Smoke, Spice, and Everything Nice: Treat Yourself Jerk’s Recipe for Success

Alberto Richardson has always loved to do what Jamaicans call “running a boat” — gathering with friends to cook together. Over time, his specialty at these events became jerk chicken, grilled on a smoker his father built out of a modified 55-gallon steel drum.

“I just love to cook,” he says. “Food brings people together, and food is a rich part of Jamaican culture.”

This appreciation of food has translated into Treat Yourself Jerk, a successful pop-up restaurant that began at Queens Night Market (QNM), an open-air, family-friendly market in Queens, N.Y. QNM showcases close to 100 independent vendors each week to celebrate the cultural diversity of New York City and Queens.

Both Alberto and his wife and business partner, Ria, worked 9-5 jobs while the business got up and running. Alberto still works full time for the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, but Ria left her job with JetBlue in 2020 to focus on the business full time.

Richardson was inspired to start his business after listening to a radio interview of John Wang, the founder of QNM. Wang talked about starting a low-cost night market in New York, similar to those he experienced during summer childhood visits to Taiwan.

“His vision resonated with me,” says Richardson, who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica at age 11. “I liked the idea of bringing different types of people together with authentic food and culture from around the world.”

Richardson recently shared his experience building a small business, including the importance of a professional network, being prepared for growth, and growing at the right pace.

Tip: Prepare for the unexpected.

The first day Treat Yourself Jerk sold chicken at QNM in 2016 was surprisingly busy. “We weren’t really prepared for the volume of people who wanted to try our food,” says Richardson. “We got slammed — within the first hour and a half, we were just completely wiped out.”

There were long lines of people wanting to try the chicken, drawn in by the delicious smell of the smoker throughout the market. Gradually, Alberto and Ria created systems to scale the cooking, serve people quickly, and meet the demand. This required additional financial investments into the new business.

Like many entrepreneurs, Richardson has found cash flow to be challenging at times. “Steady cash flow is essential for purchasing big items like equipment, but also for the day-to-day supplies we need to operate, like ingredients and paper goods,” he says.

In addition to relying on savings, the couple has also used financing such as lines of credit and business loans. “Having financing in place gave us a good foundation as we grew the business,” he adds. “It continues to help us feel prepared for any need that might arise.”

Bottom line: Lining up financing before you need it prepares your company for unexpected challenges and for important business opportunities. A loan or line of credit can give you the resources you need to maintain business momentum.

Tip: Build a network

Creating strong relationships with other vendors in QNM has proved essential to the fundamental aspects of running Treat Yourself Jerk. For example, over the last few years, some ingredients for the company’s seasoning blend have been difficult to source. At one point, Richardson was driving all over New York City’s five boroughs for what he needed.

Talking to other vendors solved this problem because he got leads on where to buy everything for his essential seasonings. “Every week, I make time to talk with other vendors,” he says. “There’s a real little family vibe between us. All the vendors talk to each other, and we share ideas.”

“I really vibe with other vendors, like Joey Batista of Joey Bats Café — hearing his experience was really interesting,” says Richardson. “Everyone has something to share and lots of tips on how to operate more professionally and give back to the community.”

The network of vendors also bands together to help the community outside of QNM. Treat Yourself Jerk was one of over a dozen QNM vendors that provided meals to medical workers during the pandemic as part of the Fuel the Front Line initiative. “It was a way to feed people during time when we couldn’t serve visitors at the market,” says Richardson.

Bottom line: Prioritize networking with other businesses who can serve as a source of ideas and inspiration. If you don’t encounter any business peers as part of your daily work routine, join business and industry groups to find these connections.

Tip: Grow at your own pace.

Richardson stresses that it is important to grow your business at a pace that makes it possible for you to succeed.

“Take your time and do what works for your business,” he says. “Don’t just mirror what someone else does.”

In the early days of QNM, Richardson saw many vendors branching out to other markets in the metro New York City area. He eagerly began planning to set up shop for his company at these venues. Before he could, another more experienced vendor advised him to take time for due diligence before signing on to any location. The other vendor alerted him to the fact that each market has a different fee structure, customer base, and commitment to marketing to bring in food traffic. 

“His insight made me careful to not run after new opportunities just because I saw other people doing it,” he says. “Ultimately, putting the right thought into our decision-making has saved us time and money.”

Treat Yourself Jerk’s approach has led to a carefully considered expansion to a variety of pop-up markets across Greater New York City, in addition to its regular presence at QNM. Its next project, on the company’s own timeline, will be to increase marketing and promotion and evaluate the feasibility of online sales, delivery, and a frozen food offering.

And, while Richardson is not yet ready for the commitment of having a full-fledged restaurant, he would consider it for the future.

“It would be great to have a place where people could feel how warm and welcoming the Jamaican culture is,” he says. “I would love sharing that with a wider audience in a restaurant.”

Bottom line: Grow at your own pace and take the time to carefully vet new opportunities. Time spent researching and assessing plans against what works for your circumstances and business goals can put you on a slow and steady path to reaching your business objectives.