We continue our new feature, Branded, which spotlights talented brand managers of foodie-related organisations. This week, we introduce Best Dressed Chicken’s brand manager and give five lucky readers a chance to win gift baskets.

Cordia Panton-Williams

Brand Manager

Best Dressed Chicken

Jamaica Broilers Group Limited

How did you land the job?

I joined Best Dressed Chicken in July 2001 as marketing representative/merchandiser supervisor.

Since then I have moved up within the marketing department in such positions as brand / promotions officer, brand supervisor, brand manager – Reggae Jammin, before landing my current role as BDC brand manager.

How long have you been in the job?

I have been the Brand Manager for Best Dressed Chicken since 2009.

What’s great about your job?

I would describe myself as a ‘foodie” and my job offers the perfect medium to express my passion and appreciation for food while delighting Best Dressed Chicken consumers with tantalising products of the highest quality. My job also provides me with an opportunity to share my experience with consumers across Jamaica while learning from them; as well as different cooking techniques and dishes which enhance our product offering. At another level, I have been privileged to take the Best Dressed Chicken products, which are uniquely Jamaican, to other Caribbean territories, and the overwhelming feedback as to the superior taste, texture and versatility continues to encourage us.

The experience of interacting and interfacing with the consumers is both rewarding and insightful, and I feel extremely gratified when our consumers are happy and satisfied with the quality and taste that they have grown to enjoy when they choose any product from our Best Dressed Chicken line.

Tell us something that we might not know about the brand Best Dressed Chicken

o The Jamaica Broilers Group began in 1958 and the Best Dressed Chicken is its flagship brand.

o The Best Dressed Chicken is produced using the very latest technology – at our ISO 14001 certified Processing Plant, teamed with a programme of the strictest quality control in every aspect of our operations; delivering a product of excellence to the marketplace.

o We currently process over 1.5 million pounds of chicken meat per week.

o We provide chicken to all sectors – the major quick- service restaurants, hotels, schools, retail trade and wholesale trade.

o The Best Dressed Chicken brand is a proud supporter of local sports and this is reflected in our sponsorship of Jamaica’s national netballers – the Sunshine Girls , the Business House Cricket Competition and through our affiliate brand, Reggae Jammin – we are the title sponsor of the Business House Volleyball Competition.

o In December 2011, Best Dressed Chicken added another exciting new product to its product offering – the Best Dressed Free Range line of products – making our organisation the only broiler company outside of North America to be Global Animal Partnership (GAP) certified.

o Global Animal Partnership, a nonprofit charitable organisation founded in 2008, brings together farmers, scientists, ranchers, retailers, and animal advocates-a diverse group with the common goal of wanting to improve the welfare of animals in agriculture. The 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards, recognizses and rewards producers for their welfare practices, promotes and facilitates continuous improvement, and better informs consumers about the production systems they choose to support.

The Best Dressed Free Range line of products is Step 3 GAP certified.

o We are partners with the Culinary Federation of Jamaica.

o We believe in a better Jamaica, and in keeping with the Jamaica Broilers Group’s ongoing commitment to assist with the spiritual upliftment and transformation of lives in our nation, the Group -through its Best Dressed Chicken Brand – is the title sponsor of the Best Dressed Fun in the Son Gospel Festival. The event, now in its 10th year, will be staged at the National Heroes Park on Saturday, July 14, 2012.

o Best Dressed Chicken, through its parent company Jamaica Broilers Group Limited continues to carry out its corporate citizenship responsibilities through various nation-building initiatives. In the immediate community of Spring Village, St Catherine, next to the Best Dressed Chicken Processing Plant. The company is one of the main contributors to the Spring Village Development Institute. This Institute offers vocational skills training to members of the communities in and around the facility and acts as a resource centre for various citizens’/community groups. The Institute is also a HEART Trust-approved training institute. Education is just one of many ways in which the Group gives back to the nation. It also uses other mediums to assist in nation-building, such as through sports, community interaction and support for various welfare programmes for the indigent and elderly – mindful at all times of giving back to the nation and indeed the people, who continue to give support to the company for the past 54 years. The company is proud of its achievements to date and owes its success to the blessings from the Lord as well as a motivated and dynamic workforce.

