National Rum Day — celebrated this year on Friday, August 16 — paid homage to Jamaican rum, its storied history, and the community of makers, bartenders, chefs, and drinkers, whose lives are made a little better by rum!

This community marked rum day with an event of culinary brilliance at Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel’s Regency Room for ‘Still’, a five-course rum-inspired dinner crafted by
Chopped Canada Season 2 winner and executive chef of Montreal restaurants Jellyfish Crudo et Charbon and the Pubjelly, Chef Mathieu Masson-Duceppe.

A total of 30 guests dined in unparalleled style as Chef Masson-Duceppe took them on a journey through the vibrant and complex flavours of Jamaica, reimagined with his culinary expertise.

Made with carpaccio, tomatoes, wafu, lime, and Hampden 8-Year-Old rum, the Tomato Lobster Carpaccio was as visually stunning as it was delicious, and was the perfect starter. That course and the four that followed were thoughtfully paired with the cocktails made with Hampden Estate and Worthy Park Estate rums.

Next, guests bit into the Cauliflower Tempura, which was bold, spicy, and robust, crunchy and exciting with flavours of Scotch bonnet, Worthy Park Single Estate, maple, burnt scallions, and sour cream emerging.

Plantain Gnocchi and Oxtail paired beautifully with Cacao Cane Rum Old Fashioned crafted with the intense, oaky, and exotic Hampden Estate HLCF Classic. The miso-glazed pork belly was truly a melt-in-your-mouth treat. The final course, Crème Brûlée with Molasses, a rich custard infused with the flavours of Hampden 8-Year-Old rum, banana, sugar cane, and cookie crumble, was arguably the star of the show!