A three-tiered Kaluga Gourmet Access creation<strong></strong>
June 29, 2016
Seafoodie & Snackalicious
18 years ago, when the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards was a mere thought in motion, foodies had to rely on word-of-mouth tips to unearth The Rock’s hidden mealtime gems. Now acknowledged as an authority in the Caribbean’s food industry, foodie regulars and newbies alike reference the awards for the best new food items, directions to the best restaurants across the island and tips on hot new chefs and caterers.
Thursday Life wraps our in-depth coverage of the swanky Devon House affair with a look at the evening’s booths who picked up on the local food trend toward a greater appreciation for thefrutti di mare -fruits of the sea- and tasty, eclectic snack fare. Imagine a jackfruit cheesecake with coconut oatmeal crumble from Kaluga Kafe; pickled coconut and saltfish perched atop an elegantly crisp National Cream Thins cracker — one of the best new products of 2016 — or quenching your thirst with a beer based take on the classic mojito a.k.a the Brewjito cocktail from Heineken. Let’s eat!
(Photos: Antonio Graham, Kenyon Hemans, Michael Gordon & Garfield Robinson)
The Cliff Hanger lion fish offerings with specialty sauces (clockwise, from bottom) garlic cream cold sauce, spicy red rain, and drunken lion fish sauce.<b> </b>
Seasonal vegetable salad<strong></strong>
Heineken bartender Kenisha Brooks serves Heineken Brewjito cocktails<strong></strong>
Adam Stewart (centre), Sandals Resorts International and ATL Group CEO and deputy chairman, with the Cliff Hanger Restaurant & Lounge Managing Director Brett Hanna (left), and Chairman Errol Hanna.<b> </b>
Jelly coconuts have never looked more appealing<b/>
Coconut lime cake<b/>
Tamarind ginger-glazed jerk pork tartlets with papaya relish<b/>
Stewed pork<b/>
Teisha Robinson, with Christopher Clarke inside the Asia’s Café lounge.<strong></strong>
Cool down at the JPSCo booth with “Ice Cold Jelly, The Original Energy Drink”<strong></strong>
Oreo cookies, cherry-infused, and plain brownies<b/>
Peppered shrimp<b/>
Dragon Pimento Chicken with smoked cinnamon pineapple chutney<b/>
The Asia’s CafÃ&Copy; booth<b/>
Bread pudding<b/>
Smoked salmon, tuna and avocado-filled sushi rolls<b/>
Pimora Pimento smoked chicken kebabs<b/>
Jacqui Tyson’s From Yard Style to Gourmet chefs Janique Morgan and Tisonie Daley ready to serve fresh specialty crêpes.<b/>
Fruit crêpes with a dollop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with raspberry and chocolate jus<b/>
Jacqui Tyson’s From Yard Style to Gourmet executive chef Rohan Soley on the grill.<b/>
The Pimora Pimento Smokers booth brought to you by Salada Foods<b/>
Succulent pork pastrami sliders<b/>
Vegetable, shrimp and scallop salad in a tortilla shell<b/>
Food entrepreneur/chef-caterer Jacqui Tyson welcomes <strong>Thursday Life</strong> to her Naked: Food Undressed booth.<strong></strong>
Beef Sliders: beef patties topped with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions<b/>
Escoveitched tilapia<b/>
The Rainforest Seafoods “Eat More Fish” booth<b/>
Brown sugar and chopped pecan bread pudding, drizzled with a vanilla sauce<b/>
100 Flat Bread: grilled chicken breast, bacon bits, caramelised onions and mozzarella cheese with a garlic aioli drizzle.<b/>
The queue to Jacqui Tyson’s Naked: Food Undressed fare<b/>
Patrons enjoying the Rainforest Seafoods experience.<b/>
100 Jackpot: warm pretzel fudge made with crushed pretzels and drizzled with a caramel sauce<b/>
The Caribbean Producers Jamaica booth<b/>
Food Awards patron Wendi Peart catches the live action of the Oklahoma City Thunders and Golden State Warriors game.<b/>
