This Gorgeous Country Estate in Jamaica Hosts Rum Tastings, Barbecue Dinners, and Cooking Classes

What Michelle and Suzanne Rousseau remember most from their childhoods in Jamaica are long, leisurely lunches. “Things were a lot slower,” Suzanne says. “We spent our weekends having great meals all over the island in people’s houses.” 

Born and raised in Kingston, the sisters traveled frequently to Europe with their parents, and also lived in Trinidad for several years. Their international upbringing informed their culinary ventures, which have included a Mediterranean restaurant, Café Bella (now closed), two cookbooks, and a television show.

Their latest project is Two Sisters, a series of culinary experiences held at Rockfield, an estate in the Blue Mountains about an hour from Kingston. There, the Rousseaus prepare family-style meals over a 300-year-old pimento-wood barbecue; offer rum, coffee, and chocolate tastings; and take guests on guided hikes through the hills. 

For nearly 40 years, the estate at Rockfield—which was formerly a farm for pimento berries, the main spice used in jerk seasoning—belonged to renowned Jamaican painter Judy Ann MacMillan, a friend of Michelle and Suzanne’s parents. When it became available, the sisters knew it was the perfect spot.

“This place was, to me, magic,” says Suzanne. “It’s unique because it feels like the English countryside, but it also has the coastal views. And it’s well known to Jamaicans. It’s a symbol.” The Rousseaus furnished the property with their own artwork, antiques, heirloom porcelain, and glassware. 

Every meal prepared at Rockfield has a personal touch. “Our grandmother always had homemade ginger beer in her fridge,” Michelle recalls. “So one of our welcome cocktails is a Dark & Stormy.” Each table also has a plate of pickled shallots with Scotch bonnet peppers, inspired by another of their grandmother’s recipes.

At Rockfield, the Rousseaus hope to give visitors a window into the celebratory, social aspects of island life. “This is the part of Jamaica that is lost on many travelers,” Suzanne says.