Jamaica Tourist Board
Monday, March 27, 2023
The Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) will bring together three award-winning Caribbean chefs to celebrate the island’s vibrant gastronomy during the annual T.O. Food and Drink Fest, hosted at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from March 31 to April 2.
Local foodies can visit the Destination Jamaica booth throughout the weekend to connect with some of Canada’s top Jamaican-Canadian culinary stars, sample authentic Caribbean cuisine, and enter a special prize draw for a chance to win an intimate chef-prepared dinner party for four.
Hot on the heels of his Top Chef Canada season 10 victory, Chef Tre Sanderson will help kick off the festival with an exclusive appearance at the Jamaica booth alongside fellow culinary talent and food writer Chef Noel Cunningham.
The as-seen-on-TV chefs will be on-site with the JTB team on Friday, March 31 from 4 to 6 p.m. to meet with media guests and fans. The duo will also share special take-home recipe cards featuring their favourite Jamaican dishes: Top Chef winner Sanderson will reveal his recipe for sweet Plantain Bread with Spiced Cream Cheese while Cunningham will dish out the details on his signature Steamed Shrimp with Okra.
Destination Jamaica fans will also have an opportunity to sample authentic island cuisine during the three-day culinary event as celebrity chef and author Chef Selwyn Richards from The Art of Catering prepares a mouth-watering menu featuring three signature savoury dishes:
Boneless Jerk Chicken
mild pepper sauce, rice and peas with coconut milk, mango salsa with pea sprouts
Escovitch of Red Snapper Filet
sweet chili glaze
Curry Tofu Channa
Portobello mushroom and eggplant
Chef Selwyn Richards’ Jamaican menu for the T.O. Food & Drink Fest includes Curry Tofu Channa (left); Boneless Jerk Chicken (centre); and Escovitch of Red Snapper Filet (right).
Throughout the weekend, visitors at the JTB booth can submit contest entries for a chance to win a gourmet gift basket featuring Blue Mountain coffee, Jamaican rum, jerk seasoning and a cookbook. One lucky winner will take home Jamaica’s grand prize: a private in-home dinner party for four with wine pairings prepared by Chef Selwyn Richards (value: $2,000).
T.O. Food & Drink Fest visitors are invited to enjoy Caribbean dishes, pick-up free chef recipe cards and submit their entries for culinary themed prizes at the Destination Jamaica booth (#405) on Friday, March 31 from 5 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, April 1 from 12 to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, April 2 from 12 to 6 p.m.
To learn more about Jamaica’s vibrant culinary scene, go to visitjamaica.com/feel-the-vibe/cuisine.
