The Island Smoker

Cedric Joseph

Cedric grew up in Kingston where every yard has a drum smoker and every family has a jerk recipe they guard like state secrets. He teaches Caribbean home cooking across the islands — Jamaican jerk, Trinidadian doubles, Bajan cou-cou, and the coconut curries that connect the Caribbean to its Indian and African roots.

Caribbean

Voice · Relaxed, rhythmic, proud, generous with technique but protective of tradition.

Signature Dishes

The essential curation of Cedric's favorites.

28 MIN

Almond-Crusted Scallops with Jerk Mayo

Plump sea scallops get a crunchy almond crust with toasty notes, finished with a fiery jerk-spiced mayo that brings the heat and island flavor. Quick-seared to perfection in minutes.

70 MIN

Island Smoker's Smoky Pinto Bean Fritters

Crispy Caribbean-style fritters made with tender pinto beans, a smoky sofrito of scotch bonnet and allspice, and pan-fried to golden perfection. Heat from scotch bonnet is balanced by the warmth of allspice — bold but not blow-your-head spicy.

40 MIN

Coconut-Jerk Chicken Skewers with Thyme and Lime

Charred skewers of chicken bathed in a scotch bonnet and allspice-warm jerk paste, finished with a fragrant coconut-lime drizzle. The drum smoker energy of the islands on your plate.

35 MIN

Jerk Beef Patties with Peanut Lime Sauce

Jamaican-spiced ground beef patties kissed with smoky allspice warmth, served alongside a creamy peanut sauce brightened with fresh lime. Island soul food with a playful Caribbean twist.

35 MIN

Caribbean Jerk Chicken and Butternut Squash Skewers

Smoky, spice-laden jerk-marinated chicken threaded with caramelized butternut squash cubes on skewers, grilled until charred and fragrant. A taste of island cookout energy in every bite.

60 MIN

Star Anise Pumpkin Custard with Cinnamon and Cloves

A silky, aromatic custard made with roasted pumpkin and warm spices, gently baked until set with a delicate wobble.

60 MIN

Cayenne Apple Crisp with Cinnamon and Cloves

A warm Caribbean-inspired apple crisp with a kick — cayenne heat meets the cozy warmth of cinnamon and cloves, crowned with a buttery oat crumble that turns golden in the oven.

35 MIN

Coconut Lime Panna Cotta with Cayenne Cream

A silky coconut-lime panna cotta set with chia seeds, crowned with lightly whipped cayenne cream. Tropical warmth meets island heat in every spoonful.

50 MIN

Pineapple Pork Belly Skewers

Caribbean-style grilled pork belly skewers with caramelized pineapple, threaded on bamboo skewers and basted with a smoky honey-lime glaze. The fat renders slowly over open flame while the sugars char to golden perfection.

45 MIN

Caribbean Smoky Tomato & Pepper Soup

A bold island soup that brings together charred tomatoes and bell peppers with warm allspice undertones and a scotch bonnet-style heat. Smoky, spicy, and warming — perfect for when you need a taste of the islands.

40 MIN

Caribbean Coconut Fish Stew

A rich, creamy coconut broth loaded with tender white fish and velvety potato, scented with allspice and thyme and brightened with lime. This is island comfort — the kind of stew you make when the day has been long and the sea is close.

20 MIN

Coconut-Glazed Grilled Bananas

Smoky caramelized bananas with a warm coconut glaze, finished with lime and a hint of cinnamon. Simple, soulful, and perfect for breakfast or dessert.

45 MIN

Caribbean Coconut Lentil Soup

A smoky, soul-warming lentil soup that brings island vibes to your kitchen. Coconut oil and warming spices give it that Caribbean soul while red lentils melt into a creamy, satisfying bowl.

70 MIN

Coconut Rice and Peas (Island Style)

Smoky, aromatic coconut rice studded with tender beans and warmed with allspice and thyme. A staple side that brings island vibes to any table.

55 MIN

Coconut-Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs

Tender chicken thighs bathed in a fragrant coconut-lime marinade with warm island spices, grilled until smoky and caramelized at the edges. Caribbean soul food at its finest.

30 MIN

Caribbean Coconut Shrimp Skewers

Smoky coconut-coated shrimp marinated in island spices and grilled to perfection. These skewers bring the heat of scotch bonnet warmth with that signature Caribbean smoke.

45 MIN

Caribbean Sweet Potato & Black Bean Stew

A warming island stew where sweet potatoes absorb the warmth of Caribbean spices while black beans add hearty texture. Cayenne and thyme bring that signature smoky-spice heat that Chef Cedric loves.

70 MIN

Coconut Jerk Pork Belly

Tender pork belly slow-braised in a rich coconut-cream sauce infused with fiery jerk spices, smoky allspice warmth, and fresh thyme. The Island Smoker brings the heat and the soul to this indulgent island staple.

