
Like many other common Jamaican stereotypes, our food is not immune to constant generalization and superfluous perceptions. We have heard it all, “Is Jamaican food only Jerk Chicken?” “Jamaican food is too spicy!” “It is unhealthy!” “Too many carbs!” and so much more.
However, these couldn’t be farther from the truth and today we’re here to put all these stereotypes to bed and educate you on how awesome and versatile Jamaican food can be. These are the most common misconceptions:

“Jamaican food is spicy”
“Wow, Jerk Chicken, that’s way too spicy!” We’ve heard
At JamaFo our Jerk Chicken is mildly spicy to accommodate our diverse clientele. Plus, we also add in some oven-toasted Pineapples to complement each bite, so you get a bit of a spicy tingle mellowed with a calming sweet taste.
So to debunk this common misconception, Jerk chicken can be as spicy or as mild as you want it to. There is no rule book that says otherwise.
“Jamaican food is unhealthy”
Ah yea, this is another one that fails to recognize Jamaica’s largely diverse agricultural makeup.
Some of the most popular Jamaican dishes are Coconut Rice & Peas, ground provisions like Yellow Yam and Cassava or desserts like Sweet Potato Pudding and Coconut
Jamaica’s tropical climate is home to hundreds of farm grown fruits, vegetables, wild caught seafood, and healthy grass-fed animals. In many cases, provisions are picked straight from the source and sold directly to customers in farmer’s markets like Coronation Market in the capital Kingston on a daily basis.
Jamaican

“Jamaican food is too exotic”
Another big misconception. Yes, we know most tropical foods have a certain flare that you won’t find in American or European offerings. However, Jamaican food is one of the most down to earth
We love using what the earth provides to cook our food, from the wood that produces the fire to the ground provisions we serve up with some Ackee & Saltfish (our national dish).
You will never feel too “high-society” eating Jamaican food, on the contrary, you will get the real “
“Jamaican food is not vegan-friendly”
Just take a look at our menu and this misconception will go right out the window. Jamaican food is actually more than 50% vegan/vegetarian.
While we use a lot of meats in our Jerk dishes, curries and soups, the amount of vegetables and earth grown products we use far outnumber meats.
Cabbage, callaloo, green banana, ripe plantains, cauliflower, rice, red peas, gungo peas, broad beans, herbs (scallion, meringue, rosemary, thyme, etc.), fruits (star apple, naseberry, mango, otaheite apple, custard, guinep, june plum, guava, etc.), and the list could go on forever.
There is no shortage of vegan-friendly options in a Jamaican meal and at

“Jamaican food is hard to find”
We get it, Los Angeles is no New York or Miami when it comes to Jamaican food eateries. You might find a cluster in the South Central LA area, but that’s about it.
If you want some real Jamaican food and live in areas like DTLA, Hollywood, Santa Monica, the San Fernando Valley and even Orange County, then you are out of options. Or so you might think!
There are many misconceptions about Jamaican food in Los Angeles, we only mentioned a few here, but guess what. The only way to debunk these myths and stereotypes for good is to try it yourself, and we’re happy to help.
JamaFo | Jamaican Food offers Corporate and Residential catering in and around Los Angeles, contact us today.