Montego Bay cooks up authentic Ital food, a cuisine originating in Jamaica, rooted in the beliefs of the Rastafari faith. Oh, step inside. All the aromas, everything's cooking. All the different dishes. Oh, oh, look at all the pots of food. And then over here, Chef. Hey, Chef. [Desmonde] Great, man. [Mark] Hey, what's up, man? [Desmonde] Roasting a breadfruit. [Mark] Roasting a breadfruit. We came just in time. [Desmonde] Then I have the bean stew with the okra and string bean, carrots. [Mark] Nice. [Desmonde] Coconut milk. [Desmonde] And here, I have the Ital stew. Irish potato, carrots, pinto bean, and red peas in this one. [Mark] Wow. And here I have the sip. [Desmonde] Ital sip. No meat in this one. [Desmonde] And here now we have callaloo. [Mark] Oh, callaloo. Can't wait to try that. Ashani. [Ashani] Yeah, man, bless it. [Mark] What a place. [Ashani] Yeah, man, thank you very much. [Mark] I love how homely it is. [Ashani] Yes, it is, it is very, very. [Mark] And the food. So, for those of us who don't know so much about Ital food, what exactly does Ital mean? [Ashani] So Ital food, what people call vegan, is what Rastafarians call Ital for a long, long time. You know, 'cause Rastafarians believe that you should take care of your temple, you know, which is your body, or as Rastafarians say, "goody." Less salt, less sugar, eat more plant-based food. And you will be fine. Ital is the way to go. It's very vital, you know, so you have to eat. [Mark] Ital is vital. [Ashani] Eat to replenish your soul, you know? Just like that, man. [Mark] For sure, for sure. Amazing. Oh, that Ital stew. [Ashani] Lots of flavor. [Mark] The chunks in there. We've got a mix of, I think just about every dish on the menu today. [Ashani] Very tasty. [Mark] Yeah, for sure. And if you look at the plate, you'll see that it's a huge variety of different ingredients. [Ashani] Yeah, man. [Mark] It's plant-based, but you have everything you need with protein, with vitamins. [Ashani] Definitely. [Mark] With some of the natural, slow carbohydrates. [Ashani] Mm-hmm. [Mark] The ground provisions. [Ashani] Mmm. [Mark] Ground provisions, as they are known in Jamaica, are a staple, and can refer to any starchy root crops from cassava to taro to yams. [Ashani] Very nice, man. [Mark] Oh! Oh, wow. Great food. [Ashani] Delicious. Yeah, man. [Mark] Oh, it's so good. And then that smokiness is embedded into it as well from being charred on the fire, fully roasted. [Ashani] Not on stove fire, but coal fire. [Mark] Coal fire. best way to do it. [Mark] I think one of the things that in a lot of food, they tend to way over-salt. [Ashani] Yeah. Because it's not too salty, it brings out the flavors of those natural ingredients. [Ashani] Yes, natural. [Mark] Like you taste the sweetness of those beans or the peas. You taste the vibrancy of those vegetables coming through. Oh, yeah. [Ashani] Can taste it. [Mark] Oh, that's natural. [Ashani] Yeah, man, natural. [Mark] If you're gonna make plant-based food, this is the right way to do it, though. This is what you want to be eating. [Ashani] Mm-hmm, definitely. [Mark] Ital is vital, man. Thank you. [Ashani] All the time. [Mark] Thank you very much. [Ashani] Respect, man. You're welcome. [Mark] Alright, Matt, great to see you again. [Matt] Wagwan, Mark, welcome back to Jamrock, man. [Mark] Thank you. [Matt] We're at the local market. Come, let's go get some fresh ingredients. [Mark] My friend and foodie, Matt Robinson, has a passion for showing the real Jamaica through its food. [shouting] [Man] Out of many, one people. Jamaica! [Mark] That is a colorful stall. [Matt] Isn't it? [Mark] So many ingredients just stacked up. [Matt] This is the spice of Jamaica. [Mark] Allspice, locally known as? [Matt] Pimento. [Mark] Pimento. Pimento. [Matt] I can smell it from here. [Mark] Just