Thu | Mar 28, 2024

Foodies unite when chefs are on show

Published:Thursday | May 16, 2019 | 12:00 AMJessica Harrison/Gleaner Writer
The team responsible for the best-tasting seafood chowder (from left): Theodore Lyn, Ryan McCalla, Norva Quallo and Executive Chef Kevin Hilclebrandt.
Chef Jacqui Tyson smiles with her work of art, 'chicken in duck bread'
Chef Mark Cole's spin on the well renown Jamaican fish and bread paired with a chilled bottle on 19 Crimes wine.
After Chef Lorraine Fung's live demonstration, she gives Terri Myrie a taste her special pork chops in an edible made with rice water.
Thumbs up for yummy chicken in duck bread.
From Team Courtleigh, we have marinated chicken with sushi rice, topped with sesame seads and scallion. Beside this is a serving of seafood chowder.
A big grin of approval from Alliyah Roper.
Pig tail and waffles? Heavenly.
Chef Tommy Citeron flamed some chicked just for Food.
Chef Jacqui Tyson speaks while her Jamaican apprentice Jamie Lewis, fresh from her studies in Switzerland, demonstrates.
Jamaican-style mussels and tropical chicken was definitely a hit for the night.
Gourmet, anyone?
Everyone should try fried mushrooms at least once in their lifetime and five times after that.
Chef Debi-Anne Lange-Chen poses with both of her prepared dishes on one plate. It was mouth-watering!
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Over the years, the Culinary Federation of Jamaica, along with Best Dressed Chicken, has been putting chefs on show for all foodies and food experts to mingle and enjoy.

Despite the earlier showers of rain, food fanatics from across Jamaica gathered on the lush lawn of The Jamaica Pegasus hotel. The garden was adorned with white booths lined up from one end to the other. Extremely bright lights were directed at the stage and reflected just enough lighting to the grounds for you to see all the night’s happenings and take great pictures of the gourmet plates.

The stage was beautiful. The perfect green backdrop with black wooden floorboards held a demonstration table to give the scores of foodies the opportunity to go home with tasty recipes. The deejay kept the crowd alive with hit tunes from the past three decades, catering to each soul in the crowd who dared to sway their hips.

Drinks Galore

There was a wine station which seemed to never run out of wines. 19 Crime wines are a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache from South Eastern Australia. And for those who aren’t wine connoisseurs, there was an open bar with a wide array of mixes from Bartender of the Year 2018, Gossett Brown.

The Food

One could consider the night a food relay. Skipping from one end of the lawn to the other while changing plates and cleansing your palate; it was a race only for the fittest, and best of all, there was no judgement, because everyone shared the same mission, taste all the food. The options were endless but just to name a few, there was fish, calamari, chicken, shrimp, mussels, cheesy breads, pastas, vegetables and, my oh my, decadent desserts.

Food had the opportunity the speak with Chef Jacqui Tyson about her live demonstration dish.

“Chicken in duck bread is just a yard style take of the fancy French chicken pot pie. So what we have done is put jerk chicken with vegetables in a light cream sauce. We then scoop out the middle of the bread. And our filling and top it off with some gooey cheese.”

Tyson suggested that this dish is a win for both children and parents for the upcoming summer break.

Best Taste Winner

The best taste winner, Courtleigh Hotel, was definitely not a surprise. The seafood chowder was rich in flavour and just the right consistency with chunks of Irish potato. For garnish, they added parsley and bacon bits, which was more than just pleasing to the eye; they added their own unique move to the taste bud dance party.

If you missed it, here are some highlights but don’t make the same mistake twice.

jessica.harrison@gleanerjm.com