http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/rss/feedsAt Island Grill, we use our own unique combination of these very same spices on our chicken, pork and fish to create that authentic jerk taste. But wait mi bredrin, can’t stand the heat? Island Grill serves up other island dishes that give you the big taste of the Caribbean.Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:58:53 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/despite-covid19-the-new-king-street-island-grill-will-openhttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/despite-covid19-the-new-king-street-island-grill-will-openIsland Grill is moving forward with the opening of its new down town restaurant.With all the uncertainty looming in the air, Island Grill is making a BIG, BOLD, move. Announced today, Island Grill will open its doors to its brand new King Street location mid May. They will bring their Eat Good, Live Good to the heart of Downtown Kingston.So why move forward with a grand opening during this time? And what does that look like? Well, we dug a little deeper to find out the strategy behind this bold move. Denise Dubuque-Lyn, Chief Operating Officer shared, “Opening was a tough decision for us. With the landscape of the QSR industry over the past two months, we found ourselves at a crossroad, do we press pause or do we push forward. And we decided to push forward. What we realized is that we were already invested. With the project almost at competition amidst the pandemic, it just made sense. Let’s continue our plan, open our doors, and do what we do best, offer the down town community a home cooked meal with authentic Jamaican tastes, quick and friendly service from a family of amazing people. And that is exactly what we intend do at this time.”So what does a GRAND, not so grand, opening look like with social distancing? Well Island Grill still has a few tricks up it’s sleeve. Customers can expect to see giveaways, free drinks, donated meals to the local hospital and much more. Instead of one big grand opening, with only one day of excitement, customers will be able to experience little joys all throughout the summer at the King Street Island Grill restaurant. Stay tuned for all that is to come with this local Jamaican restaurant chain.About Island GrillIsland Grill, a brand under Chicken Mistress Ltd. Management, is a multi-billion-dollar enterprise which operates 18 restaurants across Jamaica and 1 in Barbados, employing a team of over 850 members. Founded in 1991 by Thalia Lyn, Island Grill has transitioned into what we now know and love as one of the few authentic Jamaican quick service restaurants.Island Grill aspires to be the restaurant chain most loved for providing unique Jamaican cuisine - to the world! Our passion is to take the amazing tastes and flavors from our Jamaican Caribbean homes and create new exciting dishes, and serve them with warm island hospitality. “A home cooked Jamaican meal for people on the go. The smart choice. Real food served with a smile.” We create value for all stakeholders by delighting our customers, each and every time, with excellent food and service, with ease, grace and joy; making it possible for all to Eat Good and Live Good.... Sun, 10 May 2020 08:20:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grills-supaah-food--eating-healthy-on-the-gohttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grills-supaah-food--eating-healthy-on-the-go As the healthy lifestyle train continues to pick up speed in Jamaica, the need for healthier meals on the go becomes even more urgent. Diet and nutrition experts like Frances Mahfood, nutritionist at the Heart Foundation of Jamaica, believe that Jamaicans have the unique advantage of access to wholesome unprocessed food like banana and breadfruit to serve this need. Last month , Island Grill became the first quick service restaurant chain to introduce the local foods as a menu option with its launch of Supaah Food.Considered Jamaican super foods, unprocessed local foods such as banana, breadfruit, pumpkin and vegetables such as cabbage and callaloo provide a wide range of nutrients that is integral for health-conscious people on the move. Mrs. Mahfood said natural local foods are also very rich in fibre, a nutrient that many Jamaicans do not eat enough of."Fibre is essential for bodily functions, for helping with lowering blood pressure, for reducing the risk of heart disease by helping to maintain blood sugar and lowers the LDL or the "bad" cholesterol," Mahfood said. Mrs Mahfood shared that all foods in their natural state provide fibre, pointing out that vegetables are rich in fibre without containing any additional calories.Mrs Mahfood said natural unprocessed foods that are produced in Jamaica are perfect to aid in the fight against diseases."The more we eat foods that does not go through any processing is the healthier we will be. It supplies our body with nourishment and nutrients that our bodies need to provide nourishment and prevent diseases. Fruits and vegetables are your daily multi vitamins so why not have them in wholesome foods? It is what the body wants, it doesn't want pills."Island Grill's Supaah Food consists of locally grown breadfruit, banana, corn, pumpkin with callaloo or cabbage. Mrs Mahfood said Island Grill made a step in the right direction by, not only promoting healthy