PAN Chicken Champion 2017… Who Will It Be?
The aroma of spices was intoxicating yesterday morning at The HWT Transport Centre as CB Foods welcomed sponsors and patrons to the launch of PAN 2017. On hand, too, was PAN 2016 Champion Terry Ann Davidson to tantalise the palates with her chicken drizzled with avocado sauce. Ice-cold bottles of Red Stripe beer provided the perfect complement.
As guests tucked into the protein there could be no denying the reverence placed on both the pan chicken and the vendor.
The CB Foods PAN competition honours and continues this national tradition by affording a platform for pan vendors to showcase their talent. The competition is Jamaica’s largest free food festival but there’s more to it than tasty chicken. The 12-year-old event has been expanded to include business development grants, and training and business opportunities. Indeed, 2016 winner Terry Ann Davidson tugged on heart strings as she shared how she has been able to open her own restaurant and catering service C.T.R.C.S. after winning the competition. This was made possible with her prize money courtesy of CB Chicken as well as a business development grant from Jamaica National Small Business Loans.
“The 2017 staging of PAN will continue to preserve this tradition, while enhancing our culture,” shared CB Foods Regional Development Manager Alicia Bogues. “Promoted by CB Foods, PAN is committed to not only the improvement and expansion of the pan chicken industry, but also the heroes behind the pans, who are enterprising business owners and entrepreneurs.
“Each year we challenge ourselves to create a meaningful experience not only for patrons but also the participants,”
Bogues shared with Thursday Food the company’s desire for participants to gain increased knowledge of various aspects of food preparation, flavours and business management.
The 2017 search for the island’s top PAN Chicken male or female kicks off on Saturday, August 26, in St Elizabeth as competitors from Manchester, Clarendon, St James, Westmoreland, Hanover and St Elizabeth will battle in creativity and ingenuity for pan chicken glory. It then moves on, come Saturday, September 30 to Regional 2 in Portland where competitors from Portland, St Mary, St Thomas and St Catherine, Kingston and St Andrew, St Ann and Trelawny will square off. A winner and runner-up from each regional will advance to the Grand Finals slated for Sunday, October 29 in Half-Way-Tree, where they will battle for the coveted title of PAN Champion 2017.
And the prizes are…
Regional level:
The winner and runner-up from each parish to advance to the grand final receives $40k and $20k, respectively. Additionally, they receive gift baskets from National, Miracle Ketchup, Pepsi, Red Stripe, Walkerswood and Pimora by Salada.
Grand final:
• Winner takes home 300k from CB and one year’s supply of chicken. 100k from National Baking Company and one year’s supply of hardough bread. One year’s supply of Miracle Tomato Ketchup, and a business development grant from Jamaica National Small Business Loans and JN Money Transfer , valued at 250k.
• 2nd place gets 150K from CB and one year’s supply of chicken. 70K from National Baking Company and one year’s supply of bread.
• 3rd place gets 75K from CB and one year’s of chicken, 30K from National Baking Company and one year’s supply of bread.
• Both second and third places get business development grants from JN small business loans.
• Plus products from other sponsors and vouchers from JPS.
*Each participant gets two cases of chicken for each event, and they sell and keep all proceeds. CB provides the pans, chopper, napkins, foil, bread, sauces etc.
Partners of PAN 2017 are: CB Chicken, National Baking Company, Jamaica National Small Business Loans and JN Money Transfer, Red Stripe, Pepsi, Miracle Ketchup, Monster Milk, Walkerswood, JPSCo, Pure National Ice, Pimora by Salada, Social Development Commission, Main Event and Pear Tree.