want to inhale that, look at that, beautiful. [Matt] Yeah, man. That is what you put on that jerk that gives it that flavor, that Jamaican flair. [Mark] That's absolutely essential, right? [Matt] Absolutely. [Mark] Like, whatever you have, do not miss the pimento. [Matt] If you don't have pimento, you don't have jerk. [Mark] Pop that in your mouth. Oh, an immediate burst. You taste like a black pepper. [Matt] Yes, you do. [Mark] You taste nutmeg, you taste cinnamon. Almost like a clove as well. [Mark] A clove? And then immediately it kind of numbs your tongue a little bit. [Matt] A numbing sensation. [Mark] Oh, that is, it's so much flavor. That was delicious, but I think there's another thing we should taste. [Matt] Definitely have to try the Scotch bonnet pepper. A true representation You have the heat, like the climate; you have the sweet, like the people; and you have the flavor, like the culture of Jamaica. [Mark] That is a phrase Look at how-- [Matt] You hear? We should follow his advice. [Mark] That's not reassuring when people walk by in the street and say, "Don't put it in your mouth." That's a warning right there. Yo, Matt, this could be a bad idea. Let's do it. [Matt] It's very flavorful. [Mark] Oh! [Matt] It's hot. [Mark] That is fruity. [Matt] Chew. [Mark] That's hot. That almost takes, makes you take your breath away a little bit. Woo! The flavor. Yeah, it goes down your throat. [Matt] Mm-hmm. [Mark] I'm starting to tear. [Matt laughing] It's building. Ah! Now that I've felt the full force of some of the local ingredients, I need to taste how they're used in the cooking. If there's one thing you have to eat when you come to Jamaica, it's jerk. [Cook] Yeah, man. [Mark] Hey. Respect. The Pork Pit is a family-run institution in Montego Bay, and they still make jerk the right way, heavily seasoned and slow grilled. Cue your taste buds. Your mouth is about to water. Nothing will prepare you for the excitement that is jerk. You can see that it's on a bed of sweetwood, and the coals are below, and they have the fire over there. They just keep feeding it fire, feeding it the coals, the embers, letting it slow roast. And as the fat sizzles and cooks, then it melts down, creating even more smoke that just embeds into the jerk. Oh, I'm bathing in it. It smells so good. It does not get better than Jamaican jerk. It's jerk time, and as soon as you order, they grab it right off the smoke. They chop it right in front of you into bite-sized pieces and in baskets ready to serve. I think we should start with the chicken, though, to ease our way into the pork. Look at that skin. Look at that juiciness. Smoldering over the fire, absorbed all the smoke, absorbed all that marinade, the jerk seasoning. Now, that is what you call flavor. The flavor goes all the way to the bone. The allspice is really prominent, but not overpowering. You've got that Scotch bonnet in there. You have that thyme. And the only thing that makes it better, though, is some of the condiments, which we'll explore. We'll try the mild first, and again, we're easing our way in. Oh, that smells good, though. So good. Even though that sauce is mild, it's so flavorful, adds a little bit of acidity, like to, to complement, to bring out that smokiness. Chili's in there, maybe some garlic, but it's not overpowering. And one of the sides we got, to eat along with the jerk, is called festival. And these are like fried dough sticks. If you look on the inside, it's kind of like dough and then crispy golden on the outside. And this pairs... That combination, it's a perfect match. And now I think we're ready to move on to the jerk pork. Look at that. You have to admire the outside bark from that slow four-hour smoke that just embeds into the crust of that pork. It's fatty, it's juicy, it just stays moist the entire