foods and making it accessible to the public, but promoting local foods and leading the education process about the nutritional value of the locally grown foods."All the foods in that meal support heart health, they have something to contribute to heart health because they are not processed. Eating wholesome supports heart health," Mahfood added.Corn, which is high in fibre, is a resistant starch which means that the starch passes through the digestive tract unchanged and functions like a soluble fibre. Many studies in humans show that resistant starch can have powerful health benefits including improved insulin sensitivity, lower blood sugar levels, reduced appetite and various benefits for digestion."Pumpkin is also high in fibre, high in potassium and vitamin C. A diet high in potassium can lessen the effects of sodium which helps to control blood pressure. Pumpkin is a great vegetable to add to the diet. It also has beta carotene which is the precursor to Vitamin A and is good for eyesight," Mahfood added.Breadfruit, which is another feature in Island Grill's new menu offerings, is a common local starch food, which Mahfood said is a wholesome and organic source of energy for the body."For the individual trying to use healthy eating as a preventative measure for conditions later on in life, eating wholesome organic food is a good start. This meal provides complete wholesome nourishment. It was low in sodium and high in a lot of vitamins and minerals," Mahfood saidTue, 15 Aug 2017 19:00:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/supaah-launch-at-island-grillhttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/supaah-launch-at-island-grill Supaah Food, anyone? Well, Island Grill has you covered by satisfying your appetite one healthy and hearty bite at a time. The local food chain launched its Supaah Foods menu at their Manor Park location on Wednesday to the delight of sponsors and specially invited guests.If you don't know what Supaah Food is, picture eating a natural rainbow green callaloo, orange pumpkin, blush-yellow breadfruit or sunshine-yellow corn - to be indulged with your choice of Island Grill's traditional jerked, barbecued, curried or fricassee chicken or veggie stew.Greeted by beautiful produce on the outside of the restaurant, courtesy of the local farmers on board, guests received a warm welcome from staff before making their way into the venue.Expanding their mantra, 'Eat Good, Live Good', Howard Mitchell, chairman of Island Grill, explained that Jamaica is covered with popular superfoods that the world is excited about, "We need to eat locally and think globally," he added.He introduced the minister of health, Dr Christopher Tufton, who highlighted that Island Grill is the food chain of choice for his family. He noted that he has seen the company's evolution, promoting healthy living, and commended them for providing healthy options for Jamaica. He noted that the biggest issues facing Jamaicans are unhealthy food choices and physical inactivity. Island Grill's tasty initiative, he said, is the perfect fit for the country's Jamaica Moves campaign. "It looks good, it feels good it smells good, so I'm just waiting on the taste," he declared of the Supaah Food options.Farmers Llewellyn Grant and Andrew Warwar also took to the stage to share their appreciation for being a major part of the Island Grill family. The lovely and vivacious CEO, Thalia Lyn, closed the formal proceedings by thanking everyone - from the minister of health to her local farmers, to her Best Dressed and CB Chicken family, board chairman, directors, family members, bloggers and foodies - for making this new venture possible.Salivating at the sound of chopping during Lyn's speech, many were eager to savour the flavour of the Supaah Food for themselves. So what are you waiting for? Try Island Grill's Supaah Food today!Wed, 26 Jul 2017 09:00:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/supaah-food-takes-over-island-grillhttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/supaah-food-takes-over-island-grill Pursuing its health-conscious mandate, quick-service chain Island Grill has upped the nutrition quotient with a revitalised menu that now offers more ground provisions and produce under an in-house Supaah Food banner.Existing combos such as the Yabba and Satisfaction combo range will be infused with this fresh undertaking by the Thalia Lyn-founded establishment featuring a new seven-piece medley of breadfruit, sweet corn, green bananas, pumpkin and steamed vegetables of callaloo or cabbage, made available to diners as of yesterday.At the Manor Park branch of the franchise, chair Howard Mitchell introduced the chain's new endeavour to a gathering of food and beverage industry types, farmers and the media.“Consuming a Supaah Food meal is a conscious choice for a better you and a better Jamaica. In this time and age, no matter where you are in the world, citizens are more informed by the impact of the choices businesses make,” said Mitchell as he kick-started the menu launch yesterday.The health minister Dr Christopher Tufton offered his own endorsement of Island Grill's 'good sustenance and healthy living' modifications with an address that underscored his approval and highlighted the “innovative entrepreneurship and a responsiveness” to Island Grill's customer base as well as the parallels to his “agenda to promote public health”.This comes on the heels of Tufton's recent Jamaica Moves healthy lifestyle initiative, which has gained traction with Corporate Jamaica, and unsurpisingly the Real Jamaican Jerk eatery has signed on as a corporate challenge partner in this governmental response to reducing non-communicable diseases — think: diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers — through the encouragement of increased physical activity and more thoughtful eating among the Rock's populace.