Yellowknifers yearning for far-off places will soon be able to get a taste of the tropics from home thanks to chef and business-owner Johnelle Joseph.

Four years ago, Joseph brought her homemade Jamaican-style jerk chicken to a Yellowknife potluck SA国际影视传媒� she says people havenSA国际影视传媒檛 stopped asking for it since.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey asked me, SA国际影视传媒榃hy donSA国际影视传媒檛 you sell your food?SA国际影视传媒�,SA国际影视传媒� she says. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e always wanted to start my own catering business and restaurant.SA国际影视传媒�

Now, sheSA国际影视传媒檚 about to do just that.

SheSA国际影视传媒檚 been documenting her culinary adventures so far on Instagram @Tasteoftheislandsnwt and itSA国际影视传媒檚 where sheSA国际影视传媒檒l announce the final menu and when sheSA国际影视传媒檚 taking orders.

Joseph grew up in Jamaica and moved to Canada when she was 20 years old. She moved to Yellowknife five years ago and says she noticed the absence of familiar Caribbean food and ingredients right away.

The hardest part of her business is getting her hands on the ingredients she needs to create her dishes, she says.

Items like cassava root SA国际影视传媒� a starchy root vegetable thatSA国际影视传媒檚 an essential staple in Caribbean and Latin American kitchens SA国际影视传媒� and the potent scotch bonnet pepper are just not readily available in Yellowknife in the quantities or as often as her business requires.

She tries her best to source everything she can from local businesses. In some cases, she has to have products shipped from Toronto or Alberta, but other needs leave her no choice but to go straight to the source, taking trips to Jamaica to stock up.

Joseph says she grew up learning to cook from her grandmother, a professional chef.

She didnSA国际影视传媒檛 even stop to think when asked if she favoured a particular dish of her grandmotherSA国际影视传媒檚.

SA国际影视传媒淓scovitch fish,SA国际影视传媒� she replies. The classic Caribbean dish boasts a whole, fried snapper topped with a spicy sauce and lightly-pickled carrots and scotch bonnet peppers served with a fried dumpling, which Joseph likens to fry bread.

While she hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 shared the finalized menu yet, she promised hearty portions, jerk chicken and a vegan option.

Joseph says her new catering and fresh food-delivery service will start with limited hours SA国际影视传媒� just weekends. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 just Joseph, who still works another job, tending to orders with a little help from her partner, for now.

Depending on how business goes, she said sheSA国际影视传媒檚 hasnSA国际影视传媒檛 ruled out that restaurant.