What’s Driving the Rise of Caribbean Cuisine in the UK?
Caribbean food is one of the UK’s fastest-growing cuisines — but until recently, its chefs and entrepreneurs had little visibility or recognition.
In this special episode of Talking Hospitality, we sit down with Dawn Burton, founder of Carriburton Caterers, co-founder of the Caribbean Food Collective, and creator of the UK Caribbean Food Awards, to hear her remarkable story.
In this special episode, we’re joined by Dawn Burton — speaker, entrepreneur, founder of Carol Burton Caterers, co-founder of the Caribbean Food Collective, and creator of the UK Caribbean Food Awards.
Dawn shares her story of moving from a hotel career into catering, the challenges of setting up her own business, and why she’s committed to making sure Caribbean food and entrepreneurs get the recognition they deserve. From cooking thousands of meals for children during school holidays to handing out roast dinners to the hidden homeless at Christmas, Dawn’s work goes far beyond business — it’s about community, culture, and giving back.
We also discuss why Caribbean food businesses have been overlooked in the past, how the Collective came together to provide a voice for the sector, and what it means to celebrate the very best at the inaugural Caribbean Food Awards.
It’s an inspiring conversation about resilience, heritage, and making space for communities that have too often been left out of the room.
Takeaways:
- In June 2023, a report revealed ethnic minority individuals in hospitality are three times more likely to be self-employed than white counterparts, highlighting industry disparities.
- Over 79% of Black respondents found mentorship to be the most effective form of career support, emphasizing the importance of guidance in career advancement.
- Dawn Burton, a passionate entrepreneur, created the Caribbean Food Collective to foster community support and representation in the food industry.
- The Caribbean Food Awards were established to celebrate and recognize excellence in Caribbean cuisine and its entrepreneurs, filling a significant void in the awards landscape.
- Dawn shared her journey from working in hotels to founding her caterings business, illustrating the challenges and joys of entrepreneurship in the food sector.
- The podcast underscores the ongoing issues of food insecurity, especially for vulnerable children during holidays, reminding us of the importance of community support and action.
Links referenced in this episode:
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Be Inclusive Hospitality
- Carriburton Caterers
- Caribbean Food Collective
- UK Caribbean Food Awards
- British Takeaway Campaign
- Just Eat
- Marriott Grosvenor Square Hotel
00:00 - Untitled
00:24 - Support and Mentorship in Hospitality
05:23 - The Importance of Community Support in Catering
07:31 - The Birth of the Caribbean Food Collective
11:56 - Transition to the Question Game
16:13 - Ending and Looking Forward
Timothy R Andrews
In June 2023, a report by Be Inclusive Hospitality revealed that ethnic minority people within hospitality were three times more likely to be self employed than their white counterparts.
Tracey Rashid
Those people taking part in the survey and who had a longer length of service appeared to have a greater sense of disappointment regarding business support than those who were new to the industry.
Timothy R Andrews
Over 79% of Black respondents found the idea of a mentor to be the most helpful of form of career support and progression.
Tracey Rashid
One person who is not afraid to offer her support is speaker, entrepreneur, business owner of Carol Burton Caterers, co founder and director of the Caribbean Food Collective and UK Caribbean Food Awards. Dawn Burton.
Timothy R Andrews
Welcome to another episode of Talking Hospitality. The new home for Timothy Put the Katel on. Hosting for today's episode are me, Timothy R. Andrews and Tracy Rashid. How you doing, Tracey?
Tracey Rashid
Yeah, I'm really good, Tim. How are you?
Timothy R Andrews
Great. I'm great. Welcome back, everybody. Thank you for joining us again for what promises to be another great episode.
Tracey Rashid
In today's episode, we talk with Dawn Burton, founder of the UK Caribbean Food Awards. We discuss her story as an entrepreneur and how a lack of cohesion in her community led her to create the Caribbean Food Collective. Welcome, Dawn.
Dawn Burton
Thank you, Tracey. Thank you, Tim. Great to be here.
Tracey Rashid
We're so excited to have you today.
Timothy R Andrews
How you doing?
Dawn Burton
Yeah, really good, thank you. Looking forward to the awards and everything that, you know, the holiday season brings.
Timothy R Andrews
We know that the UK is Caribbean food mad and as summer has just gone, that was the perfect time for eating that food. However, what do you think is the appeal of Caribbean food?
