Get ready for the pan-tabulous pan chicken champs

Over the past few years, pan chicken has exploded in popularity to not only become an iconic symbol of Jamaica's culinary culture, but a marketable Brand Jamaica product. No longer is pan chicken relegated to the pan man on the street on weekends, and at parties and stage shows. Pan chicken has become a staple on restaurant menus and on popular cooking shows.

There is far more to pan than our taste buds are accustomed to, as the contestants of the CB Pan Chicken Championship can certainly testify. The competition, which seeks to unearth the best pan-chicken man or woman in the country, has, over the last seven years, evolved to become a battle of innovation, creativity and will.

"The CB Pan Chicken Championship is unlike any other cooking competition in the region. It provides Jamaican men and women from all across the island an opportunity to showcase their culinary skills and really transform our chicken into a 'pan-tastic' masterpiece.

"Since the basic procedure for preparing food using the pan doesn't really change, the contestants are encouraged to dig deep to find innovative ways to ensure their chicken is superior in taste and looks distinctively different from their competition," noted CB Chicken's Brand Manager Alicia Bogues.

Over the years, patrons at the CB Pan Chicken Championship have marvelled at the irresistible mouth-watering pan chicken created from original recipes and ingenious techniques. And the contestants have not disappointed. They consistently showcase their remarkable talents by incorporating unique blends of flavours, herbs, spices and fruits in their pre-prep and sauce creation for tender pieces of meat. Sauces have ranged from mild to extra spicy, while others have included peanut, pineapple, guava, ginger, tamarind and that always-elusive secret ingredient.

PRESENTATION EDGE

"I used pimento stick. I soaked it in seasoning and lined it up in the pan and placed the chicken on top of it," Jennifer Bennett, the 2012 CB Pan Chicken Champion revealed. She also adds that her special guava sauce, along with her memorable presentation for the judges, gave her a more-than-50-point edge above the second-place winner. "You have to know how to use your skills and how to prepare your plate," Bennett advised.

The competition, which was launched yesterday at The Gleaner's North Street offices, is slated for November 17.

The annual competition not only boosts creativity, but also entrepreneurship.

Previous contestants have opened their own restaurants and expanded their business. Spawning from the competition, contestants will also have an opportunity to develop a select line of pan-chicken sauces.

So as these men and women eagerly line up at their pans for the central regional eliminations on June 29 at the Manchester High School, be warned - this competition is not for the faint of heart. The Pan Chicken Championship is for the passionate, courageous and enterprising pan-chicken man or woman who is enthusiastic and ready to elevate our taste buds to a deliciously explosive level.