45 MIN

Coconut Curry Black Beans with Rice

A rich, warmly spiced Caribbean-style curry of black beans simmered in coconut oil with aromatics and served over fluffy white rice.

135 MIN

Spiced Pork Belly with Brown Sugar Glaze

Cedric puts his island twist on this rich, melt-in-your-mouth pork belly — a smoky spice rub with warm Caribbean aromatics, finished under the broiler with a sticky brown sugar and lime glaze that caramelizes into something truly special.

55 MIN

Jerk Chicken Thighs with Thyme and Lime

Smoky, spicy jerk chicken thighs marinated in a bold blend of scotch bonnet-inspired heat, allspice warmth, and fresh thyme, finished with bright lime. Cooked until charred and juicy.

40 MIN

Steamed Mussels in Fiery Coconut Broth

Garlic and cayenne bloom in coconut oil until fragrant, then the mussels go in and the lid goes on — steam does its work fast and the shells open into a broth that's at once rich, fiery, and coastal. Lime cuts through at the end, keeping the coconut from going heavy. Every drop of that broth deserves bread — or at least a spoon.

45 MIN

Callaloo Greens with Garlic and Thyme

Spinach wilts in coconut oil with garlic and thyme, cayenne threading through it with just enough heat to wake up the natural bitterness of the greens. It cooks down fast and reduces into something dark, silky, and deeply savory — the kind of side dish that holds its own on the plate. Callaloo doesn't need much, and that's exactly why it's been on Caribbean tables for generations.

45 MIN

Jamaican Spiced Beef Patty Filling

Ground beef browned with yellow onion, cayenne, and turmeric — the same warmth and fire that every good Jamaican patty has been carrying since before anyone can remember. Bread goes in to bind it and soak up the seasoned fat, keeping the filling moist and dense. Pack it into pastry and it becomes the thing people carry out of the bakery still hot, before they've even made it down the block.

55 MIN

Caribbean Black Bean and Pumpkin Stew

Black beans and pumpkin built on garlic, thyme, and cayenne — cooked long enough that the pumpkin melts into the stew and sweetens it from the inside while the cayenne keeps a steady, honest heat. This is the kind of one-pot that feeds people without fuss, rooted in the African and Creole traditions that run through Caribbean cooking. Hearty, earthy, and exactly enough.

45 MIN

Stewed Red Beans with Coconut Rice

Kidney beans stewed low with garlic, thyme, and coconut oil until the pot liquor turns thick and deeply savory — the kind of beans that make plain rice something worth sitting down for. The rice drinks in the coconut oil as it cooks, each grain separate but rich. This is the backbone of Caribbean home cooking, and it carries the whole table.

35 MIN

Escovitch Cod with Peppers and Onion

Cod gets fried until the outside is firm and golden, then immediately blanketed with bell pepper and onion that have been quick-pickled in hot white vinegar spiked with cayenne — the acid hits the hot fish and does something magic. The escovitch marinade seeps in as it rests, making the flesh tangy and fiery all the way through. Eat it now or eat it tomorrow; like all good escovitch, it only gets better.

30 MIN

Pan-Fried Trout with Mango Salsa

Trout goes into a hot pan skin-side down and crisps up while mango, cilantro, cayenne, and lime come together into something between a salsa and a celebration. The fish is flaky and mild, which means the salsa does the talking — sweet, fiery, sharp, and fresh all at once. It's the kind of plate that makes people ask what's in it before they've even finished the first bite.

40 MIN

Coconut Shrimp Curry with Lime

Ginger and turmeric hit coconut oil first and turn it golden before the shrimp go in — they cook fast, staying plump and sweet inside a sauce that's warm with spice and rich with coconut. Lime goes in at the very end, its acidity lifting the whole curry and keeping it from getting too heavy. Quick enough for a weeknight, generous enough for company.

50 MIN

Trinidad Curry Chickpeas and Potato

Cumin and turmeric hit the hot oil first, waking everything up before the chickpeas and potato go in to absorb that golden, earthy spice. It simmers until the potato breaks at the edges and the chickpeas are soft right through, the whole thing thickened by its own starch. Trini doubles were made to hold a filling like this — robust, warming, and genuinely satisfying.

From the Pantry

Signature staples

cayennethymegarlicgingerlimecoconut-oil

Favorite tools

GrillDutchOvenCleaverMortarAndPestle

Reaches for

Scotch Bonnet PeppersAllspice BerriesFresh Thyme

Steers clear of

Liquid smokePre-made jerk sauce

Flavor Profile

The Loves

SmokySpicyAllspice-warm

The Defaults

Scotch BonnetAllspiceThyme

The Avoids

Jerk sauce from a bottleMild Caribbean food