Contract to sell Jamaican patties at Rogers Centre raises questions about supplier

BY PAUL JUNOR

There has been local and mainstream media focused on the newly renovated Rogers Centre and the menu items for the 2023 season. BlogTO,Daily Hive, Reddit, Canada Today, MLB.com, Flipboard, and Sports Illustrated have all reported that among the changes being proposed is the addition of  Jamaican patties.

There will be the creation of four new social spaces; there will be a place to get a drink or a bite to eat centred around various newly created stands. What’s more “Toronto” than getting Jamaican patties at a subway station?

The Spot will be one of the social spaces, located at the centre field on the 100 level behind the batter’s eye. They will be showcasing the many different neighbourhoods in which Toronto’s transit system runs through. It is interesting that one of the most famous neighbourhoods is the Eglinton West area which is world-renowned. The menu includes diverse food offerings and quick drinks, including Jamaican beef patties, banh mi sandwiches, and signature cocktails.

Enid Donaldson, who wrote the book “The Real Taste of Jamaica,” described it as Jamaica’s “No 1 fast food”. There have been discussions and conversation about the importance of patties in the Caribbean community. Many people in the Black community reacted in dismay and shock when they learned of the closure of Randy’s T

Take Out. A statement posted on Instagram reads, “Due to a variety of issues, including years of endless Metrolinx construction, two years of COVID, labour shortages, and aging owners, we have decided to close our doors and re-evaluate our next steps going forward.” It was on Saturday, February 26^th, 2022, that Randy’s Take-Out Service Limited closed its doors permanently.

No one really knows who will be supplying beef patties to Rogers Centre. Our hope is that a business from the African-Caribbean community will be the supplier. Far too often money is taken from the community and not reinvested into our entrepreneurial projects.

It will be interesting to see what happens when the Toronto Blue Jays kick off their home opener at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday, April 11^th, 2023. Only then will we find out what the patties taste like and who are the suppliers. No doubt, patties are well-loved by the people of Toronto, and it is unfortunate that Randy closed down and prevents us from enjoying some of the best patties produced in the City of Toronto.