Day two of the 2026 Jamaica Food and Drink Festival (JFDF)was more than a mere nod to the past; it was a display of the evolution of Caribbean gastronomy. The iconic Sabina Park cricket ground in Kingston, played host to Decade 2.0 on Friday, March 6 — a night where nostalgia met innovation as festival favourites Crisp, Pork Palooza, Chopstix, and Picante showcased the talents of over 20 culinarians. Supported by five premium bars, notably Select Brands, CPJ, Appleton Estate, Pepsi and Legend Beer, the evening, complete with sold-out grounds, solidified its reputation as the festival’s most in-demand ticket.

A standout highlight for this year’s festival was Trinbagonian Chef Brigette Joseph at the Visa booth, where she introduced patrons to the flavours of her culture through Geera Pork and Pepper Roti Squares. Now an exhibitor after years of attending as a guest, Joseph is focused on the future: Elevating traditional island flavours into a global culinary language.

“I feel very honoured and grateful to be able to showcase my culinary skills for the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival, and really happy that I could have brought my Trinidadian flavours to the table.” Joseph said. “To me, it is very important to keep it [as traditional] as possible but also do it in a way that is reimagined and elevated for want of a better word, [in order] to showcase that our Caribbean food can stand up to any other cuisine globally.”

Echoing these same sentiments was featured chef Gariel Ferguson, who collaborated with CB Foods in the Pork Palooza zone to deliver an array of innovative takes on the festival’s most beloved protein. Championing a push for regional distinction, Ferguson is calling on local chefs to push the boundaries of Caribbean fusion. His aim is clear: To develop a world-class culinary identity that is as globally competitive as it is locally recognisable.

“We have offerings from Trinidad, from Barbados, from all over the Caribbean. We need to start looking at our Caribbean partners and neighbours [and] start using all of the food from the Caribbean — taking a little from here, a little from there and creating our own fusion,” Ferguson implored. “If we create our own fusion, then nothing would compare to us.”

Making a noteworthy début at Decade 2.0 was One Park Restaurant and Lounge, led by Chef Judah Ellis. Ellis captivated patrons at the Picante booth with a visually stunning and flavourful Snapper Mosaic. Having previously been unfamiliar with the festival’s inner workings, the chef was not only overwhelmed by the enthusiastic reception but left feeling inspired to return with even more avant-garde offerings.

“It is a lot of work. But we are in the business of entertaining. We are in the business of giving back. We are in the business of making sure that people eat well,” Ellis said: “It makes us want to push to the next level. We get to see them enjoy something a little different than the traditional. And we are going to raise the bar even higher.”

The evening’s culinary celebration was matched by the outstanding collaboration of DJ Narity and Bloodline Franco curating the soundtrack that kept the energy high all night long even despite a few glitches.

Decade was followed the next day by Meet Street & The Market and The Blue Mountain Coffee Festival.

Photographer: Joseph Wellington

CIBC Country Head Annique Dawkins (centre) shared the frame with Olympian Asafa Powell and his wife, model Alyshia Miller-Powell, at the CIBC booth. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Chef Brigette Joseph (left) got a quick snap with Jamaica Observer Media Group Managing Director Dominic Beaubrun and his HR consultant wife Angelique. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Celebrating Decade 2.0 at the Visa booth were (from left) CIBC Associate Director for Credit Cards Dowen Allen, CIBC Senior Manager, Cards Bianca Duguid-Smith, Visa Country Manager Frank Gandarillas, Visa Senior Marketing Manager Kenesha Thomas, CIBC Marketing Manager, Cards Samantha Suttle, Visa regional marketing managers Ayanna McClean and Yanique Dawkins. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Campari Group Managing Director Daniel Caron-Boulard (centre) enjoyed the festivities with attorney-at-law Duane Thomas (left) and JamPower Limited director David Pijuan. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)