Our Chef and Staff

By Johanna Wilson Jones

An explorer sat behind a desk at Beulah Worship Center in Conway and explained how curiosity is at the core of his being.

His name is Kamal Fraser, and he has several titles, including husband, dad, bishop, pastor, chef, and restauranteur.

He talks marathons about his insatiable need to know the intricacies of anything that sparks his intense interest.

“Cooking is a passion and always will be,’’ said Fraser, owner and chef of Caribbean Jerk Cuisine Restaurant & Food Truck in Conway. “Ministry is a calling, and I will always sacrifice anything to remain in my calling. Without my calling, nothing will ever have value. If I should give up ministry, I don’t think anything else would work.”

Thankfully, Fraser is steadfastly committed to both. He makes no quips about what Jesus wants him to do comes first in his life. Yet, he is keenly aware that God gave him a talent to take food to amazing stratospheres that folks can see and taste.

“He puts his very soul into all that I see him do,’’ said Rochelle Bromell, a pastor and member of Beulah for 10 years. She favors his curry, seafood, and jerk dishes. “Whatever he attempts to do is done with all of his might. Excellence is his goal, and he doesn’t mind putting in every effort to make sure that everything is the best that can be presented.”

Eating his food, in part, transports your  tastebud  to Jamaica. Fresh, bold flavors – balancing the thin line between sweet and savory – are prominent and pleasant.

Located at 1303 4th Ave., his restaurant is a Caribbean vibe with images of beaches and Jamaica outside and inside, with artwork done by his wife, Dorina Fraser. Black booths and chairs are accented by white linen tablecloths, giving off casual fine-dining vibrations.

“Kamal wears many hats, and he is good at all of them,’’ his wife said. “He is always wearing a big smile, full of new ideas and adventurous plans. He doesn’t need much sleep to recharge.”

The offerings at Caribbean Jerk Cuisine are distinctively Jamaican and expressly Fraser. His flavor aesthetic separates the food from other Caribbean eateries on the Grand Strand. The oxtails, for example, are tender and accented with spices that give them a fragrant aroma and a slight sugary edge with a bold tang. The care and attention to every dish is evident. The taste is consistently fabulous.

“The food is off the chain,’’ Cheryl Christy said in a Google review. “I had the oxtail and curry mutton, which was seasoned to the bone.”

Without a book, his food tells a story, which makes his creations meals and experiences.

His daughter and son, for example, were not fans of burgers. Yet, Fraser made them jerk burgers. Then, he explained what components were on it. His from-scratch jerk burgers were a heavenly experience with pineapple chutney, bacon, tossed salad, and jerk sauce. The children devoured the burgers.

The food he prepares for his family, friends, church members, and customers is the sustenance birthed in his Jamaican childhood.

“I am not here to compete,’’ Fraser said. “I will stand out. I am not going to do what others do. I flip the script. I do the opposite. I change the direction of where the food goes. That’s what food is about. It’s like art.”e that great food and great company go hand in hand. Our mission is to create memorable dining experiences by providing exceptional service and delicious cuisine. We are committed to using only the freshest ingredients and supporting local farmers.

A bit of Eden was in Fraser’s childhood.

While growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, Fraser lived on a farm and grew up in a household that included his grandparents, mom, uncles, and aunts.

They ate what they grew including apples, mangoes, pineapples, passion fruit, and soursop.

“These are things we could reach out and take from the tree,’’ said Fraser, as he sat behind his desk at Beulah, where he is pastor. “We farmed our chicken, we farmed our pigs, cows, and goats. We sold our chickens to other vendors. We learned how to use every part. Nothing went to waste, not even the chicken feet.”

His grandparents had 12 children and growing up with his uncles and aunts felt more like growing up with brothers and sisters.

Huge pots of food were typical in his family, with enough to go around and some for others who would join the family and partake in meals.

Yet, he developed a fascination with pancakes after a Canadian relative visited and served them to the family.

“I don’t know if she got the pancakes from a pack or if she made it from scratch,’’ said Fraser, as he sat behind his desk at Beulah Worship Center, where he serves as pastor. “So technically, it’s the flavor that made me want to know how it was done.”

Immediately, the curiosity percolated. Fraser – without watching TV, videos, or people – started the journey to quell his nosiness about pancakes.

The time came for him did design the most scrumptious pancakes. It was a season after Fraser had begun to delve deep into the inner makings of anything that sparked his interest. He joined the 4-H Club at school and discovered. Between 16 and 17, he got an internship at Sutton Place Hotel, now Knoxford Court Hotel unearthed more cooking nuances, and cultivated the ultimate pancake recipe.

“That’s really where I nailed the recipe of making a pancake and putting it together well,’’ Fraser said. “Then, I went home and made pancakes for my entire family.”

By that time, however, Fraser had already been dazzling people with his revelatory approach to food aesthetics.

He earned third place in a multiple school 4-H competition for an all-natural tropical salad dressed with his vinaigrette. He was about 11.

As a 10th grader, he decided he would pursue cooking as a career.

“Yet, keep in mind in the 9th grade was when I was called into ministry,’’ Fraser said. “Even though my passion and desire were to cook, I remember going to the stairs of my 9th-grade classroom when I heard the Lord say, ‘I want you to become a minister.’ He said it in a voice as clear as I could hear it in my spirit.’’’

Still, Jesus didn’t tell him when, where, or how he would become a preacher. Therefore, Fraser decided to focus most of his energies on studying food until he received further spiritual instruction.

As he waited, God elevated his creative flair and Fraser wowed a judge in culinary school with his tasty revamping of the kids' menu. It starred baked potato wedges, chicken fingers, and an orange cake. Fraser knew it tasted great, but it didn’t look the part.

“The issue I ran into was that most of my menu items were a goldish yellow color,’’ Fraser said. “I caught myself before it was time for judging.”

He knew his food presentation couldn’t be monotone. So, he did something radical.

“I went to get some blue food coloring, and I put it in the batter for the chicken fingers,’’ he said. 

 “I made blue chicken fingers. When the judge came around, she saw it and said, ‘This is interesting. I have never seen a blue chicken before.’ And I said, ‘Really? I see it all the time.’’’Fraser passed his culinary exam with flying colors because of his creativity and gained a new name from his mother for some time. She called him "Blue Chicken.”