Ainsley Harriott teams up with Duppy Share on rum and food pairing campaign

Ready Steady Drink: rum brand Duppy Share has launched a new ‘Pairing is Sharing’ campaign with iconic British TV chef Ainsley Harriott to create a series of authentic food recipes and Caribbean-inspired cocktails.

Duppy Share launched the new food and cocktail pairings to trade and press at an event on Tuesday at celebrity members’ club Laylow near Notting Hill. Harriott hosted the evening, showcasing his dishes alongside the selection of rum-based cocktails crafted by bar owner Sly Augustin of Portobello Road’s Trailer Happiness.

Cocktails and food recipes developed for the campaign have been designed to be recreated at home to share with friends and family.

Duppy Share was inspired by the angel share associated with ageing whisky, which refers to the portion of spirit which evaporates into the air. “Duppy” is a Jamaican Patois word with Central African origins that means ghost or spirit. Jamaican duppies are said to swoop between distilleries stealing the best of the rum as it ages in oak barrels, hence the brand’s name.

Jack Orr-Ewing, CEO of Duppy Share, told db that the new campaign marked a shift towards the sharing element of the brand’s ethos, and away from an association with “mischief”. Food pairings also put more of a focus on gastronomy, with Sly Augustin’s cocktails serving as an accessible entry point to the rum category.

“Ainsley has always made food accessible, delicious and fun, just like our rums,” Orr-Ewing said.

The Ready Steady Cook host’s bespoke recipes and their corresponding cocktails include jerk king prawns with Duppy Aged Rum, crispy plantain and avocado paired with a Duppy Blitz.

Harriott has developed a main course comprising coconut and Duppy Spiced Rum chicken skewers with pineapple slaw and coriander roti paired with the Duppy Colada.

Trailer Happiness owner Sly Augustin told db he designed the cocktail to be a “Colada but lighter” in order to “save your belly space for the food”.

Dessert consists of Ainsley’s Tropical Tiramisu with Duppy XO, sweet mango and creamy mascarpone paired with The Duppy Old Fashioned.

The team at Duppy Share have created a bespoke Ainsley Pairing is Sharing Kit available on the website for £30. The kit will include taster bottles of all rums featured as well as recipe cards and more. £1 from each of the Kits and £1 from any Duppy Share bottle sold on the Duppy Share website will be donated to the Alpha Boys Music School in Jamaica, attended by Harriott’s father.

In other news, the rum brand — which has been backed by British rapper and Top Boy star Kano — recently secured £2m of investment from a shareholder base including ex-footballer Ian Wright. Read more on that here.