Inspiration in a jar

Jay McKinney’s saucy creation—Durty Jerk—is not just a thriving business but also a meaningful symbol of success. Jay and his two sisters grew up in low-income housing in Norwalk, CT and wound up renting an apartment in a house owned by a Jamaican woman, affectionately known as Miss Carmen. She loved to cook for the three siblings and instilled in them a love of Jamaican cuisine, particularly, Pepper Chicken, aka jerk chicken.

Jay’s passion for this signature sauce led him to ask his friend, Smoke, to teach him how to make it. Not only did Jay learn the basics, but he also added his own ingredients and flair, thus creating Durty Jerk. Although friends and family enjoyed Durty Jerk as paying customers for years, Jay never ventured into the retail market.

It took falling in love and getting married to make the transition to a larger operation. Jay’s wife encouraged him to find a co-packer and produce larger quantities of his already-popular sauce. Once the wheels were in motion, Jay received a call that would serve as a turning point for the business. An old childhood friend who had heard about Durty Jerk, contacted Jay. He said, “Your sauce is bigger than you. You don’t know what you’re doing for the kids where you grew up. You’re a kid from the ‘hood who made it. The message people are hearing is that if Jay can do it, I can do it. You’re the hope and dream for everyone.” Jay was immeasurably touched and ever since then, he’s been unstoppable. 

As of now, Durty Jerk is available in over 20 stores in Fairfield County, including Pure Poetry in Trumbull, Stew Leonard’s in Danbury and Palmer’s Market in Darien. It’s also available through durtyjerk.com. In addition, Jay and a few entrepreneur friends run the Parking Lot Pop-Up, a culinary and artisanal market that appears in private and public spaces throughout the county. 

Jay plans to keep Durty Jerk growing through increased distribution and flavor variations. The one challenge Jay has faced is to educate consumers that the sauce can be used in traditional dishes such as jerk chicken or barbecue, but is equally delicious on everything from cheese platters to raw oysters.

Jay’s success with Durty Jerk is an inspiration and reminds us all to have confidence in our dreams! Follow the journey on Instagram @durtyjerk

Photo Creds: Jay McKinney