Dawn Burton
I think the appeal is that, that you can almost make any dish Caribbean by adding particular seasonings to it or sauces. It's so versatile. Chicken is the main staple. You can add a little bit of jerk barbecue.If you want something mild, you can add a little bit of hot chili type jerk seasoning to make it Caribbean. And there's so many other flavors.There's mango chutneys, there's pineapples, all exotic that you can add to any meat or fish that can tropicalize it because it's so versatile and you can make anything Caribbean.
Tracey Rashid
I think it's been able to put your stamp on it, isn't it? You can make, you can personalize it to.So, yes, it's Caribbean at the heart, but you can make it hotter or slightly milder based on your preferences and what your family and friends like.
Dawn Burton
Yeah.
Tracey Rashid
We know that you own a, a Caribbean catering company called Caro Burton. You please share with us and our listeners your story and How Caro Burton came about.
Dawn Burton
Cara Burton came about after as an employee for major hotel firms, small chains. Thoroughly enjoyed it, but thought about, you know, what, what can I do next? What would be the legacy? What do I leave behind to. To help others to.To do something I enjoy. And hence I looked around me in the hotel and saw that food and beverage who actually sat next door to the chef's office at the.It was like to be a chef, a caterer, and that really inspired me. It was a lot of hard work, but anything that hard work is a challenge.And I listened to the advice I was given, spent some time in the compos and banqueting departments, food and beverage, and decided that that's where I wanted to go. So I left the hotel world, then set up my own catering business.It was very, very hard in the beginning because there's so many different aspects to catering. There's street food, there's private caterer, there's contract catering, meal delivery. And, you know, I didn't know.So I tried all of them and I enjoyed all of them and still do. It's such a joy to be able to see when you've created a meal that people enjoy it.I mean, I've started what, in 2010, sort of professionally, 2011 catering. From doing street food to meals for children over Covid. It's just been amazing.But I can honestly say that I've enjoyed all of them, you know, through the good experiences and the difficult experiences, like dropping a whole tray of patties that was supposed to go onto a street food store. And, you know, that probably got me the most posts ever on Instagram, learning and the whole essence of being a caterer.I really want to pass that on, that knowledge to people that want to get into catering. So I've embarked on a speaking career and also mentoring.I still want my hands in there because there's so many children as you can, you know, probably hear over the school holidays that go without meals.So something I do every summer, every Easter and every Christmas, working with local authorities, making sure that we can provide meals for those holiday clubs at a good price, nutritious meals so that during the day they can be fed and their parents know that they're getting a meal. That's really important to make sure that vulnerable children at this time do get a meal.
Timothy R Andrews
I'm glad you brought that up because actually this podcast, the reason why I founded was because people were feeding impoverished families and making sure kids got their food on the table. And it seems to be forgotten about and so I'm glad you brought it up, because it still is a problem.In fact, it's probably even worse than it was during COVID In some ways it is.
Dawn Burton
Yeah.
Timothy R Andrews
It's really important that we still don't forget that. And I'm glad you brought this message to this episode, because it is still happening.
Dawn Burton
Absolutely. Absolutely.And something I do, I don't really talk about it, but at Christmas and New Year, me and the kids cook a roast dinner, put it into meal boxes late afternoon, because you tend to find that in the evening. A lot of the hidden homeless do have shelters, but during the day they're out.So we go out early afternoon handing out roast potatoes, Christmas dinner, just that they can have a hot meal.
Tracey Rashid
Yeah, yeah.
Dawn Burton
It's really important to me to make sure that time of year when we should be being hospitable, that we remember those on our doorstep.
Timothy R Andrews
Switching it a little bit back to Carol Burton and Ward, what was it that you were seeing and hearing in the Caribbean community and the hospitality industry that made you think, I need to do something different, I have to make a change?
