JAMAICA, WORLD-RE-NOWNED for its culinary offerings, will mount the 2003 Jamaica Food Festival - formerly known as the National Professional Culinary Arts Competition - during this weekend, July 25 - 27, at the Jamaica Grande in Ocho Rios.
A record number of 350 entries have already been received for this year's food festival and a panel of seven judges from Canada, the USA, Jamaica and the wider Caribbean will adjudicate the entries. It is judges such as these who have, over the years, described the Jamaica Food Festival as "a world class event" that impresses with the creative ways the chefs use Caribbean ingredients" - and whose positive comments have helped to attract the attention of a number of media representatives from Europe and North America who have again booked to cover the 2003 event.
The Jamaica Broilers Group, through its Best Dressed Foods marketing arm, will be the major sponsor of this premier Jamaica Food Festival for the 30th successive time - again providing all of the major product trophies and cash prizes in the chicken, fish and beef categories.
According to Pamella Powell, Culinary Arts Co-ordinator for the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) which organises the annual competition, the Jamaica Food Festival has long been among the most popular of the Jamaica Festival events.
'TWEAKING'
But, in recognition of the value of "tweaking" the product to keep it interesting, the organisers have added two new elements. For the first time, there will be a "Master Chef Cook-Off" on Sunday, July 27 involving 13 chefs who have competed locally and internationally and who will vie for the Governor General's Trophy and a cash prize of $30,000.
Additionally, award ceremonies will be held following each day's activities, instead of the one large ceremony that is traditionally held on the Sunday, Mrs. Powell noted. The product trophies and cash prizes that Jamaica Broilers will sponsor for hand-over at these ceremonies have been increased for 2003 - with the category awards of $30,000 reflecting a 50 per cent increase and the cash incentives of $8,000 each, reflecting a 60 per cent increase.
Also on Jamaica Food Festival Sunday, the JCDC will launch a newly-published cookbook that will feature outstanding recipes from the annual event that utilised Best Dressed Chicken and Fish, as well as Content Beef. At the same time, the JCDC will honour the Jamaica Broilers Group for its 30 years of continuous support as major sponsor of the Jamaica Food Festival.
