A TASTE OF JAMAICA IN THE GTA
Caribbean Queen Jerk was founded by President and CEO Courtney Grant in 2008 to address what he saw as a lack of high quality yet affordable and accessible Jamaican cuisine in West Toronto. As demand continued to grow from both Caribbean clients and customers from all ethnicities in the community, the company opened more locations across the area. A number of CQJ’s team have been with the company since its inception, which speaks to the positive work environment and the dedication of the staff to the organization’s mission.
The company comes up with its precise and unique recipes in house, and has proven its culinary skills over the years, including winning the Carassauga Festival restaurant cook off in 2018. Courtney has been recognized several times over the years for his contributions to the community through CQJ.
The company continues to innovate by introducing new menu items, efficient production processes to keep prices down, and the launch of their new format Caribbean buffet. In addition to our restaurants, you may also enjoy our food in the community through the extensive amount of catering we do for individuals and organizations in the region.
LEADERSHIP
As the Chief Executive Officer of Caribbean Queen Jerk, Courtney Grant is committed to serving the Greater Toronto Area with high quality, tasty, and authentic Jamican cuisine. To achieve this, he dedicates his time to building and developing a high performing team, constantly seeking ways to improve the offerings of the business, and ensuring that operations are efficient.
Born in St. Thomas Parish, Jamaica, Courtney has always had a passion for food. He served honourably for over 10 years as an corporal and instructor with the Jamaica Defence Force, including 5 years or training recruits. As a military leader, Courtney would often cook for his colleagues to boost their morale and thank them for their service. He immigrated to Canada in 1998 and ran a successful trucking business before following his vision and launching the first CQJ restaurant at Weston Road.
For the contributions of Caribbean Queen Jerk to the community over the years, Courtney has been recognized as an awardee at the Boonoonoonoos Brunch by the Jamaican Canadian Association and with a Diamond Citizen Award by the A-Supreme Foundation. Happily married since 1993, he is a devoted husband and father to his wife Carleen and children D'Vaughn and Shavoni. Among his many leadership activities in the community, he is also a deacon with Bibleway Church of God in Christ.
MANAGEMENT
GEOFFREY
PLUMMER
Geoffrey Plummer is a lead cook with Caribbean Queen Jerk and is passionate about creating joy through food. Born and raised in Jamaica, Geoff formed a deep connection to the land through his work as a farmer. He moved to Canada in 2018 and has since become an integral part of the CQJ family. Geoffrey is up in the early hours of the morning to begin coordinating the preparation of the hundreds of meals that CQJ serves to happy clients every day. He uses his creative insight and flair for creating culinary experiences to come up with daily specials and new offerings.
WAYNE
GIBBON
Wayne Gibbon is Caribbean Queen Jerk’s food production manager. He coordinates all aspects of food production logistics across Caribbean Queen Jerk’s numerous locations and catering offerings to ensure efficiency, consistency, and quality. Before coming to Canada and joining CQJ in 2018, Wayne spent more than a decade in the food and hospitality business in Jamaica, where he honed his cooking skills and supported extensive catering operations. Being part of the CQJ family is a dream come true for him, and he is proud of the positive culture and authentic offerings of the company.
BILL
FACEY
Bill Facey is the Manager of Caribbean Queen Jerk’s Oakwood location. He brings a wealth of experience to the team, having previously owned and managed his own restaurant in Toronto for 22 years. In his current role he leads an enthusiastic team and oversees all facets of the restaurant’s front and back house operations. Bill joined the organization in 2017, and initially managed the Lawrence Road road. Originally from Kingston, Jamaica, Bill studied electrical engineering at St. Andrew Technical High School before coming to Canada and working in HVAC systems at Nailor Industries.
SUSETT
JUNOR
Susett Junor is the Manager of Caribbean Queen Jerk’s Weston Road location. She is proud to have been with the company since its inception, and worked her way up from being a cashier into her current leadership role, where she manages a team of 4 and oversees all of the store’s operations. During her studies at Emery Collegiate Institute Susett enjoyed focusing on business administration, and she brings these lessons to her role with CQJ. Originally from Saint Thomas Parish in Jamaica, she brings an irie vibe to her Weston Road location, which keeps customers coming back.
NICK HENRY
Along with Courtney Grant, Nick Henry is a business partner in Caribbean Queen Jerk Buffet. The pair have been friends for years, and Nick has always been a loyal customer of CQJ. Originally from St. Catherine Parish in Jamaica, Nick has been cooking since the age of 7 years old, following the lead of his parents who were excellent cooks. He is an entrepreneur at heart, and ran successful car dealership and auto mechanic businesses before deciding to commit to his passion for food. Nick aspires to continue to refine the Caribbean Queen Jerk Buffet model and expand to multiple locations.
SATTCHELL WITTINGTON
Sattchell Wittington is the staff lead and head cook at Caribbean Queen Jerk’s Lawrence Road location (formerly Kitchen King). He has worked with the company for almost a decade since coming to Canada from Jamaica in 2010 and takes pride in managing his small but dynamic team. As the manager of one of the company’s busiest locations, Sattchell works hard to deliver a high quality and consistent experience to all of the loyal clients who come to the store. Satchell draws inspiration from his prior occupation as a stonemason to create dishes with precision and care.