Meet The Producer : Rock Jam Spice

Authentic Jamaican food is one of the harder styles to come by here in Cornwall, although that might be about to change! Ben Arthur is a chef on a mission to introduce people to the flavours of his Jamaican heritage, one jar at a time…

A unique and intense taste experience, Jamaican food is varied and influenced by African, Spanish and Asian food cultures. From barbequed fish to jerk chicken, Jamaican Patties (thought to derive from Cornish pasties!) to curried goat, there is so much to discover in this eclectic and vibrant food culture that it’s about time it made it to the UK’s rural food capital…

How did it all start?

Ben grew up in North London; his father was Jamaican, his mother English, and the Jamaican community formed the backdrop of his early life. He has worked as a chef since the age of 18, a career he was launched into thanks to Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Apprenticeship Programme. He was part of the very first London cohort, an experience he says has shaped his whole life.

“It was an incredible programme for young chefs, focusing not just on cooking but on sourcing ingredients and looking at how food can be a force for good,” explains Ben. “We visited olive oil producers, learnt to forage before it was trendy, visited family farms… It was an amazing all-round experience.”

Ben went on to work at Fifteen Cornwall for several years, playing a role in the training of other apprentices following in his footsteps. He then held several Head Chef positions at some of Cornwall’s top food destinations but, with a young family by then, he knew the long, unsociable hours meant that he was missing out on too much of his children’s early years.

“I knew I needed a side-hustle – to start working towards my own thing,” Ben explains. “I thought about all of the different options and what kind of food business I should open. I had a bit of an epiphany after our wedding. I’d made wedding favours for all of the guests – little jars of sweet chilli chutney with Jamaican flavour profiles – and I kept on getting feedback about how much everyone loved it. That sparked something and I adjusted the texture, came up with a name, logos, design, packaging, methods, and realised I had a nice little product. I started sending out samples, and doing small markets. That was around three years ago and the business has grown steadily ever since.”

Where does the produce come from?

Ben uses chillies grown here in Cornwall by Steve and Tina at North Cornwall Chilli Farm. They grow an impressive array of varieties, and Ben says they are the best he’s ever come across.

“They’re always experimenting with new varieties, so I try different types and combinations all the time,” says Ben. “We work closely together and our businesses have grown alongside each other. I’ve got a soft spot for the Scotch Bonnet as that’s a variety used a lot in the Caribbean, but I’m really up for trying anything. You can become quite obsessed with chilli varieties!”

How are the products made, and what does RockJam Spice produce?

All the products are homemade in small batches by Ben. Being an experienced chef, he is more than on top of all the hygiene and health and safety regulations. Chilli itself contains natural preservatives, and with sugar and vinegar as two of the other main ingredients his products have a long shelf-life.

Ben currently makes a core range of Sweet, Hot and Duppy (super-hot!) chilli jams. He also makes special edition products – such as the recent Seven Bells which features the seven hottest chillies in the world. RockJam Spice also sells gift packs and Ben is about to introduce a range of spice rubs which are set to take his business to the next level!

Why do I need a jar in my life?

Ben was adamant when he started his food company that he wanted to make something authentic and genuinely useful. “We’ve all got those jars of things in our cupboards – stuff we bought because it looked nice or sounded cool, or someone gave it to us at Christmas – things that we used once and will be thrown out years later. I wanted to make something that people would find useful on a daily or weekly basis, something they always need a supply of.”

Ben’s chilli jam can be used in sauces, as a marinade, as a dip or to serve on the side of various dishes. They are really versatile products which home cooks and chefs alike love to use. “People are a lot more adventurous in their cooking these days,” explains Ben. “There will always be those who find the flavour or level of spice too much, but I didn’t want to make a dumbed-down product – it had to pack a punch!”

What’s next?

Ben is already doing pop-up food events and barbeque nights, bringing authentic Jamaican flavour to private parties and festivals across Cornwall. He’ll also be producing monthly hot sauces on a subscription basis, as well as the new range of spice rubs which are set to become a kitchen essential.

And the best thing about running a small food business?

“Introducing people to something new is great,” says Ben, “especially when they come back a few weeks later and buy another jar! But the best thing is having a project which is all my own, that has the potential to grow. The ultimate goal is to have a business model which allows me and employees alike to have a sustainable work/life balance and contribute towards making the world a better, tastier place, one jar at a time!”