Curry Goat, Oxtail, & A Dream Come True

Sandreen Fergusen, the owner of the Jamaican food truck Cool Runnings, has loved cooking since she was seven years old. Fergusen’s mother used to give her money to go buy snacks, and she opted instead to spend it on new ingredients — chicken, turkey legs, rice — to practice her culinary skills.

“At first, it came out hard, because I didn’t know what I was doing,” she said. ​“As time progressed, it got better and better. And I always said I wanted to own a restaurant.”

Fergusen moved from Jamaica to the U.S. when she was nearly 12 years old, and her dislike of fast food led her to cook more and more. Her dream came true in 2017, when her husband found her a truck.

“Prior to this, I was cooking and I was selling from my house,” she said. She delivered to barbershops and hair salons, which encouraged her to start a restaurant or food truck.

When she bought her food truck with her husband, it broke down on the side of the road at 1 a.m., as they were driving back to make Fergusen’s shift at Bridgeport Hospital. But her husband fixed it up and made it functional, and Fergusen turned the truck into Cool Runnings.

It’s one of a growing number of Jamaican spots in the Elm City, which has seen an increase in recent years in immigrants from the Caribbean country.

Fergusen currently parks her truck at 1399 State St. in Cedar Hill. She is still searching for her ideal parking location, which would provide space for a four-table dine-in area. Meanwhile, she cooks all the food served from Cool Runnings, with the help of her son Orlando Fergusen on the grill. Fergusen offers traditional Jamaican dishes with homemade sauces that she makes from scratch: mild, spicy, and mixed, which is a combination of the first two.

“Everything goes, because everyone has their favorites,” Ferguson said. ​“I have a little twist on everything that I make.”

Ferguson offers a tasting plate for customers who aren’t sure what they want to try. Wednesday’s tasting plate offered five styles of meat, although on Fridays, she also offers additional options like salmon, pepper steak, fried chicken, and jerk pork.

The curry chicken was deliciously seasoned, with a little kick of spice. The jerk chicken was sweet and flavorful. The brown stew chicken was rich without being overwhelming, and the curry goat was tangy with an almost earthy flavor.

Perhaps the best dish was the oxtail, which was chewy and slightly sweet. It was tender enough to practically slide off the bone. Fergusen served it with seasoned rice, beans, and cabbage, which cut into the richness of the meat for a perfectly balanced flavor.

Cool Runnings is popular with locals and visitors alike. ​“We have people who drive twice a week from Hartford for jerk chicken,” said Fergusen.

Cool Runnings is a family business that emphasizes tradition and culture. And Sandreen Fergusen has come a long way, from Jamaica to New Haven, from her early culinary endeavors to cooking for her community.

See below for other recent articles about New Haven’s Jamaican restaurants.

• ​“Jammin” Salmon Seasoned Straight From Jamaica

• Daughter Honors Mom’s (Island) Spicy Legacy

• Sunday Dinner Served For Weekday Lunch