National Jamaican Patty Day Date in the current year: August 3, 2024

A Jamaican patty is a flaky turnover-style pastry traditionally filled with cooked, seasoned ground beef. Its origin is a reflection of Jamaica’s colonization history and the diverse ethnic roots of Jamaican society emphasized in the country’s motto: “Out of Many, One People”.

Turnovers were introduced into Jamaican cuisine by Cornish immigrants from Great Britain, whereas African slaves and indentured laborers from India added the spices that differentiate Jamaican patties from similar dishes (cayenne pepper, cumin and curry). What makes Jamaican patties uniquely Carribbean is Scotch bonnet, a variety of chili pepper that is extensively used in Caribbean cuisines.

A Jamaican patty has a semicircular shape and is often tinted golden yellow with turmeric or egg yolk. Spiced ground beef is the traditional and most popular filling for Jamaican patties, but they can be made with many other fillings such as chicken, lamb, pork, fish, seafood (for example, shrimp or lobster), vegetables, ackee fruit, soy, or cheese. Jamaican patties are savory and filling, so Jamaicans often eat them as a full meal, often stuffing patties into coco bread.

The Jamaican patty is a common dish not only in Jamaica, but also in some other parts of the Caribbean, such as the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. The dish became known and popular outside Jamaica and other parts of the Caribbean in the mid-20th century, when Jamaican immigrants brought the dish to the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Jamaican patties became a popular food in cities with significant West Indian populations, such as Washington, D.C. and many other cities of the Northeastern United States, Montreal, Toronto and other cities of the Canadian Great Lakes Region, and Birmingham, London and Manchester in Britain. They are found in Jamaican restaurants, delis, grocery stores, corner shops, and supermarkets. Pre-made and frozen Jamaican patties are sold in many areas in Britain, Canada, and the United States.

National Jamaican Patty Day was founded in 2015 by Golden Krust, a US-owned Caribbean fast casual restaurant that has locations in the United States and Canada. The holiday was meant to commemorate the opening anniversary of the company’s first restaurant and celebrate one of Golden Krust’s signature dishes. Coincidentally, two important Jamaican holidays – Emancipation Day and Independence Day – are also celebrated in August.

How to celebrate National Jamaican Patty Day? You can observe the holiday by going out to a Jamaican restaurant, cooking Jamaican patties and other Jamaican dishes yourself, or even throwing a Jamaican-themed party for your friends and family. And don’t forget to let others know that you’re celebrating by posting on social media with the hashtag #NationalJamaicanPattyDay.