Patti Labelle makes appearance today

Preparations for the start of today's Jamaica Epicurean Escape has gone exceptionally well. That statement was made very clearly with the arrival of Patti Labelle to the island on Wednesday.

Labelle arrived a few days in advance in order to relax and enjoy some of the Jamaican sunshine.

The international contingent of chefs has been arriving throughout the week. Ted Reader arrived and worked feverishly to prepare for his demonstrations.

Lorraine Washington and Patricia Miranda were hunkered down with their Jamaican colleague Sharon Chambers, preparing for seminars and demonstrations. The members of the Trinidad and Tobago Culinary Institute are also in the island readying themselves for their participation.

On the home front, local chefs helped promote the show with several interviews and appearances in the electronic media.

The Richmond Park Estate in St Ann was a flurry of activity as the team did everything to be ready for Saturday.

"We had a major setback with the heavy rains over Sunday and Monday, but by putting in some extra-long days, we caught up. The infrastructure is all laid out and our tents are in and the decorators and sponsors are busily working on their areas," explained Site Manager Mike Creary.

"The public is showing a great deal of interest and we have been getting many hits on our Facebook page, thousands of tweets and many phone calls, so we are looking forward to an excellent turnout. Of course, as with any event of this size, there are a number of last-minute hitches and glitches to deal with. We are very excited and looking forward to providing a great experience for visitors and participants alike," said team leader Marcia McDonnough.

DEFINITE BUZZ

Maxine McDonnough, communi-cations manager of the event, said: "There is a definite buzz and anticipation among the public, and this is, undoubtedly, due to the overwhelming support we have received from our media partners, who have assisted in presenting a strong advertising campaign and many promotional opportunities."

For more on the exciting Jamaica Epicurean Escape, visit www.jamaicaepicureanescape.com, follow at twitter.com/JEpicurean and like the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/JAEpicurean.