Steven Clarke is on a mission to make Jamaican food more accessible

Steven Clarke, VP of marketing for Golden Krust, has worked his way up the family-run Jamaican fast-casual restaurant group. The first location opened in Bronx, N.Y., in 1989 by his uncle, Lowell Hawthorne, and Clarke continues to follow his uncle’s mission to bring a taste of Jamaica to the world. Golden Krust now numbers 100 units and has introduced generations of Americans to foods like braised oxtail, jerk chicken, curried goat, and Jamaican beef patties.

Every patty that Golden Krust serves has a piece of Jamaica in it — the Scotch bonnet peppers and thyme are grown on the island. When Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica last year, many of the farms that grow those crops suffered severe damage. Clarke and the Golden Krust team have traveled down there to help those farmers replant and offer monetary support to rebuild school cafeterias and more.

Recently, the chain has gone through a major brand evolution under Clarke’s leadership, launching a new website, initiating online ordering and a loyalty program, updating digital menu boards, refreshing uniforms and packaging, and expanding into third-party delivery. Clarke’s goal is to make it more convenient for people to get their hands on the food by increasing points of accessibility, he said. Several of the items are now frozen and available nationwide at retail, including in 2,000 Walmart stores.

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Pat plans and executes menu, food and drink stories for Restaurant Business and hosts the weekly Menu Talk podcast. She provides in-depth coverage of chefs, trends and menu innovation.