Isle of Wight seaside town chef making Caribbean food at her cafe

Vivette Fryatt runs Viv's Cooking, on the High Street, bringing delicious curry goat and jerk chicken to the town.

Viv said: "I get my goat from Kingston - not Kingston, Jamaica but Kingston in Shorwell!

"Kingston Smallholding farm, I get eggs from them sometimes as well."

Viv's goat suppliers are, aptly, from Kingston Smallholding goat farm in Shorwell (Image: Contributed)

Viv and her husband, Paul, moved to the Island in 2020.

She got to know the Island through working with Ability Dogs for Young People, before opening up the restaurant in 2022. 

The idea for the restaurant stemmed from Viv's ventures into catering, starting at a charity function in Letchworth after her nephew's mum challenged her to provide food.

Viv's Cooking now provides lunch, with a range of British and Caribbean food packed with flavour and warmth.

Viv serves range of Caribbean and British food (Image: Contributed)

Viv said: "Most of the Caribbean dishes, definitely the chicken, the rice and peas, the dumplings, the festival, the plantain, mac and cheese - they're all of my top ones."

The party doesn't only happen in the restaurant, as Viv has branched out to collaborate with other businesses, including a Pamper and Prosecco day at the Royal Pier Hotel in Sandown and taking her jerk pan to The Wheatsheaf Inn on Bridge Road, Yarmouth.

In the summer, Viv brings the jerk pan to The Wheatsheaf Inn in Yarmouth (Image: Contributed)

In 2025, she plans to put on a Gospel Beats event at Browns Golf on Good Friday, and put on more comedy nights in the restaurant after the success of the events last year.

As always, we asked our chef what their culinary guilty pleasure was, and Viv's answer didn't skip a beat. 

She said: "Any pudding at all with custard. I like a nice apple and cinnamon crumble with custard, my next favourite food after carbs, is sugar food.

"You need stuff to give you a hug on the inside!"

Viv also mentioned restaurant neighbours The Bay Vegan Deli, singling out their vegan chocolates.

For Island sticky toffee pudding spots, she recommends The Wheatsheaf Inn in Yarmouth and The Paramount Cafe on High Street, Shanklin.

Find Viv's Cooking at 9 High Street, Sandown, PO36 8DA.