“Our lifelong motto 'Eat Good, Live Good' continues to manifest itself in colourful 'eat the rainbow' ways and today we're excited to share our new range of healthy Jamaican Supaah Food meals with you,” remarked Island Grill founder & CEO Lyn. “Every Supaah Food meal is made from scratch every day, fulfils 100% of your vitamin C needs and is full of fibre, magnesium and potassium.”Wed, 26 Jul 2017 09:00:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grill-launches-supaah-foodshttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grill-launches-supaah-foods Widely perceived as the healthiest quick service restaurant (QSR) chain in Jamaica, Island Grill has taken their philosophy a step further, with the launch of their “Supaah Food” menu. The menu consists of locally grown foods that are considered super foods based on their nutritional value — in line with the country’s mandate to encourage Jamaicans to eat local and healthier.Founder and CEO of Island Grill, Thalia Lyn said the new menu is a response to customers’ requests to have more locally grown, wholesome, healthy foods and ground provisions as part of their lunch offerings.“Supaah Food is a natural extension to Island Grill’s philosophy of “Eat Good, Live Good,” which is an idea that has always dominated our kitchens, as almost all our meals are prepared from scratch everyday, using fresh ingredients only,” Lyn stated.The Supaah Food menu will contain a choice of callaloo or cabbage which are rich in iron and fibre among other essential vitamins, breadfruit which contains potassium and Omega 3 and 6, pumpkin which is full of beta carotene and Vitamin C, and both green banana and corn which are excellent sources of energy with their high Vitamin B6 content.“We also ensured that the Supaah Food menu is in keeping with recent healthy trends, so it is gluten free with the exception of the Supaah Food Yabba Veggie Stew which contains wheat. It also does not contain any artificial flavouring or preservatives,” Lyn states.Island Grill’s move to introduce the Supaah Food range comes on the heels of the Ministry of Health’s Jamaica Moves campaign, and the establishment of the National Food Industry Task Force, which is in keeping with the direction of the country towards a healthier lifestyle.The Supaah Food meals can be paired with either jerked or barbecued chicken, veggie stew, curry or fricassee chicken as well as Island Grill’s very first vegan offering — “Jus Food”, which is 100 per cent plant-based.Supaah Food became available across all Island Grill stores yesterday.Wed, 26 Jul 2017 09:00:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/photo-island-grill-launches-healthier-options-with-supaah-food-menuhttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/photo-island-grill-launches-healthier-options-with-supaah-food-menu Local quick-service restaurant chain Island Grill has introduced its ‘Supaah Food’ menu, comprising locally grown foods with good nutritional value, in a bid to encourage Jamaicans to eat local and healthier.Island Grill CEO Thalia Lyn said the menu is in response to customers’ requests to have more locally grown, wholesome, healthy foods with ground provisions as part of their lunch offerings.“Supaah Food is a natural extension to Island Grill’s philosophy of ‘eat good, live good’, which is an idea that has always dominated out kitchens as almost all our meals are prepared from scratch everyday, using fresh ingredients only,” Lyn said. The Supaah Food menu contains a choice of callaloo or cabbage, which are rich in iron and fibre among other essential vitamins; breadfruit which contains potassium and omega 3 and 6; pumpkin that us full of beta carotene and Vitamin C along with green banana and corn, which are excellent sources of energy.“We also ensured that Supaah Food menu is in keeping with recent healthy trends and so it is gluten free with the exception of the Supaah Food Yabba Veggie Stew which contains wheat. It also does not contain any monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial flavouring or preservatives,” Lyn said.Health Minister Chris Tufton commended Island Grill for integrating more locally grown, healthy foods to their menu, including complex carbohydrates, which are important to human sustenance and the general health profile of people.