Hundreds of guests enjoyed the gastronomical offerings of more than 50 booths at the recently concluded Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards. For Arlene Amitirigala, however, the celebrations continued last Tuesday evening when caterer Celeste Ritch Gordon, a nominee for Best Caterer, prepared dinner for four of Amitirigala’s closest friends.

“It was,” explains the bubbly Amitirigala, “Lorna-Dee Dunn who actually purchased the tickets for us to attend the awards, so she is in fact the winner.” Fact is, Dunn, Amitirigala, Kathryn Preston, Yvonne Hall and Stephanie Campbell are all winners of the IGL-sponsored initiative that allowed two patrons (with the lucky entrance ticket,

that is) to walk away with this catering prize.

IGL’s tag line “IGL at Home” ignited (pun definitely intended) the perfect opportunity “to offer”, according to general manager Richard Pandohie, “a special treat for guests at the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards. It was a perfect fit to anchor the experience around the Caterer of the Year nominees, and entertaining at home, which is what most people do, whether it is Sunday lunch for the extended family or having friends over to dinner.”

After discussions with caterer Celeste Ritch Gordon, the following dinner menu was decided upon:

Starter: Smoked marlin and roasted yellow and red beet salad

Entrée: Bacon-wrapped chicken breast with balsamic reduction served with garlic sweet potatoes, string beans in basil butter

Dessert: Chocolate Explosion (a brownie base with chocolate-flavoured whipped cream)

The Wines: Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon and Turning Leaf Chardonnay, provided by Lascelles Wines & Spirits.

Discussion centred on food, travel, celebrities, the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards and Celeste Ritch Gordon’s wonderful menu offerings.

Dinner climaxed beautifully with a disgustingly good chocolate gateau that forced us not only to indulge with every forkful of mousse and brownie delight, but to ignore rational response until every crumb had left the very stylish dessert plate.

Caterer Celeste Ritch Gordon is available for meals of your choice for any number of persons you wish to invite and can be contacted at 869-5717. But if you wish to match your culinary skills against hers, Thursday Food left with the recipes. All except the dessert, that is. We’ll share that one with you at a later date.