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