Chef Brittney “Stikxz” Williams has a mission to ensure Jamaica has a voice as a culinary superpower.
Photo Cred: Chef Brittney “Stikxz” Williams
Chef Brittney “Stikxz” Williams built her business and brand around on her Jamaican and Caribbean heritage – with family always at the center. Born and raised in New York City, Chef Stikxz was invested in the restaurant scene from a young age. Her mother, her initial teacher, taught her culinary skills, from sourcing the best local fresh ingredients to preparing meals that take over 48 hours to produce.
I learned from my mom. The 5 am wake-up calls on Saturday mornings as a kid still give me PTSD, but it taught me about sourcing the best ingredients by getting there [early]. And then starting to prep on Saturday, marinating all the meats, ensuring all your vegetables and every accouterment - I was right there by her side, helping shop for the ingredients, learning the food, and cooking.
From her young obsession with Food Network as a kid to now starring on “Taste of: Jamaica,” Chef Stikxz wants to push the boundaries of Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine to combine it with her experiences from the traditional food industry. Inspired by her experiences as a chef at Jungsik, a two-Michelin-star Korean restaurant based in New York City, she saw traditional Korean barbecue meals turned into intricately designed plates. There, she found a motivation to implement the same techniques with her traditional Jamaican dishes.
I'm making sure that Jamaica has a voice in this culinary world and is seen as a culinary superpower.
Playing with Caribbean ingredients and introducing various fusion techniques, she impresses her passion for serving Jamaican cuisine in unconventional ways. At a recent pop-up at Ko Bar, she served a soursop fruit as a bright, citrusy sauce with brûléed citrus, thinly sliced crudo, and a taste of caviar. Her meals alter Caribbean ingredients, flavors, and techniques by combining them with the unconventional twists she learned in the restaurant industry.
My inspiration comes from the island of Jamaica and what that island has bred - my family, what has been passed down, what I grew up learning, my traditions, my culture, and my heritage. My inspiration comes from the island of Jamaica - it's magical.
Applying her skillset and voice to bring more representation, she returns to the land and ingredients to gain inspiration. Her favorite ingredient to use is her father’s hybrid scotch bonnet. Sourced directly from her father in Jamaica, the hybrid scotch bonnet has all the flavors of a traditional pepper but presents less heat. Developing this into all her meals, the deep, rich, citrusy notes embody Jamaican cooking. Found in all her favorite recipes, from Jerk Lobster and Callaloo Chicken Roulade – she feels rooted in the flavors of her heritage but also invigorated by her passion for breaking traditional boundaries.
Paying homage to those generations that came before her, Chef Stikxz feels empowered to use food as a tool to tell people her story and her ancestral journey. She believes food is a catalyst to bring everyone to the table, and it can be a tool to allow us to connect more deeply as human beings. While she feels a sense of pride in telling her story, she feels obligated to bring her community with her to the top.
I hire my friends all the time to cook with me in the kitchen and vice versa. And it's a family affair every time we're together. If we can make money together - laugh, cry, have fun - then we can all level up together.
With this family-centric mindset, Chef Stikxz continues to achieve culinary stardom while remaining rooted in flavors from home.
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