Who knew that Jamaica needed a show that combines courtroom drama with cooking? Nestlé did!

Maggi Food Court, which premiered on Sunday, August 22, is entertaining, memorable, has a cast that reflects society, and leaves viewers with a good taste in their mouth. Using the rubric of what makes for good television, Thursday Food gives Maggi Food Court high marks.

The show’s premise is simple. Each week two local chefs, cooks, or caterers prepare a meal chosen by Nestlé. Then in front of a panel presided over by judge Dufton Shepherd, assisted by bailiff Dahmarly Foster, the participants plead why they should be the winner.

In the series première, Carlington Clarke, co-principal of Jermainz and Nadz Kitchen in Portmore, St Catherine, battled Russell’s Takeout Services principal Michael Russell of Kingston. The theme, or in Maggi Food Court-speak the case file was “Rice to the Occasion.”

The cooking portion of each episode kicks off with a quick-fire challenge. Each participant gets 15 minutes to create a dish with ingredients from the Nestlé store and a refrigerator stocked with Best Dressed Chicken, Hamilton’s Smokehouse, and Reggae Jammin’ products. Clarke prepared Reggae Chicken Tenders while Russell, overwhelmed by time constraints, prepared a mozzarella hot dog. For the main course, Clarke made jerk soup with pita bread and seasoned rice with fish. Russell bounced back with a visually appealing vegetable soup and a seasoned rice medley (ackee, salt fish, and chicken). After conferring, the judges — Cortia Bingham, Chef Theo Smith, and Ockino Petrie — preferred Carlington Clarke’s menu.

In episode two, Peckish principal Joseph Johnson battled Father Bull head chef Romaine Brown. The case file: “Wings of Freedom.” The quick-fire challenge could have been the whole episode because these chefs took the word “battle” seriously as the laser focus with which they approached the challenge made viewers, wonder if they were reserving energy for the main event. Johnson made a black forest ham flatbread with spinach, tomato, and garlic, while Brown made egg and frank wraps.

The mains were things to behold. Johnson’s meal comprised ackee and smoked salmon dip served with tostones (appetiser) and honey barbecue wings with a macaroni and three-cheese cup. Brown, too, opted for a seafood appetiser — shrimp in a cucumber cup. His main was his version of honey barbecue wings served with herbed roasted potatoes. From the jury’s (Daniel Caron, Amanda McCreath, and Kingsley Morgan) comments, the viewers had an inkling in which direction they were leaning. Therefore, it was no surprise when judge Dufton Shepherd announced that the winner was Peckish principal Joseph Johnson.

Maggi Food Court airs Sundays at 5:30 pm on TVJ .

You can view episodes on Maggi’s Instagram page @maggijm.

Photos: Courtesy of Nestlé Jamaica