A Caribbean restaurant has been unveiled as the latest to sign up for a £2m drinking and dining destination in Sunderland.
The Calabash Tree, a Trinidadian eatery serving up food from the Caribbean Island, has joined the line up of tenants at Sheepfolds Stables, a £2m leisure regeneration project, being driven by architecture, civil and structural engineering firm Building Design Northern (BDN). The Calabash Tree was founded by chef and entrepreneur Ryan McVay, of Washington, who was born to a Trinidadian mother and English father.
His father is a classically trained chef and has been supporting his son with plans for the venue. As well as serving classic Caribbean dishes such as curries, rice and peas, jerk chicken and saltfish, gluten free and vegan food, Mr McVay is working on a Trinidadian twist on the traditional Sunday Dinner. A former fire fighter who was forced to leave through injury, Mr McVay has a street food business based in Washington, and has already run pop-up events in collaboration with Pop Recs. He is taking a permanent base in Sheepfolds, next to Hairy Biker Si King’s venue.
