Island Boyz Jerk Spot

Arizona

Oct 22

Cooked With Love and Served with Vibes.

“Running a boat” is Jamaican for pooling resources to buy ingredients for a communal cookout. Christopher Lyons, owner of Island Boyz Jerk Spot, grew up learning to cook out of necessity. As children, he and his cousins could buy enough ingredients if they put all their coins together to make a meal. This type of communal care has stuck with Lyons. With his Jamaican upbringing, his grandmother’s killer recipes, and the entrepreneurial prowess learned from his father Lyons has created a unique offering. Island Boyz is a melting pot of Jamaican flavors and the Southwest’s Mexican and American sensibilities. On a mission to introduce Jamaican food to a wider public, Lyons says the jerk chicken fries and the jerk chicken burrito bridge the gap for those unfamiliar with Jamaican food. Attitude and outlook are the secret ingredients at Island Boyz, “Good vibes, love, peace, and happiness” are what Lyons says wants to communicate through food. In fact, everything Chris does is about community. He gives out food whenever he can to the local unhoused community. He says, “it's a blessing to feed people, many people don’t have meals to eat.” From humble beginnings on the island all the way to catering for the Phoenix Suns, Lyons is only just getting started.