Where can consumers find out more about your brand?

Website – www.jamaicabroilersgroup.com

Facebook/bestdressedchicken

Twitter/ bestdressedchicken

You tube / best dressed chicken

Our customer care line 1876-BDF – CARE

Thursday Food shares two recipes created by Chef Jacqui Tyson

Best Dressed Chicken Fricasee

Ingredients:

4pc Best Dressed Chicken Parts

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tsp paprika

pinch of dry jerk seasoning

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 teaspoons butter or stick margarine

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup peeled and chopped Irish potatoes

1 tsp chopped Scotch bonnet – (optional)

1/2 cup chopped cho-cho

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 stalks escallion, chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup chicken broth/stock

2 cups (3-inch) julienne-cut carrot

1 tsp cornstarch

(NB: corn, green peas or tiny spinners can be added)

Method:

Combine first six ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag.

Add Best Dressed Chicken parts; toss well to coat

Remove chicken pieces from bag.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add chicken, breast sides down; sauté until chicken is golden brown.

Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Add onion, thyme, escallion and garlic to pan; sauté for

five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth bring to a boil. Stir in cornstarch.

Add carrot, potatoes and cho -cho

Return chicken to pan, skin sides up. Cover, reduce heat,

and simmer for 25 minutes or until chicken is done.

Add green peas and carrots

Serve with steam rice or your favorite starches.

Best Dressed Chicken Pasta

Jerk Chicken Alfredo

Ingredients:

o (1) tray pack Best Dressed Chicken breast tenderloin

o 1 pack Fusilli -(spiral) pasta (500gm)

o A dash of salt

o 1 cup julienne of sweet pepper

o 1 cup julienne of carrot

o 1/2 cup escallion chopped finely

o 1/2 cup onion thinly sliced

o 1 cup chopped tomatoes

o 6 cloves of garlic chopped thinly or grated

o 4 tbsp olive oil

o 1 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

o 2 cups heavy cream

o 1 cup regular milk or chicken stock

o Parmesan cheese

o 1 tbsp wet jerk seasoning

Method:

Cook pasta as directed by package

1. Drain and set aside

2. In a pan, sauté garlic and olive oil (Stir for no longer than a minute) add lightly seasoned BDC breast tenderloin

3. Stir until chicken is cooked on medium flame

4. Add sweet pepper, carrot, scallion, onion, tomatoes garlic,

5. Reduce flame to low and then add heavy cream, jerk seasoning and milk

6. Stir

7. Add Cheddar cheese and pasta

8. Toss lightly for 1 minute

9. Serve in a plate and then sprinkle with a dash Parmesan cheese

Best served hot!

Servings: 4 persons.

For a healthy alternative, remove heavy cream and milk and increase the quantity of olive oil by 4 tablespoons.

Recipes created by Jacqui Tyson for BEST DRESSED CHICKEN

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Cordia Panton-Williams, Brand Manager — Best Dressed Chicken has five goodie baskets for five lucky Thursday Life readers.

Here’s how you can win:

Answer this simple question: True or False

(Check today’s printed newspaper, Page 5 in our THURSDAY FOOD section, for the question and your chance to win!)

The first five Thursday Life readers to answer the above question correctly via e-mail to: marketingpromotion@jamaicaobserver.com.

Will win a basket of Best Dressed products. Each gift basket includes:

I pack BD Chicken Nuggets

Pack Reggae Jammin chicken burger

1 Chilled Tray Pack — Thighs

1 Chilled Tray Pack — Mixed parts

1 Chilled Tray pack — Whole Chicken

1 Frozen Free Range

1 Frozen Whole Chicken

E-mail the correct answer by noon tomorrow Friday, June 29.

You must, too, include your full name, occupation, and telephone number.