Levi Roots is a Jamaican-born chef and the inventor of the famous homemade BBQ sauce 'Reggae Reggae Sauce' seen in your local supermarket. Levi began his food journey in a tiny little village called Clarendon in Jamaica with his grandmother. He enjoyed helping her in the kitchen and believes she taught him the secrets of how to perfectly mix Caribbean flavours, herbs and spices all together as well as discovering his love for music when attending his grandmothers church. With his parents working in the Brixton, so they could bring their six children over to the UK, Levi finally was the last to move to London in 1970. By 1991, Levi had seven children and lived in Brixton, where he created his famous sauce and decided to create a stall called the 'Rasta'raunt' at Notting Hill Carnival, which combined Jamaican music and the food he was cooking together using his delicious Reggae Reggae sauce. After years of trying to launch the product, Levi was spotted by a researcher from the BBC and was asked to appear on Dragon's Den. Despite trepidation, the sauce was an instant hit to dragons and Levi gave 40% of his business to Dragons Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh for £50,000 investment. By 2007, the sauce had hit the shelves across the country and it is now an essential item in many peoples cupboards.
By 2008, he hosted his debut TV series 'Caribbean Food Made Easy', which he aimed to make vibrant and healthy Caribbean recipes more accessible and was accompanied by his iconic book with the same name. As well as this, Levi pursued his passion for music and released his own album called 'Red Hot' and a catchy summer single called 'So Out of my Mind' in 2009. However, Levi's main focus has been to spread the message that anyone can make it, including a black Brixtonian Rastafarian man like himself with just a sauce. By 2013, he launched his 'School of Life' tour, taking his message to children all over the country and inspiring them to follow their dreams. It is no wonder that Levi was awarded a Honorary Fellow of the Royal Agricultural University in 2019, for his continued contribution to entrepreneurship and food.
With his range continuing to grow with many Caribbean inspired cooking sauces, ready meals, soft drinks, desserts and more along with many franchises partnering with Levi to use the sauce in their menus, Levi still puts his success down to his grandmother. He said, "I will never forget that little paradise Content (in Jamaica) and my saintly grandmother, who helped to make me the success I am now." If you like the sound of Levi's Caribbean dishes that all the family will enjoy, try out some of our favourite Levi Roots recipes.
