The pans are ready

The 2014 CB Pan Chicken Championship is just around the corner, and this year, the Social Development Commission (SDC) is on board for the excitement.

"We worked with the SDC on a project encouraging entrepreneurship last year and were impressed by its professionalism and ability to galvanise the community to action. So I knew we needed to partner with them for the 2014 CB Pan Chicken Championship," Alicia Bogues, CB Chicken brand manager, explained.

With the signing of a memorandum of understanding at CB's head office recently, the organisations agreed to collaborate to ensure the continued success and further growth of the CB Pan Chicken Championship 2014. This includes attracting even more quality participants, supporting existing pan chicken vendors with business management, food safety, and marketing training; plus fostering sustainable business practices, community development and economic growth.

engage individuals

The MoU was signed by Matthew Lyn, chief operating officer, CB Group, and Avril Ranger, director, community development planning, SDC, on behalf of executive director, Dr Dwayne Vernon.

"Pan is more than a cooking competition; it helps to engage individuals in their community, helps them to recognise their talents and skills, endorses culinary careers, and helps to spur the growth of the Jamaican economy. The SDC is embedded in the community, and we have immense confidence in their ability to help us expand in terms of diversity and community penetration, better reach of individuals, community development, business development and entrepreneurship."

In 2006, recognising and celebrating the important cultural and economic role that pan chicken plays within the Jamaican society, CB began its annual search for Jamaica's most talented pan chicken man or woman. Some nine years later, the CB Pan Chicken Championship, CB Chicken's signature event, has become a staple on the national events calendar.

Currently the largest food festival in Jamaica, the grand final is staged in downtown Kingston.

The CB-SDC partnership will see SDC executing internal training, registration, workshops, database management and assisting with the execution of the competition.

The CB Pan Chicken Championship 2014 season kicks off with the Central Regional on Saturday, July 5 at Manchester High School.