Caribbean cuisine bringing more diversity to Renfrew County

Having recently moved to the Killaloe area, Logan McLennon was looking to bring a new flavour to the region—literally.

"I've always loved cooking. My whole family cooks and I thought to myself why not do something that I love doing?" McLennon says.

Born in Jamaica, McLennon has spent the last 35 years in Canada, mostly living in the Greater Toronto Area. In the midst of the pandemic, he saw the perfect opportunity to move his family to a more rural setting.

Last summer, McLennon started Mackie's, Caribbean inspired cuisine that can be found at nearly every farmer's market across Renfrew County during the summer, as well as at a centralized location in Golden Lake.

"I enjoy introducing my culture to other people so that they can understand what we are about in terms of our food. And I love to see the smiles on their faces when they're trying the food for the first time," he says.

"We wanted to bring something new and exciting to the new area that we were coming to," adds Michelle Tierney, McLennon's wife and co-owner of Mackie's.

"We were super thrilled the way that we had been received in [Killaloe], and when we expanded in the summer to Renfrew County and all the other towns in it, the reception was the same."

Mackie's dishes are described as broadly Caribbean based with a North American twist.

McLennon is also one of the very few Black business owners in Renfrew County.

"I don't see a lot of people that look like me in Renfrew County," McLennon tells CTV News. "It's few and far between."

But the jerk-inspired chef says that fact doesn't bother him.

This Black History Month, McLennon is hoping to use his cooking as a platform to inspire more diversity in the region he now calls home.

"I want it to grow," he says of the diversity of Renfrew County's population.

"I want to see more people coming to this community and bringing what they have to show to this community, absolutely."

"We're trying to let people know that it's good," adds Tierney.

"Come and spread the love and bring whatever you have."

Outside of farmer's markets, Mackie's does direct sales and can be contacted by phone at 905-716-1454, by email at [e-mail], or on social media at @mackiesgoldenmeals.