“We are seeing a genuine effort to prodive Jamaicans with additional, healthy options,” Tufton said, noting that proper nutrition will complement the government’s Jamaica Moves initiative.Tue, 25 Jul 2017 14:00:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grill-adds-jerk-pork-to-menuhttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grill-adds-jerk-pork-to-menu http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/food/20150715/island-grill-adds-jerk-pork-menuThu, 30 Jul 2015 17:10:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grill-goes-greenhttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/island-grill-goes-green The Island Grill chain of restaurants has gone green with its new biodegradable containers. In an interview with founder and CEO Thalia Lyn, she explained to Food that Jamaicans have to start caring for our environment. "The garbage dumped into gullies that wash into the sea, killing off the fish and other sea life, making our coastlines a virtual garbage dump - has got to stop! Island Grill has made a commitment to start with this first small step," she said. Although costly, Lyn stated that this earth-friendly packaging is in line with the restaurant's tag line, 'Eat Good, Live Good', because there is no bleach and it is processed chlorine free, so better for you, especially when using the microwave. Yes, it is microwaveable. "It's made from recycled paperboard. Trees are specially grown (approved by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative) for this type of packaging, so we are not really chopping down trees. It breaks down faster and is completely biodegradable," Lyn explained. Lyn has provided reasons why these new earth-friendly containers are important: 1. It is the right thing to do. We firmly believe this is a better choice for Jamaica. This package has the highest 'green point value' on the market from the Green Restaurant Association. You will find this box used by large environmentally conscious companies like Whole Foods and Disney. You will see the rating on the bottom of the box. We will change our Styrofoam soup packaging later in the year. 2. Portion and price remain exactly the same. 3. No leaks and BPA free - this box has an innovative, leak-proof coating that is BPA free. It is the only such container on the market that you can put in the microwave without fear of melting the coating. 4. Sustainable - this box breaks down easily in the environment. This has been approved by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. 5. Easy to use - tabs open and close easily to get to the delicious offering inside. 6. Durable and rigid, microwaveable construction. 7. Endorsed by Nuh Dutty Up Jamaica (Jamaica Environment Trust) via jamaica-gleaner.comFri, 05 Jun 2015 10:36:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/wisynco-island-grill-lend-support-to-carifta-swimmershttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/wisynco-island-grill-lend-support-to-carifta-swimmersWednesday, April 09, 2014 Carifta Swim team member Leanne McMaster in a picture perfect dive phase during her training session at the National Aquatics Centre on Monday. Wisynco Group Limited through its brand Powerade and WATA, along with Island Grill presented the 30-member Carifta Games swimming delegation with branded bags that will assist them in carrying their luggage when they depart for Aruba on April 19. The presentation was made at the National Aquatics Centre, Stadium pool on Monday. Wisynco Group Limited and Island Grill now join title sponsors Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica and Milo, who have aided members of the national swim team with the much needed lift, leading up to the 29th staging of the Carifta Swimming Championships set for April 22-26. Karen Rosen, who is the trade and marketing manager at Wisynco, outlined that this is their first time sponsoring the Amateur Swimming Association of Jamaica at this level. "This is our first time sponsoring swimming at this level, we are happy to throw our brands WATA and Powerade on board. We have seen many synergies between the athletes and these two brands and we look forward to a long-term partnership with the swimming association," she told the Jamaica Observer. Island Grill Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Thalia Lyn noted that this is their third year on board and they love sponsoring the young athletes. "Well one of the things is that the kids need to have something and we saw how much they appreciated it last year, so we decided to do it again this year...moreso because they will be travelling, we also feed them at the airport before they leave," she explained. She added that the sponsorship is to show the athletes that their hard work in training is not overlooked. "I think this is such a great sport to support because these athletes dedicate a lot of time to this sport...two hours in the morning, and again in the evening swimming 5,000 metres per day. So you really want to reward them for their effort and this is something for them personally." Gillian Millwood, one of the team's coaches, was encouraged. "Well the sponsors coming on board is really refreshing, before we had to be begging and having the parents putting in the full percentage of the cost, but now the swimmers are being supported and the parents are seeing the rewards of all their efforts. So we are really happy and welcoming of these sponsorships," said Millwood.Thu, 09 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0700http://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/lunchtime-with-lalah-thalia-lyn---the-cheerful-chicken-ladyhttp://www.islandgrillja.com/blog/post/lunchtime-with-lalah-thalia-lyn---the-cheerful-chicken-lady http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150407/lunchtime-lalah-thalia-lyn-cheerful-chicken-lady Tue, 07 Apr 2015 00:00:00 -0700