Marissa Morrison has been selling jerk pork in Bayside, Portmore, for two years. Here she is in the process of turning the pork during its preparation.

They are an organised set no doubt, with even their own appointed spokesperson. And on any given day, you will see them converged on a spot along Bayside in Portmore, selling food items ranging from jerk chicken to soup.

Driving on that stretch, especially on the weekends, can be a task at times, as motorists and pedestrians alike try to manoeuvre through traffic in an attempt to get on the side of the 'food circle'. Set up in a circular display, jerk pans and pots serve as a reflection of what is offered to customers. The smoke coming from the pans occasionally blurs the vision and many eager customers await their turn to make their orders or pick up their meals.

With chairs and tables provided by the vendors, customers are given the choice of eating on spot or just using them while waiting their turn. On our visit, there were a number of people seen dining in a group, enjoying their recent food purchases.

Patrick 'Brown Man' Hayne, the spokesman, said people could get a wide array of food items. "You can get jerk chicken, jerk pork, roast fish and a variety of soup like chicken foot; you can get conch and fish tea".

Seven days a week

Patrick Hayne serves one of his customers, Nyron Marsh, his specialty - jerked chicken.

Hayne said that vendors were there every day of the week but the bulk came out over the weekend. There are about six vendors in total. "We come out here seven days a week and most times we start setting up by 5:30 in the evening and then go on till all daylight".

Seen as an elder, Hayne has been in the business for 16 years, but has been at that spot for three years. And with that wealth of experience, he says business has been going well for him. "I do jerk chicken and I have my customers who come here specifically for me. People all come here and wait for my chicken and some all call and make orders".

As with every business, each person has his own customers, and the vendors at the food circle are no exception.

For Hayne, it is the seasoning that keeps his customers always wanting more. "They love my method and how I do my seasoning. I stuff my chicken with seasoning, so it's soaked from inside out".

It is popular with people who live outside the area. "People from all strata of society come here, even as far as Ewarton they leave from and come here to eat", he said.

latoya.grindley@gleanerjm.com

A sample of what you can get at the 'food circle' in Bayside Portmore. One of the favourites is the jerked/pan chicken. Here, the chicken is served with two slices of bread and depending on the customer's taste with ketchup and pepper.

Chicken being jerked to meet the demand of customers at the 'food circle' in Bayside, Portmore, St Catherine.