6 minute read
Local faces
Interview by Cara Cummings
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Miss Universe Jamaica. Contestant on The Apprentice. Hit Caribbean restaurateur. As April Jackson’s iconic Three Little Birds reopens as Wood and Water, we ask: is there anything this south London powerhouse can’t achieve? (Clue: the answer is probably no…)
Your iconic restaurant Three Little Birds is now Wood and Water. Tell us about the concept behind your new restaurant, Wood and Water.
I was in Brixton for six years as Three Little Birds before Covid hit. The pandemic gave us space to reflect; I realised that the reason I started in this industry is that I wanted to change perceptions about Caribbean food. In the UK, it’s very much still seen as takeaways, lots of rice and meat; nothing with much finesse. We were doing small sharing plates at Three Little Birds, which was a twist on the usual Caribbean offering, but too many things on the menu felt familiar. I felt like we were treading middle ground. It was time to really push the boundaries that we set out to push in the beginning.
I couldn't have opened Wood and Water six years ago. I wouldn't have had the confidence. People call me a chef now, which still makes me laugh. I prefer to say I cook, and people pay for it!
Wood and Water is a reflection of my personal journey. It’s called Wood and Water because ‘Jamaica’ is derived from ‘xaymaca’, which means ‘land of wood and water’. We’re a modern British restaurant with a Jamaican soul.
How’s the reception been so far?
This Covid beast has been really hard in terms of figures. You can get squeaky-bum nervous
sometimes. But then, when customers come and say they feel we’ve achieved our aims, that feels amazing. The Sunday Times recently voted us one of the best restaurants of 2021, too. I do feel hopeful - it’s too soon to say whether the risk will pay off, but if nothing else, we've changed people's ideas and that’s something I’m really proud of.
What does food mean to you on a personal level?
Some people get excited about dressing up their kids - I get excited about introducing mine to new food. For me, it's hugely important; particularly in times like ours, which are strangely divisive. There’s something very beautiful about being able to bring people together over food, introducing them to your culture and piquing their interest to find out more.
How central is Jamaica - and Jamaican food - to who you are, and your vision?
I wouldn't be who I am without Jamaica, and Jamaican food. I was born here, raised in Jamaica and I’ve lived in New York and France at points. Hospitality varies so much around the world. In the UK, service is still very formal - there’s a clear divide between customers and staff. But inside Wood and Water’s walls, it’s about Jamaican hospitality. We are super warm. Hospitality should have that feelgood factor. I tell my team: that's what we’re in the business of, and if we’re not doing that then we’re doing something seriously wrong.
Pimento Old Fashioned
Let’s talk about you, April. Because you’ve had a pretty amazing life…
(Laughs) Where do I start? I’m very close to my dad. He's the reason why I got into business, because he’s always had his own too. I’ve always had a strong work ethic. I called a meeting with dad when I was nine, and said ‘Dad, I’m bored of filing: I need more responsibility.’ Sometimes I think it was easy for my dad to parent me because I wanted to work, to have independence. Of course, he now says he wanted me to work hard, but not this hard!
What was it like representing Jamaica in the Miss Universe contest?
I entered when I was just 18. I’m very outspoken and don't play ‘the game’ very well; I certainly didn’t know about diplomacy, back then. People were comparing makeup and feeling each other’s silicone implants at the breakfast table and I’d be like - are you mad!?! Turns out honesty isn’t the best policy in some circumstances…! I just wanted to taste
new food in Vietnam. Ultimately, it was a great experience. I don’t regret it all, but I could have made more of it, I think.
Tell us a little about your experience on The Apprentice.
I honestly thought it would be like an MBA, where you get to try out different industries. I was excited by that. A lot of people think they’ll be famous after taking part in the show, and if you lived out in the sticks, then maybe. But this is London. Mega famous people live here, so the idea you’d be famous after five minutes on the BBC was laughable to me! But it was brilliant for my business - lots of publications that wouldn’t have looked at me were interested.
I think the producers thought I’d be a queen bitch. Because I’m direct and outspoken, they perceived me as someone who would be controversial. But in Jamaica, we have a saying: ‘Ghosts know who to scare.’ No one ever came for me, so why would I randomly start shouting at people? I wasn't prepared to be the angry black woman. My nieces were watching - it was far more important for me to set a good example than create extra entertainment.
What made you want to set up a restaurant and make food your focus?
I’m laughing because I wish I hadn’t - I wished I’d stayed as the person that just loves eating out!
I’ve always known I would have my own business. The advice is always ‘do what you love doing’, and I followed that. But as a black woman in hospitality, people ask me a lot of silly questions. Like: do you file taxes? There's this perception that as a black woman, you don’t run your business professionally. But growing up in Jamaica gave me the idea that I could be anyone, and do anything. I don’t think I’d have had that growing up here, where people talk about paying for billboards so that their daughters can see people who look like them in prominent roles. In Jamaica, we’re not racially divided - we’re Jamaican, first and foremost. The sense of unity is huge. There’s an idea that if you work hard, you can be anything. I really want my girls to grow up with that. I never felt there was anything limiting me; that’s so powerful.
What does south London mean to you?
(Laughs) It means that I can get plantain really easily! South London to me is all I know. I’ve never lived anywhere else in London. It means community to me in a way that other areas just don’t.
What does the future hold for April Jackson?
I feel like the big stuff is still coming. It has to - there’s no way the universe would be making me slave away like this just to be where I am now! That said: ambition is a great thing, but it's also dangerous. It can drive you to a dark place, because you’re constantly chasing. At the same time, I hope I can make my mark. I haven’t even started yet, to be honest…
