Attendees at this year’s Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards seminar held Wednesday last, at The Spanish Court Hotel, put aside for the most part their culinary inhibitions, paired up with complete strangers and assumed the personae of celebrity chefs as they chopped, whipped and styled their way into Fanatic history. The team from Trinidad and Tobago’s Fanatic Kitchen Studios led by conceptualiser Donna Wyke Reece, facilitator Karen Johnstone and chef Jason Peru created a veritable frenzy amongst volunteers eager to show off their culinary prowess and lay claim to the coveted prize of a Fanatic kitchen apron and a Fanatic Kitchen duck.

The bigger lesson would soon become evident both to those cheering lustily as well as those in front of the range — strangers learnt the value of teamwork, that life throws curve balls, and that the glass is truly never empty. In the first of two challenges 15 volunteers from the audience were separated into groups of five and were asked to replicate a bruschetta pre-prepared by Fanatic’s head chef Jason Peru. Teams were judged on replication, taste and presentation/plating. Pretty straightforward many imagined, until the judges checked on styling, use of ingredients and that all important matter of taste.

The second challenge allowed chefs to showcase their talents and top chefs Gariel Ferguson of G’s BBQ and George Matthews — who is the personal chef to the US ambassador — each with two ‘sous’ volunteers were given the task of planning, preparing and plating mouth-watering meals in 15 minutes.

The aroma from the food brought the kitchen to life and tickled the noses and appetites of the audience as they cheered on the teams. Chef Matthews kept cool under pressure and even found time to excite the audience with handy wrist work. Chef Gari seemed to have a better strategic team who kept their eyes on the clock as well as the ingredients, ensuring that all were used. Chef Gariel would emerge the winner of the challenge but truth be told we all lucked out! We received an invaluable lesson in: preparation, time management, delegating, listening kitchen dynamics, testing/tasting, thinking outside of the box — ‘kitchen dynamics’ we reckon that will put us in good stead for further challenges. Oops! Almost forgot the reduction time!

Photos for Foodie Seminar Side Bar

Photo: BCC 8687 The ingredients from the mystery basket.

Caption: Tables in the kitchen area are lined with ingredients for the team challenge.

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Caption: Participants from the first challenge (from left:)

Vanessa Anglin, Food Awards Bursary recipient from the University of Technology’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Anita Mitchell, student from the Runaway Bay Heart Institute and businesswoman Sheryl Edmundson.

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Caption: Bon appetit! The winning meal of chilli-infused sauté shrimp and smoked oysters on a bammy bed.

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Caption: Winners of the chef challenge put on their victory smiles after the announcement.

From left: Food Awards Judge Matthew Hogarth (left) Tresharna Black student of the Runaway Bay Heart Institute and Gariel Ferguson chef/patron G’s BBQ.