Dawn Burton
That's a really good question, because every time I went out to network, and that's how I met my business partner, Marcia Barnett, who also had a food business. There were no black or Caribbean food businesses. And as I went out more over the years, I found out, well, I'm the only one.And, you know, networking. I was thinking, where all the other food businesses. There's so many takeaways, there's so many people cooking from home.Hear about all the companies on meal delivery, but where are these people? Do they ever need support? And when I bumped into Marcia, we spoke about how we started off in business, and we said there was no support.There was nobody could go to. We was networking. There was nobody like us networking.We realized that actually there's a lot of people out there doing things on their own, sometimes all good, sometimes not so good, that just don't know where to go to for support. So that's how the Caribbean Food Collective started.We then were approached by the British Takeaway Campaign, which was then headed by Just Eat, to represent the Caribbean takeaway food sector, because they didn't have anybody representing the sector in their group. So they had Oriental businesses, they had Asian takeaways, Indian curry houses, they had Fish and Chip Awards.The Kebab Awards founder was there, but nobody for Caribbean food.So when we were asked to represent the Caribbean food industry, we thought, yes, this is what we need to do and make sure that our voices for takeaways and food businesses are heard. So that's how it started. Because there wasn't anybody out there to support specific Caribbean food.Even the way we approach our food, health and safety. Caribbean's from traditional are very clean, very hygienic. But explaining this to a new food, it wasn't just about being clean and hygienic.It was about your food management and your storage systems and how you record things. This evaded many people and yeah, that wasn't really being communicated. So this is why we started the Caribbean Food Collective.Then being around a lot of the founders of all these wonderful different cuisines. We were invited to a lot of award ceremonies, but there was no Caribbean awards. So we thought, right, two years ago, we need to do this.It came across Tim and Tracey because we didn't see anybody else doing what we did in terms of support or celebrating.
Timothy R Andrews
Can I ask why do you think that was?
Dawn Burton
I think you know what it is. Sometimes when you do business, you have to have a motive. And most people do it for financial or for flexibility of time or to leave a legacy.But all these things take money and the what's in it for me attitude. Myself and Marcia, we ask ourselves why we didn't ask that question in the beginning because we didn't think about what was in it for us.We thought, what will be in it for the people that we can help. So we launched the Caribbean Food Collective. Tracey was there, I was.
Tracey Rashid
It was a great event.
Dawn Burton
Tracey supplied the cakes.
Tracey Rashid
I did, yeah.
Dawn Burton
Yeah. It was amazing. Amazing. I never forget those cakes to these day. Coconut and lime. Delicious.
Tracey Rashid
Yes.
Dawn Burton
And we had a fantastic turnout and that showed us that we need to do what we needed to do. And we had no budget for that. But we had a lot of help from people that wanted to see us do well and support us. And same with the awards.It's come at a time where people have said, well, this needs to happen, we want to help you to do it. So we didn't think about budget or what's in it for us. We just wanted to do it. And we found ourselves where we are now.
Timothy R Andrews
Question for our audience. You've mentioned Marsha a few times.
Timothy R Andrews
Who is she?
Dawn Burton
Yes, Marsha is a fantastic food entrepreneur with her food business herself. She is launching a great range of jerk sources, amongst other things.And she is my business partner with the Caribbean Food Collective and also with the UK Caribbean Food Awards. So, yes, a fellow foodie, Caribbean heritage like myself, passionate about making a difference and helping other entrepreneurs in the Food.
Tracey Rashid
Business, which leads me on very nicely to my next question. We've mentioned, and as have you, that you have your first annual Caribbean Food Collective award in October.Can you share what the awards are all about?
Dawn Burton
The awards is about celebrating and showcasing the very best of Caribbean food businesses, entrepreneurs and chefs. We have 15 categories, all categories will have four finalists and they will receive a trophy, certificate and prize money.At the Marriott Grosner Square Hotel.We will have welcome drinks, we'll have entertainment, we've got some celebrities attending dignitaries, VIPs, 10 food journalists from some of the top food magazines and there as well. So, yeah, it's supposed to be spectacular. Lavish night, three course Caribbean food menu, lovely. It should be amazing.
Timothy R Andrews
Dawn. Yes, dawn, that noise means it's time for Put the Cuppa down Question time. Our time for talking is over.We've heard about Caribbean food, we've heard about Cariburton, but now we want to find out about the real you.
Dawn Burton
Oh, no.
Tracey Rashid
Now our regular listeners will know how this works. The aim of the game is to answer questions giving only one word answers.But as we know, trying to get hospitality people to say one word when they can use 50 is virtually impossible.
Timothy R Andrews
So this season, dawn, we're having a competition. We will be marking the questions out of a hundred. Scores will be based on speed, wittiness.
Dawn Burton
Oh, no.
Timothy R Andrews
And on one word answers.
Tracey Rashid
Plus, to make it even fairer, we will be marking it on anything arbitrary that we feel like adding to.
