The smell of mouthwatering Jamaican cuisine fills the air in Pawtucket at JA Patty RI Catering and Events, Rhode Island’s first Jamaican food truck. Known for jerk chicken served on coconut rice and handmade patties, JA Patty brings the traditional flavors of Jamaica to Southern New England customers.
Co-founders of JA Patty, Alison Rosario and Conroy Outar, joined YurView’s Simply Southern New England and showed us why locals and tourists alike keep coming back – not just for the delicious food, but for the amazing hospitality as well. Watch the interview above. Or, we’ve transcribed the video below. (lightly edited for clarity)
How JA Patty Got Its Start
Conroy Outar grew up in Kingston, Jamaica. With a strong passion for hospitality and customer service, he started working in America in Falmouth, a coastal town on Cape Cod, Massachusetts which reminded him of Jamaica. And his dream of starting a business in America came true when he started a food catering business.
Conroy Outar (00:01) – You know, as children, everyone watched G.I. Joe and stuff like that. For me, the first time I watched Love Boat, I was just mesmerized. And the bartender, that smile, the hospitality of the people really pulled me in.
CO (00:13) – JA Patty was started with myself and my partner, Ms. Alison Rosario. I started out cooking at home. Then I worked in the resorts back home where I was formally trained. My background in restaurants is very intensive but I’m always learning and growing. It’s a different chapter in my life and I’m loving every bit of it.
What’s on the Menu
CO (00:33) – The go-to is the jerk chicken, the jerk chicken bowl over coconut rice – known worldwide about Jamaica, known for the jerk chicken and others, oxtail as well. We have our standard patties – beef, chicken and vegetables made in a special dough and with different fillings and sauces.
CO (00:51) – At JA Patty, we really focus on customer hospitality. So we decided to stay in one spot for the last year. And it seems to be working. People are comfortable and come to the truck. And we still take the food to the cars. It’s like a reset button. Folks are now engaging a little longer. They want to get to know about you. Folks are also curious about your product, being from a different cultural background. It’s such a huge shift and people are so supportive.
You know, the fact that when you hand something to someone that you make, and they walk away happy and come back, it’s just very rewarding. And like I said, we’re in the people business. So we love it.
Customer Service
CO (01:30) – Rhode Island is very welcoming. I mean, it’s a place that’s very dear to my heart. The people are so honest, so real. You want to know what’s wrong with your food or what you need to improve? I will say, you don’t need to hire a consultant, they’ll tell you. So I love that and also how sincere the folks are.
So when you come here, expect a smile, expect a fresh product and expect good service. I just want to thank the people of Rhode Island for being so supportive. Thanks to Pawtucket, the health department, every person that’s been so gracious, so kind. I couldn’t ask for a better place to be.
JA Patty is located in front of the Lorraine Mills at 560 Mineral Spring Avenue in Pawtucket, RI. For more info, visit JAPatty.com.
