Rum Punch, Anyone?

Chef Rawlston Williams grew up in a strictly vegetarian household in Saint Vincent, in what sounds like a verdant, wondrous environment. His family kept cows and goats in the yard and he grew up surrounded by an abundance of fruit trees. "My childhood was full of sensory experiences that shaped my connection to cooking," Williams writes in the introduction to The Caribbean Cookbook . "My neighbor, Miss Julie Kelly, taught me a lot about traditional methods of food preparation without even realizing she was doing it." Before he became a chef, Williams was helping to parch cacao in a large cauldron over a wood-burning fire, to assist Miss Julie in making traditional hot cocoa tea. Helping his neighbor gave Williams a hands-on education in Caribbean food culture at a formative age.

From Saint Vincent to Brooklyn

Chef Williams went on to formalize those early culinary and food production lessons. He became a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, and for many years was the chef-owner of much-loved Caribbean restaurant The Food Sermon in Brooklyn. It is from this deep well of lived experience and professional expertise that The Caribbean Cookbook draws its authority and warmth. If you are an admirer of island cuisine, Chef Williams has created a must-have cookbook for your collection, a vibrant hardcover worthy of display.

The Caribbean Cookbook is a sweeping, beautifully photographed trip through the history, culture and flavors of Caribbean cuisine, featuring more than 380 recipes from across a region of 28 islands. Williams does his best to honor the distinct differences between each island. Each recipe reflects the colonial history, cultural mix, and geography of the region.

Recipe: Jamaican Rum Punch

With summer in full bloom, there is no better moment to crack open this gorgeous new cookbook. Phaidon has allowed us to share one recipe that captures the tropical spirit of the book perfectly: Chef Williams' Jamaican Rum Punch. Fruity and vibrant, it combines dark or white rum with lime juice and tropical fruit juices. Williams suggests one garnish to elevate your at-home punch into something exceptional: a touch of fresh nutmeg grated onto the beverage before serving.

Shared from The Caribbean Cookbook by Rawlston Williams (Phaidon, 2026). Photography by Nico Schinco.

Ingredients

2 oz (60 ml) rum, white or dark

2 oz (60 ml) pineapple juice

1 oz (30 ml) fresh lime juice

1 oz (30 ml) orange juice

½ oz (15 ml) grenadine syrup

Ice

Orange peel and fresh pineapple, for garnish

Grated nutmeg, for garnish

Directions

In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, orange juice, and grenadine.

Shake well and strain into an ice-filled glass. Garnish with orange peel and a couple pieces of pineapple, and grate some nutmeg on top to finish.

Excerpted from The Caribbean Cookbook © 2026 by Rawlston Williams. Reproduced by permission of Phaidon.