Otis Brown reconnects with nature through outdoor cooking
Published:Thursday | May 2, 2024 | 12:09 AMKrysta Anderson/Staff Reporter
It is true when they say one can never get enough of being in the great outdoors, especially when you’re reconnecting with nature in Jamaica. Basking in the bliss of the island sun while enjoying the fresh air is breathtaking enough, what happens when you bring culinary creativity to the mix. Otis Brown has always had a pure love for the artform, so merging that concept with his passion for stunning scenery, he has been able to cook up a storm al fresco.
He tells Food, “I’ve always loved outdoor cooking. But it began appealing to my senses even more after binge watching a page on Instagram called Men with the Pot. It was there that I saw just how beautiful and peaceful nature can be. And I wanted to make people feel the same way I did when I watched those videos. So I thought, why not do it the Jamaican way?”
Going by the moniker Bwoy Foodie, Brown has enjoyed creating delightful dishes that has anything to do with salt fish. “It could be ackee and salt fish, salt fish and beans or okra and salt fish,” he explained, adding that it is usually accompanied by staples like boiled yam, dumplings, banana, pumpkin and potato.
Brown has also conquered cooking curried beef and rice, Haitian fried chicken, as well as steamed and roasted fish. “What I love the most about food is that you can take one simple ingredient such as potato and create so many dishes with different flavours and textures; this continues to amaze me.”
His flaming journey dates back to 12 years ago in 2012. When he was given the choice in high school to choose specific subjects to major in, the budding chef, highlighting that he was no top scholar, did find great pleasure in home economics class from grade seven to nine. Excelling in the area, it made his selection of studying food and nutrition in 10th grade a no-brainer. “The love and passion grew from there and with the encouragement from my food and nutrition teacher, I have been able to continue on this wholesome path,” he shared.
Since sharing his culinary content on social media, the feedback so far has been great. “I’ve made friends with so many other content creators with the same niche. There are times where I have to pause on posting content, but the encouragement from the supporters kept me going,” he said.
Sparking this fire also ignited a desire for Brown to pursue food photography. “I started taking pictures of nature. Then I realised I could take photos of food as well. So, here I am. I’m not deep into it professionally but that’s one of my goals.”
His goal, going forward, is to keep making amazing content and show the world the beauty of nature locally and give them a taste of authentic food. “I want to remind Jamaicans living overseas of the good ol’ time when they were in Jamaica. Hopefully in the near future, I will be able to create a catering company for myself.”
A food enthusiast, Brown’s top five favourite dishes to savour include ackee and salt fish with yam and banana, steamed fish with bammy, rasta pasta, stewed pork or stewed chicken with rice and peas and salt fish fritters, also known as stamp and go.