Courtney Sylvester, co-organiser of the Royal Food Festival, has hailed the March 22 staging a success.

Held at the S Foods Supermarket Parking Lot in New Kingston, the event featured dishes including Asian, Italian and Caribbean cuisine.

“The all-you-can-eat-and-drink offering came at an incredibly affordable price, making the experience both indulgent and accessible. The flavours, quality, and variety left our guests raving,” Sylvester told the Jamaica Observer.

The other members of the organising committee — Gary Walters, Brian Goldson, Abe Wilks, Sokoni Foresythe, Damian Whylie, Evroy Johnson, and Stephen Bell — were equally pleased with the feedback they received.

The festival featured further entertainment from Renaissance Disco, DJ Courtney, and MC Marlon Campbell.

Asian food offerings included Cantonese stewed pork, chicken with ginger and scallion, Singapore noodles, and vegetable fried rice.

Italian dishes, on the other hand, ranged from creamy shrimp penne pasta, fusilli primavera, and an Italian garden salad with a dressing.

A whole roasted pig, jerked chicken, roasted ham, and sweet potato represented for some of the Caribbean’s offerings.

Sylvester revealed that monies earned from the well-attended festival will benefit several causes.

“Proceeds from this event will make a meaningful impact, benefiting organizations such as Shady Grove Basic School, St Simon’s Basic School, Best Care Lodge (Foundation), Bustamante Children’s Hospital, Law Street Trade Training Centre, Jamaica Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA), and Mustard Seed Communities,” he said, adding that sponsors included VM Wealth Management, S Foods Supermarket, and CB Foods.

The members of the Royal Lodge remain committed to benevolence.

“Since 2012 the Royal Lodge has been hosting annual charity fund-raising events featuring food, music, and dancing. However, this year, we reimagined the format as a vibrant food festival, spotlighting three distinct international cuisines. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with guests appreciating the variety, creativity, and premium quality of the dishes,” he told the Observer.