Discover the Secrets of Jamaican Maroon Cuisine
Explore Authentic Flavors at the Taste of Jamaica Farm, Herbal Garden, and Cooking Class in Ocho Rios
Jamaica’s culinary heritage runs deep, but if you want to taste its most soul-stirring, history-rich dishes, you need to head into the hills—where the Maroons, Jamaica’s fierce freedom fighters, once cooked over open fires using earth, herbs, and heart.
Taste of Jamaica Farm, Herbal Garden and Food Tour, tucked away in the lush countryside just outside Ocho Rios, offers something rare: a full-on immersion into Jamaican Maroon cuisine, its roots, and its rituals. This is not just a food tour. It’s a cultural deep dive that feeds your mind as much as your appetite.
What Is Jamaican Maroon Cuisine?
Maroon cuisine was born out of resistance, survival, and creativity. The Maroons—descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped colonial plantations—built independent communities in Jamaica’s mountainous interior. With limited resources but rich knowledge of the land, they created dishes that were simple yet deeply flavorful, using firewood, foraged herbs, wild game, and root vegetables.
Think jerk chicken cooked in underground pits, smoked over pimento wood. Think pepperpot soup thickened with callaloo and coconut milk. Think bammy, breadfruit, and yams roasted on coals. It’s rustic. It’s real. And it’s still alive today—if you know where to look.
A True Taste of Jamaica
At Taste of Jamaica, you’re not just eating a meal—you’re stepping into a story. The tour begins on a working farm and herbal garden where you’ll walk among rows of fresh callaloo, fever grass, turmeric, Scotch bonnet peppers, and more. Guides explain how these ingredients were traditionally used—for healing, for seasoning, for survival.
From there, it’s time to cook—or at least watch the magic unfold. In an open-air kitchen surrounded by nature, you’ll see how Maroon-style dishes are prepared using time-honored techniques. The aromas alone—smoke, spice, and fresh herbs—will transport you. And when it’s time to taste? You’ll know exactly why these dishes have lasted for generations.
Join Our Hands-On Cooking Class
Want to do more than just watch? Sign up for our Jamaican cooking class and roll up your sleeves. Whether you’re a kitchen newbie or a seasoned foodie, you’ll get hands-on experience preparing traditional Jamaican recipes under the guidance of local chefs.
You’ll learn how to:
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Make authentic jerk seasoning from scratch
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Cook ackee and saltfish, Jamaica’s national dish
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Prepare festival (sweet fried dough) and bammy
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Balance bold flavors using native herbs and spices
It’s fun, it’s personal, and you’ll take home skills you can actually use—not just recipes, but techniques and stories that make the food come alive.
More Than a Tour—It’s a Memory
Visitors leave the Taste of Jamaica tour raving not just about the food, but about the warmth of the people, the beauty of the land, and the depth of the experience. It’s perfect for families, food lovers, solo travelers, or anyone looking to see a side of Jamaica beyond the resorts and beaches.
Whether you’re sipping herbal tea in the garden, learning to light a traditional coal pot, or enjoying a hearty Maroon-style meal, this is your chance to connect with real Jamaican culture—honest, unfiltered, and unforgettable.
Book Your Visit
Ready to discover the roots of Jamaican flavor? Book your Taste of Jamaica Farm, Herbal Garden, and Food Tour in Ocho Rios today. Come hungry. Leave inspired.
