In OYARIFA, Ghana, a unique culinary experience awaits. Jerk Soul Rooftop Restaurant stands as a testament to the fusion of cultures and the pursuit of a fresh start. Owned by Telie Woods, Jerk Soul is one of Ghana’s newest eateries, offering an elegant establishment with hand-crafted wooden tables and chairs shaped like thrones that create a regal yet down-home atmosphere that sets the table for Woods’ jerk classics and an assortment of mouth-watering fusions that erupt like sunshine on the palette.
A Culinary Journey
Woods, who grew up in Roseland, says his secret sauce and culinary craft stem from his Caribbean roots and are nurtured in the inheritance of traditional soul food made sweeter with a twist of jerk. His menu lists jerk jollof - Woods’ rendition of a Ghanaian staple; veggie tacos with jerk oyster mushrooms; rasta pasta with a creamy parma rosa sauce and sauteed sweet peppers; smothered turkey wings and more, including a host of cocktails. Among them, the twisted Bob Marley - a rum mix as delightful to consume as it is to look at.
The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating with a panoramic view of the Aburi Mountains from all sides, as well as a full bar. Unlike the St. Louis take-out only location, Jerk Soul: Ghana includes dine-in seating; an option Midwest locals begged for during their time in the States.
Woods said, “What I’m going to be able to bring is that nostalgic food that they are used to, and I think they’re going to love that.”
From St. Louis to Accra: A Story of Transformation
Telie Woods, at 6’ 3,” is a bearded gentle giant who opened Jerk Soul March 7, just eight months after deciding to sell his belongings, pack up and move to Ghana. He is not unlike other African Americans here whom I have spoken with about their decision to flee America, which, for some, was ushered by their desire to escape the toxicity of American racism and the incessant assault against the Black body.
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Woods, 45, like many others, has found home, despite the imperfections of Ghana and the growing pains it presents in adjusting to life here. He opened Jerk Soul’s first location in north St. Louis City in March 2018 and, in the spring of 2019, relocated to Cherokee Street, a thriving business district in South City. Despite the success in St. Louis, Woods began exploring the idea of going to Africa at the beginning of 2021 after watching YouTube videos about Black people who’d migrated back to Africa from around the world.
After seeing infomercials of starving children in Africa as a child, Woods had been turned off by the idea of ever visiting or living on the continent.
“I looked into Ghana, and it was like a bridge presented itself and it just really opened up to me,” Woods said.
Living walking distance from Coast Cape where African slaves were taken captive and put on boats, Woods is amazed by the culture, heritage, and history that now surrounds him in Ghana.
Woods originally envisioned Jerk Soul as an international restaurant brand while he was living in St. Thomas. When a close friend booked him a ticket to fly to St. Thomas, “I didn’t really know where I was going. I didn’t even care.
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With more than a few years of experience running Jerk Soul behind him, Woods plans to continue expanding the restaurant brand across the world and is unsure of where his journey will take him next.
GHANA is hard, but America is HARDER
The Legacy Continues: Jerk Unlimited
While Telie Woods has relocated to Ghana, the spirit of Jerk Soul lives on through Jerk Unlimited. Jerk Unlimited can claim to be the successor restaurant to Jerk Soul in all but name. Trevoy Woods, Telie Woods’ cousin and chef-owner at Jerk Unlimited, is operating the restaurant with new partners, Dee Miller and Candice Woodring.
Trevoy Woods said he purchased the business from Telie Woods in April 2021, with Telie relocating to Ghana soon after. However, Telie retained the Jerk Soul name and branding rights, as well as ownership of social media accounts. With the name change, the Jerk Unlimited team can move past the confusion that has hung over the restaurant’s future.
“I’ve been fielding that question for four months, five months. Are we closed?
A career chef with a background in fine dining, Trevoy said Telie Woods had reached out to discuss menu ideas for the nascent Jerk Soul as early as 2016. That led to Trevoy’s involvement in recipe development and eventually the kitchen virtually since Jerk Soul opened in 2018. For now, the menu at Jerk Unlimited is essentially still the old Jerk Soul menu.
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Woods said the plan is to phase out some of the more fusion-type dishes - jerk nachos, for example. In their place, Woods will be doubling down on traditional Caribbean dishes - expect to see Jamaican brown stew chicken and curry shrimp alongside existing favorites like the jerk chicken and oxtails.
The Jerk Unlimited team also announced that they will be opening a second, more upscale dine-in location in the Loop.
“My vision for Jerk Unlimited when I first came up with the concept was to be more Caribbean island-driven, where you can eat from different parts of the Caribbean as you go through the menu,” Woods said.
Adjacent to Jerk Unlimited in the Loop will be Smokin’ Mirrors in the Loop, a members-only bourbon and cigar lounge. The cigar lounge will occupy a space that connects to Jerk Unlimited.
Smokin' Mirrors: An Elegant Addition
Woodring said that after studying the Loop market, she feels there’s an opening for what she calls an elegant, intimate cigar lounge. Miller, who has a background in the sports and entertainment industries, said he plans to leverage his existing relationships with athletes and celebrities to give Smokin’ Mirrors in the Loop a “destination spot” atmosphere.
Adding to the Mutombo Coffee partnership at Jerk Unlimited, Smokin’ Mirrors in the Loop plans to launch a series of spirits in collaboration with high-profile athletes.
As for the cigar selection, Miller said it would largely mirror what’s in his own humidor at home.
Woods, Miller and Woodring said that once they are able to move in to the Delmar space, work on new Jerk Unlimited should be completed in under 60 days.
Menu Highlights
Here's a glimpse into the culinary delights you can expect at Jerk Soul and Jerk Unlimited:
| Dish | Description |
|---|---|
| Jerk Jollof | Woods’ rendition of a Ghanaian staple. |
| Veggie Tacos | With jerk oyster mushrooms. |
| Rasta Pasta | Creamy parma rosa sauce and sauteed sweet peppers. |
| Smothered Turkey Wings | A soul food classic. |
| Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken | Traditional Caribbean dish. |
| Curry Shrimp | Another Caribbean favorite. |
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