The Vagabond Chef

“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food.” — Anthony Bourdain

“Into the unknown is the only place to go” — Jon Merrill

Scroll through the Instagram photos of Chef Jonathan Merrill and you will step into a Gonzo world of culinary exploration. Four years ago, he set out on a life mission to cook on every continent. 1/3 of the world travelled and tasted, he is well along his way.

“It all began with a crazy idea, a map on my wall, and a handful of pins,” says Jon. A lot of support from family and friends then led to a successful kickstarter campaign. Before he knew it, it was time to go. Jon sold all of his worldly possessions and with his cooking knives and backpack, he embarked on a journey that some of us only dream of in our lifetime.

To fulfill his dream, Jon had to be creative. In Brazil he made a bold move at what is arguably the best restaurant in South America. With his chefs whites on and his knives in hand he went to the back of D.O.M. and knocked upon the door. One of the kitchen staff let him in and without being able to speak Brazilian Portuguese to the manager, he explained that he wanted to cook and could start immediately. They hired him on the spot and he became admiringly known in the kitchen as the American. When Jean-Georges Vongerichten, the famous French chef came in for lunch, he was keen to take a selfie with the American backpacker.

On the outskirts of Montego Bay, Jon worked his magic again in search of the real Jamaica. In a world apart from the Michelin kitchens he had worked in, he went against people’s concerns for his safety, and mentored under the grill master of a jerk chicken shack in a dangerous garrison. The place was called Pulla Cook Shop. It was a wood shack that Pulla had built, wired with electricity, and ran by himself. There, as his right hand man, Jon served the community for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In the process he became a master of Jamaican cuisine. But no matter where he went, there was one ingredient that Jon often missed on his travels around the world.

As Jon would say, “My family has always been supportive of my adventures, they are the most important part of my life. I will always explore the culture and cuisine of the world but in the end I will come back home to my family and friends.” To stay connected to his loved ones while on the road Jon used pennypost to send updates in a more meaningful way. “Just sending emails and messages back home just wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to send something real to people and pennypost was the best way to do that.”

Food and travel are inseparable companions. And like Anita Desai once said, “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” Maintaining that strong connection to friends and family, however, may be the most important thing of all. Were excited to continue to follow Jon on his journey. And we will, of course, keep you posted on ours.

xoxo from the crew at pennypost

Check out the published article here - https://blog.pennypost.me/the-traveling-chef-cb5bb2f1011f