Caribbean cuisine-focusd celebrations in the DMV. In 2013, the DMV was the first to celebrate Caribbean Restaurant Week in the US through the efforts of the National Caribbean American Foods & Foodways Alliance (NCAFFA), a platform which partners with individuals and organizations to promote Caribbean culinary culture through events, stories, and campaigns. An early supporter partner was the DMV’s Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce & Enterprise for the Greater Washington Area Network @cacce-gwan.org. Initial joint activities included a highly successful workshop on growing your food business with the Georgia Avenue Business Alliance at the Petworth Library in the District, and one with CACCE at Montgomery County, Maryland’s Community College.
Over the years, NCAFFA joined with entrepreneurs and organizations to celebrate Caribbean cuisine, promoting June as Caribbean Cuisine Month with pre-pandemic in-person events and workshops such as
- Introduction to Jerk and its History,
- Traditional Caribbean Breakfasts,
- The Use of Caribbean Spices & Herbs,
- Caribbean Cooks & Books® Talk featuring DMV
- Caribbean Black Cake competition
Virtual events included
- NCAFFA partnering with the Jamaican Nationals Association of Metropolitan Washington (JNA) on a talk recognizing Jamaican DMV food pioneers.
- NCAFFA partnering with CACCE-GWAN and Chef Peter Prime In 2018, to kick-off Caribbean Restaurant Week (hosted by Chef Prime). NCAFFA sought and got the recognition of the Council of the District of Columbia for Caribbean Restaurant Week and Cuisine Month, and the Recognition of DC Caribbean Cuisine Pioneers Earl and Marguerite Chinn of Negril Eatery, and Rose Campbell of C&R Deli which operated in the District.
The Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival while presenting other aspects of Caribbean culture heavily focused on food and all things jerk.
In 2023, the Mayor’s Office of Caribbean Community Affairs celebrated DC Caribbean Restaurant Week with a Kick-off hosted by Restaurateur Jeanine Prime at St. James Modern Caribbean Restaurant in DC. In 2023, CACCE-GWAN and MOCCA also conducted a small business expo and chef demo in the District.
What accounts for the growth of Caribbean cuisine in the DMV? Three factors initially made the DMV a natural for the growth of Caribbean cuisine culture. First, Caribbean students historically came to the US to study at Howard University. Second, the Caribbean embassies are located in Washington DC and personal economic opportunities attracted Caribbean immigrants to the DMV.
According to Wikipedia, a George Mason University study finds that “ there are approximately 83,400 Caribbean immigrants* living in the Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD metro areas. The largest numbers are from Jamaica (29,034),Trinidad and Tobago (16,154), the Dominican Republic (13,814), Haiti (8,114), and Cuba (6,599)”.
This DMV community celebrates Caribbean culture through many highly visible activities and events, and many memories of “home” were met through food. The history of Caribbean cuisine in the DMV has to recognize several such signature events which showcased or still showcase Caribbean cuisine and led to the growth of Caribbean food culture:
The DC Caribbean Carnival on Georgia Ave.
Celebrated in the northwest quadrant of the District for 18 years (1993-2011), and in 2023 nominated by NCAFFA’s Co-Founder, Doreen Thompson, to be commemorated in Ward 4 on Georgia Avenue by the District government, the Carnival added to the growth of Caribbean restaurants along the Georgia Avenue Corridor, which also served as the historic “home” for DC’s Caribbean community. This phenomenon was captured in a 2020 Washington Post article titled “ If you crave Caribbean food in D.C., you need Georgia (Avenue) on your mind” .
https://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/if-you-crave-caribbean-food-in-dc-you-need-georgia-avenue-on-your-mind/2020/07/28/7f1db5e8-ce05-11ea-91f1-28aca4d833a0_story.html
PG County’s Annual Caribbean Festival at Bladensburg Park
Another signature annual event, which allows the community to savor Caribbean foods, is the Annual Caribbean Heritage Festival on the first Saturday in June, presented by the Prince George’s County Caribbean Council
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/caribbean-heritage-festival-tickets-849184853757
The DMV also hosts a numerous events featuring Caribbean cuisine, including the
annual highly anticipated Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge —“a celebration of global food and drink where Embassy chefs from around the world showcase the unique flavors of their home countries in a culinary competition”. Caribbean Embassy chefs continue to distinguish themselves at this event over the years winning top recognition.
The DMV also hosts in May the Annual Passport DC Around the World Embassy Tour, where participating Caribbean embassies open their doors to the public and showcase aspects of their culture including traditional or national dishes.