Jamaican Pat plans new gumbo shop in NewBo City Market

Opening precedes plans for a second Cajun food truck

Jul. 12, 2022 6:15 am

Patrick Rashed, owner of Caribbean Kitchen, poses for a portrait on Jan. 14, 2022, at NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids. Soon, Rashed, known as “Jamaican Pat,” plans to open a gumbo shop. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS — Ten years after he opened Caribbean Kitchen, Jamaican Pat is preparing to open a new gumbo shop in NewBo City Market.

After moving around a few times and living out of a food truck, owner Patrick Rashed moved his Jamaican specialties back into NewBo. Now, he’s ready to expand.

Fat Pat’s Gumbo Yaya is an idea he’s been tossing around for eight years. His gumbo recipe, served once in a while at Caribbean Kitchen, always sells out quickly.

When he was about 18 years old, Rashed tried gumbo in New Orleans for the first time.

“It was magical,” he said.

Now at age 55, he’s ready to turn it into its own concept with plans to open Sept. 1. It will be one of the only specifically New Orleans-inspired restaurants open in Cedar Rapids.

With inspiration from a Creole grandmother’s recipe in New Orleans, Rashed will serve gumbo in several variations along with sides like dirty rice with red beans, and etouffee, a shellfish dish with blond roux over rice.

In a departure from typical gumbo, his recipe does not rely on what New Orleanians refer to as “the holy trinity” — onions, bell peppers and celery. His primary recipe, adapted from the first one he ever tasted, uses seafood stock boiled from shrimp shells.

Several years ago, Rashed hoped to open the concept inside the planned Cedar Bayou water park, which never materialized.