Taste of the Caribbean send-off
Published:Thursday | June 27, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Some of the country's youngest and most promising chefs and bartenders are off to compete in the regional culinary competition Taste of the Caribbean, at the Hyatt Regency in Miami, Florida.
The team left the island yesterday after giving food aficionados a taste of what the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) judges in Miami will get at a rehearsal dinner at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, last Friday evening.
The Jamaican team, led by executive chefs Kenrick Stewart and Dennis McIntosh, showcased the island's food in a contemporary fashion, titillating the taste buds with an exciting coconut curry shrimp opener, complemented with breadfruit chips.
A zucchini-wrapped chicken breast with jerked salmon, which received mixed reaction from some 30 diners in attendance, was the main course. Served with a yellow yam cake, which received an A+, the culinary giants topped off the three-course meal with an unusual tropical fruit cake with barbecued mango custard.
Even the country's top male athletes made their way on the Jamaican-dominated menu, as mixologist, Melissa Fletcher of Hilton Rose Hall, created waves with her 'Jamaica 123' vodka drink, a tribute to Usain Bolt, Warren Weir and Yohan Blake.
As brawta, the chefs invited cheesecake genius Teresa Clarke of Couples Sans Souci to showcase her mind-blowing, lip-smacking 'Wild Thyme Cheesecake', infused with ackee, passion jelly and salt fish crumble.
Excellent presentation
Graded by the diners, most of the food lovers felt the shrimp presentation was excellent, owing to the rich and vibrant colours, while the crispy and delectable breadfruit, accompanied by the starfruit salsa, was a treat. According to Best Dressed Foods' Andrew Allen, "The shrimp jumped out at you as it was not overcooked, it wasperfect."
The team that won nine medals in 2012 is going for even more in 2013, and they are cognisant of the fact that the judges are looking for authentic Caribbean identity, paying keen attention to the ability of each team to bring out the flavours of their island.
If the appetiser was anything to go by, Team Jamaica has a great opportunity to excel at the event.
In the case of the chicken and salmon entrée, which was lovely, the dish needed a more savoury sauce as most in attendance acknowledged. However, many agreed this was a very interesting way to combine meat and seafood. Chef Brian Lumley used okra puréed with seasoning as a binding agent for this meal.
Best part
Hands down, the best part of this course was the yellow yamcake - declared an early winner.
Pastry chef Lincoln Peterkin's tropical fruit cake got a pass mark from Alicia James of Signature Cakes and that was enough confirmation that this area was in good hands.
The Jamaicans are competing against nine other teams from various islands, including defending champions Trinidad and Tobago and biggest competitors Puerto Rico.
Others who make up the local team are executive chef and ice carving champion Randi Anderson; Samuda Thomas of the University of Technology; Dwight Cross, the Jamaica Pegasus; Gian Stewart, Sandals Royal Plantation; and Ernest Levy, Grand Palladium.