THE cricket buzz is definitely on. There’s much activity at Sabina Park, Kingston with painters rolling on the final touches of paint, and sponsors staking out their turf.

The grass is surveyed carefully and the pitch is being rolled to a shiny finish.

Additional seats are being placed inside the boxes, which are also being fitted with well-stocked bars.

Caterers are making the final rounds, after all there are old and new boxes to access.

Everything is all set for Saturday’s toss of the coin.

Among the persons making preparations at the grounds is Leo Chung, who has catered to test match teams for the past five or so series.

He, too, is setting up kitchen, getting final briefs and awaiting word from the Indian camp on special instructions for their meals.

This reluctant celebrity operates the Purity Food Court at the Greater Portmore Shopping Centre.

Leo Chung is from a large Chinese family of 10 brothers and sisters. He became his father’s favourite simply because according to him “someone had to learn to cook”.

It was, however, after 28 years as a systems development manager at Computer Service and Programming Ltd, that he returned full-time to his real passion.

Sabina Park is familiar territory for Leo, who while attending St George’s College watched many test matches there.

West Indies players, he said are not very hard to please.

“I meet with the physiotherapist and nutritionist and am guided accordingly,” he told the Foodpage.

Carbohydrates are a must — there’s need after all for quick energy boosters — so there’s always lots of yams, rice, potatoes and dumplings made with both flour and cornmeal.

“Fresh vegetables, beetroot, turnip, okra which I purchase at Coronation Market,” he said are necessary servings.

On the morning of a test match the pots at Sabina Park are bubbling from 6:00 AM with some 200 lbs of yam. There are also dumplings to knead and potatoes to peel.

“Sugarcane is also peeled and chopped and placed in the dressing room of the West Indies players. This is what they love to snack on and provides instant energy,” Leo said.

Lunch is displayed buffet style with a full salad bar.

Curried goat is a daily staple and the secret of this delicious meat, which slides gently off the bone according to Chung, “is to marinate overnight in lots of seasoning: pimento, ginger, garlic, pepper, salt, curry, onions, escallion, thyme and brown sugar. It’s now all about patience. I never put mutton in a pressure cooker. Just cook it slowly.”

Little wonder that according to Noreen Tyrell, who serves the cricketers at many a match, this delicacy is much loved by such cricket greats as Courtney Walsh and Brian Lara.

At teatime the best sweet potato pudding, prepared by Margaret Chung, Leo’s cousin, is served.

There’s also plantain tarts, coconut cakes, rum cake, and banana cake.

Sandwiches are included with fillings of corned beef, chicken, and cheese.

Nothing can run out so there’s bottled water and fruit beverages to order, and fruit punch to make for the cooler.

And yes the boys love their ice-cream. Nestlé provides a box of ice-cream novelties, which is replenished daily.

Whoever thought cricketers watched their diet?

For him, it is a great priviledge to feed a cricket team upon which the pride of the region rests.