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‘Quarantine’ cook-off sizzles on social media

Published:Tuesday | March 31, 2020 | 12:27 AMCarl Gilchrist/Gleaner Writer
Social-media chef De’Rhone Campbell at work.
Social-media chef De’Rhone Campbell at work.

A group of young men in Brown’s Town, St Ann, decided they would not let the novel coronavirus spoil their leisure time, so they got together on Sunday to hold a social-media cook-off titled ‘Mi and Mi Bredda Dem Good’.

Coordinated by Richardo Aiken, formerly of the Social Development Commission in St Ann and now with the Caribbean Development Bank, the event was done entirely at the home of each of the nine contestants and shared online via videos and photos.

The competition was geared mainly to showcase how persons could observe the distance protocol of at least three feet apart while still socialising among peers.

Hundreds of social-media fans were delighted with the event as the nine contestants shared videos of themselves preparing their respective dishes and photos of the finished meals. A judging panel led by Glenda Graham, human resource manager at Guardsman Hospitality, and Sharione Poorman, of Harmony Vale, decided the winners.

In the end, Calvin Poorman, with his sweet and sour shrimp and fish, with rice and peas, vegetables and fried plantain, tied for first place with Aiken, who jazzed up a Rasta Richie dish comprising pink salmon and vegetable in coconut sauce, and polenta (turn cornmeal).

De’Rhone Campbell, a teacher at York Castle High, and Junior Bennett were next in line.

“Mi a tell yuh, a di best thing since quarantine start,” Poorman, a lineman with the Jamaica Public Service Company, told The Gleaner on Monday. He said he woke up around 5:30 to begin preparation as he had to go to work.

“I cook every day, so it was just fun for me, and I didn’t have to do any shopping because everything was already at home,” he pointed out.

Poorman had kind words for Aiken, a community development specialist.

“Richardo bad! Him do a tun cornmeal mi waa learn fi dweet!”

Another contestant, Levon Green, said the event was thrilling.

“It was all good because everybody enjoy themselves, and at the end of the day, we all are winners, just showing our culinary skills,” Green said.