A two-day jerk celebration lands in Hackney Wick
Hackney is set for a summer serving of smoke and spice as the inaugural UK Jerk Fest arrives at Hackney Bridge on 25–26 July. Organisers expect over 6,000 people across the two days, with 11 vendors from around the country cooking over coals and vying for national bragging rights. The event is the latest project from Black Eats LDN, the platform championing Black-owned food businesses in the capital.
Founded by Jackson Mclarty, Black Eats LDN has catalogued hundreds of Black-owned spots across London. After time spent growing up in Jamaica and a recent return visit in March, he says he wanted to bring a more faithful expression of jerk to a UK festival setting. The aim, he argues, is to celebrate tradition as much as taste.
"Jamaican culture has a platform in the UK through music, but the jerk food scene has become predictable and the history has been lost. This isn't just about eating jerk without context; it's about understanding the journey behind it. This festival is long overdue. We're building our own table."
How the competition will work
The cook-off element is central. Across the weekend, festivalgoers will be invited to eat, compare and then help decide who takes home two of the three prizes. Public ballots will determine Best Jerk in the UK and Jerk Innovation, while a panel of respected figures from Caribbean food culture will award the Judge’s Choice. Among the confirmed names on the grills is Maureen’s Brixton Kitchen, with others travelling in from across Britain.
To keep things level and encourage people to taste widely, all traders will sell their jerk chicken for a flat £6.50. Menus won’t stop there: several stalls plan to serve extras such as jerk prawns and jerk oxtail mac and cheese, offering a broader snapshot of styles and sides rooted in Caribbean cooking.
Why this matters in Hackney
Hackney’s food scene thrives on collaboration and independent enterprise, and this festival slots squarely into that tradition. Hosting a national face-off here gives local diners front-row seats to a debate that has played out in takeaways and back gardens for years: smoke, spice, sweet or savoury — whose version gets it right? The weekend also puts the spotlight on a network of Black-owned businesses, with Black Eats LDN using the platform it has built to help vendors meet new customers.
Organisers frame the event as both a feast and a teach-in. Beyond the competition, the focus is on the heritage of jerk — a method, not just a marinade — and the many regional approaches developed over generations. While the grills and DJ sets will provide the heat and soundtrack, the ambition is a deeper conversation about where the flavours come from and who is telling that story.
What festivalgoers need to know
- Dates: 25–26 July
- Venue: Hackney Bridge, Hackney Wick
- Tickets/attendance: Organisers expect 6,000+ over two days
- Vendors: 11 traders from across the UK (including Maureen’s Brixton Kitchen)
- Pricing: Jerk chicken set at £6.50 per portion across all vendors
- Awards: Public vote for Best Jerk in the UK and Jerk Innovation; Judge’s Choice decided by a panel from Caribbean food culture
At a glance
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Event | UK Jerk Fest |
| Location | Hackney Bridge, Hackney Wick |
| Dates | 25–26 July |
| Vendors | 11 (UK-wide) |
| Expected attendance | 6,000+ |
| Set price | £6.50 for jerk chicken |
| Organiser | Black Eats LDN (founded by Jackson Mclarty) |
With price points kept low and the judging in public hands, the weekend promises a level playing field for newcomers as well as established names. For Hackney residents curious about the breadth of jerk — and for families looking for an affordable bite with music and atmosphere — this is a chance to taste the argument and cast a vote.
