UK slow to try a taste of the Caribbean
Research commissioned by Island Delight highlights a surprising lack of awareness and enthusiasm for Caribbean food in the UK.
The survey found that only 15% of Britons have ever tried some of the
Caribbean's most popular dishes such as jerk chicken, Caribbean patties
or Ackee and Saltfish.
The results are even more surprising when compared to other ethnic dishes, which faired better. The research found that Mexican food was three times more popular with 45% of people having tried Fajitas and 25% of respondents having tasted Japanese sushi.
With over 500,000 people in the UK from a Caribbean background and 45 years since Jamaican independence it is startling that this exciting and vibrant cuisine hasn't been more widely adopted.
The independent research surveyed over 2000 people across the country and was commissioned by Island Delight to launch its Campaign for Caribbean Food at the Notting Hill Carnival.
Jamaican-born founder of Island Delight patties Wade Lyn is taking the matter into his own hands by launching the Campaign for Caribbean Food at Notting Hill Carnival. Wade will be rallying support from other Caribbean food companies and asking everyone at the Carnival to get behind the campaign.
Wade said “I was so shocked when I found out that so few people in the UK have ever tried Caribbean cooking that I just had to do something about it.
“The Campaign's objective is simple – we want everyone in the country to have at least tried one item of Caribbean food by this time next year. Once they've experienced the delicious food of the Caribbean we know they'll be converted and start supporting this under-valued ethnic food.”
Although the UK as a whole has proven to be unadventurous when it comes to some ethnic food the survey has thrown up some interesting regional variations. London for instance has the lowest number of people (36%) who have ever tried Fajitas, while the South West just can't get enough of these tasty Mexican snacks with 53%.
The Midlands' most popular ethnic dish is the Samosa with 44% having tried them, people from the East of England consume the most Thai curries (49%) and the Welsh just can't get enough Shish kebabs (44%).
Perhaps the lack of support for Caribbean food is due to a shortage of celebrity chefs championing the cuisine of the islands. In fact there hasn't been a vocal advocate of Caribbean cooking since Rusty Lee in the eighties. Even BBC Dragon's Den contestant Levi Roots with his Reggae Reggae Sauce has only found limited support.