More Than A Festival
A four-member taste team comprising sponsors of the upcoming Jamaica Food & Drink Festival — Drink-Nyam-Jam made themselves comfortable in the Blend Bar & Lounge of the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Tuesday, spread their napkins and, armed with the appropriate silverware readied to taste and give feedback on the offerings of award-winning caterers Alexa Von Strolley and Lorraine Fung and executive chefs Mark Cole, Gary Bowes and Shea Stewart — six of 20 confirmed chefs and culinary personalities for the ‘Crisp’ and ‘Pork Palooza’ category of the inaugural Jamaica Food & Drink Festival slated for October 28-31. The ambitious foodie event, with the long-term plan of positioning the capital city of Kingston as a preferred food destination, promises six one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience. Thursday Life whets your appetites..
1ST TASTING
Created by Alexa Von Strolley, Tooksie Kay Catering chef/caterer & Jamaica Observer Best New Caterer (Pork Palooza Category)
The Feedback
Do you have more in the back? – Erin Mitchell, Select Brands marketing manager
It’s a nice mix of flavour – Tina Hamilton, Copperwood Pork brand manager
Loove the apple sauce – Simone Johnson, Massy Gas Products Limited sales manager
It’s the perfect mix of crispy and tender; the melange of flavours is equally amazing — Alicia Bogues, CB Foods Limited brand manager
2ND TASTING
By Chef Shea ‘Bachelor Chef’ Stewart, proprietor, Elite Kreations (Pork Palooza Category)
The Feedback:
The contrasting flavours over here [points to the roasted corn and potato hash] nice. I also love the tamarind – Simone Johnson, Massy Gas Products Limited sales manager
The pork is soooooo tender, my knife slides right through – Tina Hamilton, Copperwood Pork brand manager
[Of the pork] not too rare, not well-done, just perfect – Alicia Bogues, CB Foods Limited brand manager
3RD TASTING
Created by Gairy Bowes, Caribbean Broilers Group head chef (Pork Palooza Category)
Feedback:
This is wonderful. This is not the traditional preparation of pork, so the flavours were both unexpected and appreciated – Simone Johnson, Massy Gas Products Limited sales manager
I don’t know where to start; I can’t wait for Pork Palooza – Alicia Bogues, CB Foods Limited brand manager
Chef Gairy, you’ve found my heart – Tina Hamilton, Copperwood Pork brand manager
*speechless* – Erin Mitchell, Select Brands marketing manager
4TH TASTING
Created by Mark Cole, Executive Chef, Jamaica Pegasus (Crisp Category)
The Feedback:
Wait, is that fried salmon? I’ve never had fried salmon! – Alicia Bogues, CB Foods Limited brand manager
It’s delectable, I loved every bit of it. The golden bread, which is really the pig’s heart, was perfecto! – Tina Hamilton, Copperwood Pork brand manager