time. It's phenomenal. It's that Jamaican jerk seasoning. It's the smoke that just keeps on giving it flavor. Now we got to go for the hot, hot pepper sauce. I'm just going to pour some on. And look at that piece. Yeah. With that hot sauce, the fruitiness of it, those Scotch bonnets again, take it to the next level. All that smoke that goes up in a cloud in the pits, that's all just embedded fully into that pork. And then additionally, along with the jerk, I had to try the ribs. Oh. You even have to be careful picking it up by the bone, 'cause it might just fall off, collapse, it's so tender. The whole rib in one, one bite. Literally melts in your mouth, and the sticky barbecue sauce. Guaranteed you're gonna lick the bone. It's the middle of the afternoon in Montego Bay, and next up I'm on my way to eat a Jamaican snack that I think everybody loves. It's Jamaican patties time, and Jamaican patties are, I think they're a rite of passage in Jamaica, something that everybody loves. It's a pick-me-up snack. It's a fast food you can eat on the go, and this is one of the best places to try them. Oh, there's like six or seven different types you can order, huh? What's the, what's the classic? [Natoya] The beef and the beef with cheese. [Mark] Which one is your favorite? [Natoya] The chicken and cheese. [Mark] Okay, I think we got to try that, too. So I'll take a beef, please, cheese, and a chicken cheese. [Natoya] And would you also like a Tru-Juice to go along with your order? [Mark] Oh, yeah, yeah, sounds good. [Natoya] Hi. [Natoya] Okay, so your order is ready, so this is the chicken with cheese. You have a cheese patty and you have a beef patty. Enjoy your meal. [Mark] Thank you so much. [Natoya] You're welcome. [Mark] Oh, look at that. As soon as I slide it out the bag, you can already see it starting, like, the crispy, doughy flakiness. Oh, I can smell that, that beefiness on the inside. Okay, here we go. Oh, yeah, this is a hot patty. Mmm! The pastry is flaky and crispy. Inside, you've got that really savory, meaty juiciness. Oh, that's tasty. Oh, that one is really hot. That's a hot Juici Patty. [employees laughing] This one is the cheese, okay. Okay. Oh, oh, so the cheese has beef inside as well, okay. [Natoya] Yes, so it's beef with cheese. [Mark] Beef with cheese. Oh! [Natoya] Yes, it is. [Mark] Then you get the combination, you get that melted cheese on the inside that just oozes out. When you bite down, the cheese just squeezes out. And one of the techniques you can do is kind of move those toppings up the, up the-- oh, oh, look at that. Oh, that makes you want to bite it immediately. Okay. Finally, we have Natoya's favorite that she recommended. But look at how beautiful. You have to admire that pastry. It's just perfectly golden, perfectly flaky. Just makes you want a bite. Oh, this one has like a little bit of a curry flavor, too. [Natoya] It is. It is. [Mark] No wonder. Okay. It has got that extra kick of curry in it, along with chicken, along with that melted cheese. And when you squeeze it up, you're guaranteed that you get the full flavor in every bite. Jamaican patties, an absolute must, and you know exactly why Jamaicans love the patties. ♪ Are you feeling what I'm feeling ♪ ♪ Natural vibes like these ♪ ♪ Flow like the breeze ♪ [Mark] We've had a lot of food to eat so far today. I feel like I need to stretch, but it's a beautiful evening in Montego Bay. I'm gonna meet back up with my friend Matt, and we're gonna have a couple of drinks before we go for street food. like I'm feeling ♪ ♪ Natural vibes just flowing like the wind ♪ ♪ Are you living like I'm living ♪ ♪ All my life I've been living for, looking ♪ [Mark] Yeah, man. [Matt] Cheers, man. Ahhh. [Matt] Nothing like a Red Stripe at sunset. [Mark] That is beautiful. Perfect timing. [Matt] Perfect