Family and friends of Prince “King Ital” Phillips, owner of the popular King Ital Restaurant, bid final farewell on Friday to a great man and a ‘heartical’ icon.

King Ital died on August 21 at the age of 67. His body was interred at the Thetford Park Cemetery in Old Harbour, St Catherine.

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As he gave reflections on his father at a thanksgiving service at the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Prince Phillips Jr told mourners that over many years, King Ital put a lot energy into helping strengthen and uplift the Rastafarian community without revealing much of it to his family. He also spoke of his father’s love for football.

“My father was a great man. My sisters Latoya and Cheryl would like to thank you for celebrating with us as we remember our dad. As a professional chef, I am not used to public speaking, so presenting this tribute as I mourn my dad is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. My dad was quietly working with the Rastafarian population for years and he never said anything to me or my sisters about it. He would quietly provide a space for Rastafarians to gather and have meetings and discussions relating to the community. He also made it possible for the general public to have a place where they could have a good, healthy vegan meal in clean surroundings.

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“He ran an extremely influential and successful vegan restaurant for decades, known by locals and celebrities from all walks of life. He appeared on classic Jamaican TV shows, showcasing his cooking talent and even on a CNN documentary on Rastafari. My father played semi-professional football for many years and travelled the Caribbean and North America, showcasing his skills as a footballer with teams from House of Dread and teams from Washington DC in the US,” Prince Jr said, while also sharing that losing his father felt like having one of his arms severed.

Ibby Lion, a senior member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and owner of vegetarian restaurant Veggie Meals of Wheels the No bones Zone, said that Prince Jr now has a big responsibility to ensure that his father’s legacy lives on.

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“His son now works at Country Farmhouse and Kingston Dub Club and I know he will carry on the works and the legacy. You are the one now to carry on in your father’s footsteps and we will support you as much as we can. Everybody cooking ital food right now, we have to give it up to King Ital because him set the trend. To his family, I want you to know that every time a person eats ital stew they will remember your father.”

As a young man, King Ital experimented with vegetarian food from his yard on West Street in Kingston until his dishes became a main attraction for people such as Reggae legend Bob Marley, and many other famous people who sought after healthy meals.

According to King Ital’s only sister, Patricia Phillips, Bob Marley even helped him open his first restaurant.

“He started cooking in our yard in just one pot. He started to mix up all kinds of juice. Friends would come and taste it until it got bigger and bigger. He told Bob Marley that he was going to open a restaurant and then he went to Beeston Street and Matthews Lane. The man wanted too much money so Bob Marley made a deal and told the man to rent the entire place for that price.”