57 - Maker Month with Jamal Etienne-Harrigan of Uncle Jammy’s BBQ rubs and sauces

It’s the final week of Maker Month, and in this episode, we meet Jamal Etienne-Harrigan of Uncle Jammy’s sauces and seasonings. Learn more about his early cooking experiences and what inspires him. Of his creative process, Etienne-Harrigan explains, “I'll come up with a name and then I will backtrack towards making the recipe fit the name. And for a lot of people, that's not the way it goes.” Not just for barbecued meats, he offers some alternate applications for Uncle Jammy’s seasonings. He even has a non-dairy ranch rub. Etienne-Harrigan shares how a (non-romantic) meet-cute with his neighbor Dennis Guy of First Sip Brew Box led to some beer-related product expansion and his two Fresh Fest Beer Fest collaborations with Recon Brewing. When asked how COVID-19 affected his business, his narrative of the fear and uncertainty that surrounded the first shutdown weekend in March is sure to resonate, but his attitude is inspiring. He asked himself the question: “Am I going to come out of this pandemic better off than I was or worse?” During this time, his business has expanded to additional Giant Eagle and Whole Foods stores. 

Links in this episode:

Uncle Jammy’s Sauces and Seasonings