James Bond Beach, Ocho Rios will be the venue for the fourth annual Jamaica Spice Food Festival that will be held on Sunday, September 30. Sunday’s event will mark the culmination of a number of activities that will be held in Ocho Rios from Thursday, September 27, International Tourism Day.

Billed as the ultimate food lovers weekend, events will kick off with the Spicy Street Fete on Thursday and continue with the Master Chef Cocktail on Friday. The Gold Awards Gala Dinner will take place at the Grand Lido Sans Souci hotel on Saturday and on Sunday Jamaica Spice culminates with the ultimate food festival. Cooking seminars will be held throughout the event.

Organiser, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), has expanded the festival to four days to build on last year’s successes as the event attracted the attention of the Emmy award-winning Better Homes and Gardens Television as well as Soul Beat TV from California which captured highlights of the festival for broadcast to overseas audiences.

According to director of tourism, Fay Pickersgill, Jamaica Spice has been expanded to showcase the diversity as well as the best of Jamaican cuisine. This year we should enjoy significant coverage abroad as some 10 overseas radio stations will be broadcasting live from Ocho Rios and approximately 150 travel agents and a number of representatives of the culinary press will be visiting the island at the same time.

Pickergsill said the festival will also be highly entertaining and educational as a number of seminars for hobby cooks and professionals with both local and international master chefs have been planned. Activities also include restaurant promotions and competitions as well as cooking and product demonstrations.

Featured activities include the Golden Apron, Teen Spice (Aspiring Chef), Real Men Can Cook and last year’s favourite, My Granny’s Sweet Potato Pudding Competition. BBC TV chef, Anthony Worall Thompson, will be one of the celebrity Master Chefs and he will conduct the Market to Market seminar along with Dennis McIntosh, executive chef of the Ritz Carlton on Saturday, September 29.

Also commenting on the festival, general manager of events and special projects at the JTB, Frances Yeo, said the event which is being presented in partnership with Best Dressed Foods, aims to reach Jamaicans and visitors at all levels and is suited for the entire family. According to Yeo, this year, in addition to the Kiddies Bakery sponsored by JF Mills, there are a number of other special activities for young people including the Teen Spice Competition which is focusing specifically on young cooks in the 11-18 age group, as well as the Website Design competition in which all are being encouraged to participate.

She said adequate arrangements are being made for parking, security and accommodation for those who wish to stay over and experience the entire four-sday event.