Timothy R Andrews
But the winner. Little bit of a drum roll please, Tracy. The winner will receive at the end of the season.The prize, dawn, is a 10 pound Amazon voucher to spend on whatever you wish.
Dawn Burton
Oh, my gosh, that would be so handy. Everything is so expensive. So, yeah, any funds are appreciated.
Tracey Rashid
Don't say we never give you anything, Dawn. And we still might not either.
Dawn Burton
I want to win, though.
Tracey Rashid
Are you ready?
Dawn Burton
I am ready.
Tracey Rashid
Then we'll begin.
Dawn Burton
Bring it on.
Timothy R Andrews
What has been your favourite age so far?
Dawn Burton
32.
Tracey Rashid
What is your go to? Lazy.
Dawn Burton
Dinner? Fish and chips.
Timothy R Andrews
What is your favorite thing to do in the autumn?
Dawn Burton
Walk in the park with my dog.
Tracey Rashid
Do you floss?
Dawn Burton
No.
Timothy R Andrews
What is one of your nicknames?
Tracey Rashid
D. What is your highest academic achievement?
Dawn Burton
Gcse. English Literature.
Timothy R Andrews
Were you good or bad as a child?
Dawn Burton
I was good.
Tracey Rashid
What item is worth spending more money on?
Dawn Burton
Jewellery.
Timothy R Andrews
Is your bed made right now?
Dawn Burton
Yes.
Tracey Rashid
Do you have a pet?
Dawn Burton
Yes.
Timothy R Andrews
Have you ever written a song for someone?
Dawn Burton
Never.
Tracey Rashid
Say something in German?
Dawn Burton
Nein.
Timothy R Andrews
I'll take that as a no. What is one thing you regret Spending money on.
Tracey Rashid
What movie do you enjoy quoting the most?
Dawn Burton
Oh, the Color Purple.
Timothy R Andrews
If you could be transformed into one animal, which one would you choose?
Dawn Burton
A bumblebee.
Timothy R Andrews
I did not see that coming.
Tracey Rashid
Have you ever gone viral online?
Dawn Burton
No.
Timothy R Andrews
Well, you did when you dropped out all those patties.
Dawn Burton
Right?
Tracey Rashid
I was. That's exactly what I was thinking. That's exactly what I was thinking.
Dawn Burton
Oh, dear.
Timothy R Andrews
What dish do you cook best?
Dawn Burton
Spaghetti Bolognese.
Tracey Rashid
What story do you tell the most about my son?
Timothy R Andrews
Why did the chicken cross the road.
Dawn Burton
To get the egg.
Tracey Rashid
Consider this. Horses have long faces. Lambs can be a bit sheepish. What do you get from a pampered cow?
Dawn Burton
Milk.
Timothy R Andrews
And that's it. Thank you for sharing the tea, Dawn. The answer, of course, to what you get from a pampered cow is spoiled milk.
Dawn Burton
I do that round?
Tracey Rashid
Yeah. So how many points Tim that out to?
Timothy R Andrews
Minus.
Speaker D
She didn't go viral.
Timothy R Andrews
Okay. She only got half the milk. So we deduct 70.
Tracey Rashid
Yeah.
Timothy R Andrews
79.5.
Dawn Burton
How am I on the leaderboard?
Tracey Rashid
As we said. Will it be enough to win? You will have to follow us, dawn, until the end of the season to find out.
Dawn Burton
Absolutely. Will do. It's been amazing show. I love it and yeah, definitely. We're checking in on the other shows to see how the other contributors will be doing.
Tracey Rashid
Thank you so much for being such a great guest, Dawn. We've really enjoyed having you on the show. Sadly, that's all of this episode of Talking Hospitality.
Timothy R Andrews
Thank you for joining us for this one off special. Sarah Tracy and I hope you will join us for season four that's coming soon.So please do go to our website www.talkinghospitality.com where you will be able to hear all our previous episodes and even this one. The aim of the podcast is to support the hospitality industry.So when you visit our website we we have a wealth of resources available to you from blogs, newsletters and training courses.So if you are interested in what we've been talking about either today or in previous episodes, please do check out the website www.talkinghospitality.com and check out what we've got there for you. Finally, our podcast can be found on all good podcast platforms.So if you haven't already, please do follow or subscribe so you don't miss the start to season four.
