Renee’s Jerk Chicken takes off with the support of a local restaurant owner

When the pandemic hit, Frisco resident Juline Mathe was forced to get creative.

She needed to find a new way to make income after her career as a flight attendant came to a halt.

“When the virus hit, I found myself sitting at home and thinking about how I went from a flight attendant that often woke up in different countries to being at home all the time,” she said.

Mathe had always thought about opening a restaurant, but often concluded it would be too much work. But once her favorite local Jamaican restaurant, Reggae Pit Stop, closed she knew it was time to jump into the industry and Renee’s Jerk Chicken was born.

Having grown up in Jamaica, and born into a family of chefs, it was already in her blood.

Renee’s Jerk Chicken is located in the parking lot of In-Fretta Pizza and Wings in Plano at 5588 Texas Highway 121, Suite 300.

(Juline Mathe)

Mathe’s mother owned a restaurant in Montego Bay, Jamaica, that she used as inspiration when she opened up Renee’s Jerk Chicken food trailer in November, though she said one of her mother’s dishes — the southern-fried chicken — cannot be matched.

Renee’s Jerk Chicken launched with a bang, she said, and she was selling out every day for the first two months as she catered events and parked at various spots that allowed her there. But when the new year hit, she couldn’t get a permit to park her food trailer due to a city ordinance.

She said she felt hopeless until another restaurant owner sent her a message, asking where she would be located, so he could order a plate. Not knowing that he had grown up in Brooklyn, or that he owned a restaurant himself, she broke the news that they were temporarily unable to serve their Jamaican cuisine.

Shortly after in late January, Ram Mehta opened up the parking lot of In-Fretta Pizza and Wings in Plano to Mathe’s food truck. She didn’t believe it at first, but now she describes him as her “fairy godfather.”

“Sometimes you don’t realize how something so insignificant to you can make a world of difference,” Mathe said. “I literally didn’t know what I was going to do.”

Mehta has been widely recognized for giving away free meals during the pandemic.

“It’s all about giving back to the community and the world will give back to you,” Mehta said.

As the city works to ease restrictions, Renee’s Jerk Chicken still sets camp in the parking lot of Mehta’s restaurant. During a recent planning and zoning commission meeting, members recommended to the council to amend the city zoning ordinance and ease restrictions on food trucks in public areas.

Even when restrictions have been eased, Mathe said the two restaurant owners will continue to work with one another. The two are partnering to host a veteran’s event at the In-Fretta location in Plano on March 19.

Renee’s Jerk Chicken offers a number of jerk chicken dishes — including pitas, salads, stuffed patties and sandwiches — as well as curry goat and a Jamaican beef patty.

Renee’s Jerk Chicken is located at In-Fretta Pizza and Wings, 5588 TX Highway 121, Suite 300, Plano.