Jon Stojan
Image credit: Jerk Machine
Based in Florida and established in 1983, Jerk Machine specializes in Jamaican-style jerk cuisine, gaining notoriety for its smoky, spicy flavor and community spirit. Dishes are prepared fresh daily and include a carefully curated selection of menu items, from jerk chicken and pork, also oxtail and curry goat.
CEO and Founder Catherine Malcolm is an established restauranteur with a hereditary background in entrepreneurship. Catherine’s grandmother is just one entrepreneurial example of the familial influences that guide her work to this day, as she taught her how to bake and cook. Her father shared a keen passion for tradesmanship – known as a trusted businessman around the island of Jamaica – which sparked her curiosity as a young entrepreneur. Catherine’s pursuit into the world of business is firmly grounded in her cultural heritage and Jamaican roots; this unwavering connection between Catherine and the food she serves can be felt by all those who enter the Jerk Machine restaurant; as they hear the traditional sound of reggae, smell the aroma of scotch bonnet peppers, and experience premium quality Jamaican cuisine.
At the age of twenty-three, Catherine married her husband and began exploring new ways to impact her community in Canada, her new home. As the idea of Jerk Machine was nearing its inception, Catherine would offer her husband’s flavorsome jerk chicken dish to colleagues at her day job. Receiving a substantial amount of requests during the holiday period, Catherine’s husband found himself cooking his now-infamous recipe throughout the night and amidst a Canadian snowstorm. Embodying the fresh, fun feel of the Jerk Machine enterprise, Catherine recalls the inspiration behind coining the name: “Seeing my husband was still cooking outside as I awoke the following morning, I remember looking at him and exclaiming: Oh my goodness Desi, you look like a jerk machine!”And the name stuck. Being tired of the cold winters of Canada, the duo decided to uproot their lives and set the stage for their legacy on a new frontier, Florida.
Establishing a clear demand for the recipe, the first Jerk Machine restaurant soon came to fruition as Catherine sourced an appropriate venue within a local mall, having researched the demographics within the area. With the holiday period becoming an annual marker of business progress, the Jerk Machine restaurant was opened on Christmas Eve and represented the beginning of a fruitful and rewarding venture – opening 14 locations by 2005, regardless of the many natural disasters that impacted Florida, including Hurricane Wilma which struck the state that year. Catherine comments on the destruction, “It was a traumatic experience, but we did what we could to provide for the community. The devastation was felt for miles, with some families losing everything. Regardless of how bad it was for the State, we recognized how fortunate we were. We were able to provide food, sanctuary, support, and hope for the community,”
However, like many other businesses amidst the 2008 financial crisis, Jerk Machine suffered unforeseeable economic consequences. As Catherine began reevaluating the trajectory of the business, she astutely altered her approach to keep the vision alive; she commented: “It took me a year before I saw any sign of recovery, but giving up has never been an option. Wherever the destination is, I’ll figure it out.” Catherine’s commitment to her work is reflected in the quality and longevity of her first restaurant, located in Lauderhill, Florida, which is still standing 35 years later.
As Jerk Machine continues to feed the community with unique, premium-quality dishes, Catherine Malcolm explores new avenues for global growth. Today, the business is open to investors who wish to join Jerk Machine’s journey to inject soulful food into the growing community of consumers, including famous politicians, actors, famous sports teams, and elite members of the community. “Everyone loves Jerk Machine. We don’t joke. We jerk!”