Since the young age of eight, Lakeisha Johnson knew she wanted to be a chef. Born in Pittsburgh to Jamaican parents, she spent the first five years of her life in Jamaica and was raised in New York City — influences that instilled her with a diverse palate and passion for food.
Though Johnson always worked in the food industry, it was a cook-off in New York that inspired her to finally set out on her own. Her signature jerk chicken dry rub, which earned her a top-three spot in the competition, has now become the cornerstone of her growing business, JamJerk.
In 2020, Johnson moved back to Pittsburgh with her husband Oliver Johnson who is also a partner in the business. That’s when she was introduced to Catapult, which turned out to be the secret ingredient she needed to go from inspiration to action.
“They really helped catapult JamJerk to where it is now,” she said. “They provided me with valuable resources and mentorship and exposed me to a lot of different things in the industry.”
Getting Business Up and Running
After graduating from Catapult Culinary — our incubator for food-based businesses — in 2023, Johnson joined Catapult’s Leap Ahead pilot program in 2024, which is designed to help businesses succeed in their next stage of growth.
The program is a unique partnership with Empower by GoDaddy and PNC’s Center for Financial Education. It offers more in-depth financial training and focuses on helping entrepreneurs develop their digital skills. Participants receive two free years of web and email hosting with GoDaddy and can use Catapult’s commercial kitchen in Bellevue at no cost for one year.
“I always needed a website, but figuring out which provider to choose and the best plan was an obstacle for me,” Johnson explained. “Catapult partnering with GoDaddy has had a major impact, because now I don’t have to worry about a website or costs, so I can focus on what I do best.”
In the Catapult Culinary program, Johnson learned the foundational elements of getting JamJerk up and running, from which licenses she needed to operate to developing a business plan. With Leap Ahead, she’s been able to zero in further on her unique niche in the Pittsburgh market.
What Sets the Catapult Program Apart
To stand out from other Jamaican restaurants in the area while also reducing overhead, Johnson and her husband have decided to focus on jerk bowls. Customers can choose their base, toppings, and sauce and order them ahead of time for their lunch breaks. As a mother of two young twins, this approach also works better with Johnson’s schedule.
“When I first started the program, I knew I wanted to do catering, I knew I had a dry rub, but I wasn’t fully comprehending how I wanted to put it all together,” Johnson remembered. “Since I’m only able to be in the kitchen a couple days of the week, and I wanted to offer something that you can specifically only get at JamJerk, we landed on the jerk bowls.”
This ability to work with an individual’s limitations is what Johnson says sets the Catapult program apart.
The Future of JamJerk
The future looks busy for the Johnsons. They recently registered JamJerk on Uber Eats, Grubhub, and DoorDash and are selling their dry rubs in Catapult’s retail gallery, Gallery on Centre. They are also developing a side business selling traditional Jamaican limeade.
“My husband and I started JamJerk so that my kids can have something. Now we are developing a business specifically for them. My dream of having my own business, selling my dry rubs, just being out there and offering something affordable yet still enjoyable to everyone has always been a passion for me, and I hope it can also be a legacy I leave for my kids.”