timing. I'm ready for the nightcap. [Mark] Oh, doesn't get better than this. [Matt] The night jerk after this. [Mark] Yes. ♪ We kid! ♪ [Mark] Is it possible to ever have too much jerk in Jamaica? I think not. [Vendor] Come up and try this sauce. There's a secret in it that I won't expose. Only me. [Mark] You can smell that cloud of smoke from a mile away. [Matt] This is Jerk Zone on MoBay's Hip Strip. This is charcoal, this is smoke, this is fire. These are drum pans that hold secrets that you cannot find in any cookbook. [Mark] Dude, that was poetic. I can't wait to try it. [Matt] Mark, this is Red Hat, one of our legends. [Mark] Oh. What's up, Red Hat? [Victor] Welcome to Jamaica. Respect. It's how we do it in Jamaica. [Mark] Oh, oh, oh. That steam, that smoke. Unleashed. [Victor] We have the juicy jerk chicken, and we have the well-done jerk chicken. [Mark] Ah, okay. What's all on the marinade and the seasoning? [Victor] We have the pimento, we have the Scotch bonnet pepper, we have the ginger, we have everything just soak in it. And we marinate it. [Victor] Alright. So this is the juicy one for you, man. [Mark] Yeah. [Victor] Oh, god. [Mark] Juicing up. Oh, I just got splattered by some chicken juice. [Victor] Alright, that's how we're doing it now. This is a jerk sauce. [Man] Yeah, man. [Mark] Is this the spicy one? [Victor] Spicy. Oh, you can smell, it looks like a barbecue sauce, but infused with chilies. [Matt] No, that is with [Mark] Scotch bonnet peppers. Oh, okay. It's like marinated in vinegar with Scotch bonnets, with onions. [Matt] Scotch bonnets and onions. [Mark] Oh, full layer on top. [Mark] And so would this be something people eat late at night or throughout the night? [Matt] This is definitely late at night. We're a party country. We love to party. So after the drinks, you need something to make mud so that you can wake up and go back to work in the morning. [Matt] And this with the spice, with the peppers, it's a perfect combination. [Victor] Alright, this is yours, right there. [Matt] Oh, thank, [Victor] Next one is coming up. [Mark] Okay. With the fork. [Matt] Stick the fork right in it. [Mark] Fork poked right inside. [Victor] Yeah, man. Right in there. That's how we do it in Jamaica. [Victor] Respect. [Matt] As always, heart of love, man. [Mark] Thank you. Thank you. [Matt] Time to unwrap this. So you flip it, but then you flip it back over, so you just let those juices absorb. And now unwrap the gift. [Matt] Oh, look at that. [Mark] Oh, it's plastered together. [Matt] Yes, that's what it is. So the bread got the heat. [Matt] And the peppers and everything. [Mark] Yeah, the peppers are stuck to it. Nice. [Matt] Everywhere has a touch of that pepper sauce as well. [Mark] Yeah. Just immediately, the aromatics. [Matt] Yeah, the aromatics hits you right away. [Mark] Oh, it's saucy, it's falling apart. That is phenomenal. Just absorbed all of that smoke. Well-seasoned. [Matt] Right down to the bone. [Mark] That marinade, that smoke, and that topping. [Matt] Yes. [Mark] It's three layers of flavor, and then he added on a bonus layer with the Scotch bonnets and those vinegared onions. [Matt] Plus the pepper sauce that was in it as well. [Matt] So you're getting double pepper on it. It's that woohoo! [Mark] Oh, yeah, that soft white bread. That's good. [Matt] Mmm-hm. Mmm. [Mark] That's fluffy. Absolutely nothing you want to be eating in the middle of the night more than jerk pan chicken. It's almost 2:00 AM, and it's only getting busier. It's been an unbelievable day getting off the beaten path and eating real Jamaican food. I can still feel that Scotch bonnet on my taste buds. Woo! But along with the food, I discovered that friendliness is at the heart of what it means to be Jamaican. Thank you so much for watching. Respect! [laughs] Ohh. Yeah. Overheating.