KGN Kitchen: The Night Market, an annual food festival aimed at spotlighting the local gastronomy scene, hosted its 11th staging at Hope Gardens, on Saturday, July 1.

The culinary event, wrapped around the theme ‘Eat Good’, attracted some 90 exhibitors to the delight of organisers Jacqui “Juicy Chef” Sinclair, Melanie Miller, and Leisha Wong.

One of the highlights of this year’s staging was the inclusion of up-and-coming food brands, which added a fresh and exciting dimension to the event. Sinclair shared her enthusiasm with Thursday Food. “It’s a great space for vendors to come out and test their new products; it’s like a testing ground. A lot of people usually come here to see what’s new in the culinary world and we’re very grateful for that. This year we had our largest group of vendors and food trucks yet. We wanted to create an experience that is accessible to everyone, where food lovers can indulge in a wide range of dishes at an affordable price. Kingston Kitchen is all about bringing people together and celebrating our local cuisine,” she said.

KGN Kitchen also remains committed to supporting local street food vendors, who are an integral part of Jamaica’s food culture. This year’s festival featured a delightful assortment of street food stalls, serving up local favourites like jerk chicken and pork, Bad Dawg sausages, soup, and coconut jelly.

The event also carried a ‘Pickney plaza’ which featured a bounceabout, ferris wheel, cotton candy, land train and face painting, while DJ Narity and Coppershot soundspace handled the evening’s soundspace.

Sponsors included TEF, Lasco, Lynk, The Best Dressed Chicken, Pure Country, Gustazos, Mountain Peak, Starlight Productions, Flow, Pepsi, Tropicana, Red Pin, Road Jockey and Aqua Essential.