Five students from the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) School of Hospitality and Tourism Management were presented with Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards scholarships and bursaries on Friday, June 13.

Three final-year students — Lacieann Bell, Tannica Palmer, and Rabyaah Fisher — were awarded scholarships, while bursaries were awarded to Malik Shields and Mekayla Mullings. The recipients were selected after conversation-style interviews with a panel of judges headed by Novia McDonald-Whyte, the conceptualiser and chair of the Food Awards, and including customer service expert Norma Williams and Red Stripe Communications Manager Daika Mitchell.

In addition to the scholarships and bursaries from the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards committee, Red Stripe, through its D&G Foundation, will provide all five awardees with books and grants valued at $1.5 million. This year marks the final in the three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the partnership signed by D&G Foundation director Dianne Ashton Smith in June 2023.

Now in its 26th year, the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards has been offering scholarships to final-year students at the University of Technology enrolled in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. These scholarships aim to elevate the culinary industry and support students who are diligently training in the field.