Get to Know Bites of Nassau Tour Guide Murray

At Tru Bahamian Food Tours, we think that one of the reasons our Bites of Nassau Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tours are so unique has to do the incredibly interesting personalities charged with leading our groups each day.

So, we thought we’d introduce you to some of these tour guide extraordinaires so you could get to know each of them a little better starting with… Murray!

Murray: I come from a large family and any and every occasion was centered around food.  My mother went on strike with cooking when I was 12 and I had to learn to cook for myself as a result.  My first meal was fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob.

TBFT: What is it specifically that you love about Bahamian Food? What makes it unique in your opinion?

Murray: I love Bahamian food because it is comfort food.  It brings back memories of traveling to the family islands where I was able to actually taste some of this food cooked on a wood fire (cooking for a very long time with a slow heat).  I am a very visual person, eating crab and rice, for example, takes me back to Andros and going in the forest to catch the crabs, with an old crocker sack and eating mutton reminds me watching the goats running away from the plane in Long Island.  I can’t even begin to talk about the fish or the conch…..

TBFT: Why did you decide to become a tour guide?

Murray: I had some friends from Ohio and another group of friends from Alberta and both told me that I should pursue this after I showed them around the islands (informally), as I love history so much.

TBFT: What do you love most about leading food tours?

Murray: Meeting new people, connecting with them and telling stories.

TBFT: What are you doing when you’re NOT leading a Bites of Nassau Tour?

Murray: I teach software and general computer troubleshooting one on one to adults who think they are too old or too busy.  I also teach home gardening and have my hands in food production such as making kefir, labaneh, limoncello and coffee liquors among others.

TBFT: What do you like most about living in The Bahamas?

Murray: I never tire of the ocean.  Watching it, diving it, swimming in it, boating on it…

TBFT: When you’re hosting guests visiting from out of town, what is the FIRST thing (as in food or drink) that you ensure that they try as part of their trip here?

Murray: Generally I love to tell them about foods that they would not typically try at home, like fried Bahamian Snapper and freshly baked Bahamian sweet bread (served together). I also love encouraging them to enjoy our local cocktail gin and coconut water.

TBFT: You’re an avid backyard urban farmer. What is your absolutely favourite Bahamian fruit to eat during the summer time?

Murray: guineps….yum.