Pitmaster
MJ
About Pitmaster MJ
My name is MJ (Mervisa Johnson) and I am a Caribbean American BBQ Pitmaster. Growing up in St. Kitts, West Indies, I was surrounded by excellent cooks. For 9 years I lived with my grandmother who cooked all the local Caribbean delicacies for a living.
I also spent time at an aunt who worked as a chef at a popular restaurant and at another aunt who was an amazing cook and enjoyed entertaining family and friends visiting from abroad.
Before moving to the United States (US) at age 19, I spent years in the kitchen cooking every day for a family of seven(7). Cooking for me is second nature.
However, it was not until I moved to the US that cooking was no longer a chore, and I began to enjoy hosting my neighbors and friends. I enjoyed hosting parties and giving my guests a taste of the Caribbean. My guests thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and many would hint that I should be cooking for a living. In 2018, I decided to go on a food escape in the Caribbean to re-ignite my passion for the art of cooking. Armed with years of cooking experience and funding from my career as an MBA and CPA, Gourmet Jerk Shack was birthed.