All foodies love a good cooking show, but many of us do not know what goes on behind the scenes. The Food Network is immensely popular. Back in the UK and Europe, my main work was food styling and prepping for many productions behind the scenes. Here in Jamaica, I have made guest appearances cooking on camera as a guest for TVJ’s On A Personal Note, with Owen James, TVJ’s morning show, Smile Jamaica with the lovely Simone Clarke-Cooper and last but not least, a repeat guest on CVM’s Vibes Cuisine with my dear friend, the gracious and warm host, Michelle Jones. Of course, each time I appear I represent you, my dear Thursday Food community, who demand good food.

Many of the questions I have received from you via email reveal to me you are very curious about what goes on, where the food comes from, and if it is as delicious as it appears. Since so many of you wrote about this subject, and ironically, the fact I was recently on location with Michelle for my fourth appearance on her show, I decided to write a piece to answer your questions as promised. Today, I am going to take you behind the scenes of my latest appearance on Vibes Cuisine.

A food production, like any other TV production, is an expensive venture and needs sponsorship. Careful planning goes into the creation of each dish, just like this column. Cooking on camera in real time is also not very easy; in fact, I get butterflies each time I appear on camera, so kudos to the affable Maisie Miller of Grace Kitchens who paved the way locally and continues to shine, isn’t she like a favourite aunt when you watch her, as well as other hosts who make it look so easy. Sara Mair, the vivacious Jamaican chef who appeared on Bravo Television’s Top Chef will be on air soon with what I hear will be a fantastic show, and your very own Juicy Chef was approached by a top producer to do a cooking show from last year and I have finally agreed, so watch this space. Who says Jamaica cannot match what is happening worldwide in the food television movement? Shame on them!

Anyway I digress. When cooking on a set, not only do you have to prepare the food in front of you, but also be aware of the cameras pointed in your direction and the background noises which can affect a moment, and in this case, you have to do another take of what you said before. All of this is possible from the director and the cameramen who guide you on your every movement. So as you can see, juggling the cooking, speaking about the dish and looking into the right camera and engaging the viewing audience takes an amazing amount of discipline.

Another main element behind the scenes is your appearance on camera and make-up. The camera lights are extremely hot and make-up is reapplied every so often. Can you imagine hot lights, ovens and stovetops in Jamaica’s humidity? It is not easy, I tell you! I hope the next time you see your favourite host on a TV cooking show, you will see that person in a different light and with renewed respect as they share their love of food with you. Here is an exclusive preview of the dishes I prepared for an upcoming Vibes Cuisine episode along with a few snapshots behind the scenes with Michelle Jones and crew.

Please contact me about these and previous recipes I created for this column and past recipes I prepared for Vibes Cuisine at info@juicychef.com.

Juicy Chef for Vibes Cuisine – Recipes from the South of France

Provençal Style Roast Half Chicken

The cooks in the South of France like to rub a bit of honey on their roast meats for colour and caramelisation. The region of Provence (pronounced Pro-vance) literally smells fragrant because of the many lavender, rosemary and thyme fields which dot the stunning landscape. The great thing with this meal is that it can go with any style of wine: red, rose or white and preferably French and from the South, as meals from a specific region always marry well with a local wine.

Ingredients:

1 Jamaica Broilers half chicken

2 tbsp honey

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 large sprigs of thyme, stripped

1 lime, juiced

2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

Wash chicken, trim off excess fat and season with salt and pepper.

Prepare a marinade with honey, garlic, thyme, lime juice and olive, mix well.

Lift up chicken skin at the breast area and the leg and thigh area, and place some of the mixture under the skin with half the mixture.

Use the remaining mixture to pour over the chicken and rub all over.

Marinate for at least half an hour, or preferably overnight.

Bake in oven for at least 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear at 425ºF.

Ratatouille

You may be familiar with this dish’s name from the famous animated movie Ratatouille, but unlike what the name suggests, do not worry, no animal is involved as it is a vegetarian side dish. This is a famous rustic recipe from the sun-drenched South of France. It is colourful and very healthy for you. Be careful not to overcook.

Ingredients:

1 large onion, roughly chopped

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 zucchini, diced

1 eggplant, diced

2 sweet peppers, diced

1 can of diced tomatoes

1tsp dried basil

1tsp dried rosemary

1tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper

olive oil

1 tbsp tomato paste

Method:

In a large frying pan or casserole, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the onions, sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes until translucent

Add the garlic, give a good stir, and then add the zucchini and eggplant with the tomato paste. Mix well.

After about 5 minutes, add the diced tomatoes, herbs and salt and pepper to taste, give another good stir and simmer over medium heat.

When the vegetables are almost cooked, add the sweet peppers, stir, and lower the heat and cook for about 3 minutes more, turn off the heat, and allow the steam to continue cooking vegetables.

Bon Appétit!

Jacqui Sinclair is a Cordon Bleu-trained chef/food stylist & hotelier. She has worked in the world of food photography and film in Europe. A bon vivant, she is passionate about sharing her food secrets with enthusiastic home cooks.