Culture
Food Network winner, Chef Erica Barrett, bringing Caribbean Jerk concept to Washington D.C.
Coco Jerk is Barrett paying homage to the authentic way of cooking Caribbean food, which she has learned through her frequent travels to Jamaica and her long-time marriage to her ex-husband (who is of Jamaican descent).
Chef Erica Barrett, winner of Food Network’s Season 5 BBQ Brawl, is bringing a spicy, new Jamaican concept to Washington, DC’s Union Market: Coco Jerk.
Barrett won the season and earned the title “Master of Que” on the show’s finale after preparing a Caribbean‑inspired feast for the judges.
Chef Erica Barrett Coco Jerk’s menu
These same dishes will be at the center of Coco Jerk’s menu.
The items include smoked and braised oxtails with cilantro-laden rice and peas, authentic jerk chicken grilled over pimento wood with Elote corn ribs (which is paying homage to the BBQ community), hand roasted, pan seared snapper topped with mango, papaya smoked charred cabbage slaw, Caribbean cornbread muffins with maple butter, authentic Jamaican beef patties (made from scratch), and tangy, brown sugar rum plantains that evoke the warmth of sun-soaked Jamaican shores.
Barrett earned the label “franchise player” on BBQ Brawl from restaurateur, TV chef and series creator Bobby Flay. Flay provided guidance to Barrett on pickling, experimenting with global and ultimately won the show. Flay called Barrett’s dishes the “most flavorful, Caribbean, southern BBQ ever”.
Chef Erica Barrett
Coco Jerk is Barrett paying homage to the authentic way of cooking Caribbean food, which she has learned through her frequent travels to Jamaica and her long-time marriage to her ex-husband (who is of Jamaican descent).
“I’m obsessed with the authentic way of cooking jerk chicken. It’s totally different in the U.S. than in Jamaica,” says Barrett. “With Coco Jerk, it’s more than just a restaurant. It’s a celebration of culture, passion, and the bold, unforgettable flavors of the Caribbean.”
More information
Coco Jerk will be open days a week from 11am – 9pm.
The address is: 1309 5th. Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
More information can be found at: http://www.cocojerk.com.
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