Mionetto Prosecco DOC Treviso on chill<strong></strong>
This Rainforest Seafoods attendant adds soy sauce to assorted sushi<b/>
California sushi rolls<b/>
The violet-h ued 100 Sports Lounge<b/>
The 100 kitchen staff (from left) Melissa Clarke, Brandon Murray, Odeisha Brown and Shantal McKenzie<b/>
Jacqui Tyson’s From Yard Style to Gourmet chefs Janique Morgan and Tisonie Daley are ready to serve fresh specialty crêpes.<strong></strong>
Chef Ricardo Barrett readies the Pimora Pimento smoked chicken kebabs<strong></strong>
Codfish hors d’oeuvres<b/>
Due Campari Nuovo marguerita<strong></strong>
The exquisite National Bakery Cream Thins booth filled with elegant furniture, National Cream Thins snacks, and Cream Thins-infused fare.<b/>
[48 ATL Automotive]7289<b/>
The Volkswagen Tiguan provided by ATL Automotive<b/>
University of Technology, Jamaica offerings (clockwise from centre) salt and pepper shrimp with red cabbage kimchi; curry chicken roulade atop rice and peas; and a corned beef and pork slider.<b/>
The Auto Revolution brought to you by ATL Automotive<b/>
Decorative elements bearing the National Bakery trademark<b/>
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Campari snowcone machine operator Kamarch Lynch makes a Campari grapefruit snowcone.<strong></strong>
JWN bartenders (from left) Nahjay Major, Kenish Brooks, and Patrice Henry serve up citrus-infused Appleton cocktails<strong></strong>
National Cream Thins Original chocolate chips<b/>
Bacardi Grand Melon Watermelon Rum and Superior White Rum<b/>
Smoked marlin salad perfect for National Cream Thins Sour Cream & Onion crackers<b/>
The JWN booth comes alive at nighttime<b/>
UTech, Jamaica specialty brownies topped with crushed nuts and coconut shavings.<b/>
The J Wray & Nephew booth comprising Campari, Appleton and Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum bars.<b/>
JWN bartender Qwayne Green pours Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum on the rocks.<strong></strong>
The velvet-roped entrance to the cinematic themed ATL Automotive booth<strong></strong>
Grey Goose vodka: L’Orange and Cherry Noir<b/>
Jumbo shrimp served with tomato chutney<b/>
National Cream Thins in Sweet Barbecue, Crispy Original, and Sour Cream & Onion<strong></strong>
Pineapple coconut and cherry cheesecake made with National Cream Thins Original<b/>
UTech, Jamaica Lecturer Yvonne Stewart fills the fruit tart cups with a fresh batch of mousse.<strong></strong>
Lasagna pizza: ground beef with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.<b>Observer</b>
<b>Observer</b>
[60 Pizza Please] 7563 Slices of Pepperoni pizza<b>Observer</b>
<b>Observer</b>
<strong>Observer</strong>
Stush in the Bush open-faced naseberry galettes<strong> (Observer)</strong>
<b>Observer</b>
<b>Observer</b>
Freshly baked products including garlic focaccia breadsticks (left) and loaves of callaloo and cheese, and ham and cheese calzones.<b>Observer</b>
The Pizza Please! ‘brick oven’ booth.<strong> Observer</strong>
Cliff Hanger Restaurant’s fried lion fish<strong></strong>
The verdant and well-appointed Heineken lounge<b/>
Make-up professional Monique Whitter (left), and Asheeka Harriott enjoy Kaluga Kafe tamarind ginger-glazed jerk pork tartlets with papaya relish.<b/>
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Heart-shaped hummingbird cakes<b/>
Jackfruit cheesecake with a coconut oatmeal crumble<b/>
Two-tiered vanilla and strawberry cake<strong></strong>
Curried mutton<b/>
Décor accents portray the Middle Eastern theme at Asia’s Café, decorated by Artistic Design & Events Planning.<strong></strong>
