by Carol Provost
This year’s Jerk Cook-Off Competition is shaping up to be as hotly contested as in previous years, as contestants fine-tune their closely guarded, sure-fire, blue ribbon recipes, and prepare to battle for the coveted gold Dutch Pot (Dutchie) Trophy, plus serious bragging rights.
The Jerk Cook-Off Competition is one of the many entertaining activities to see and do at the Jamaican Jerk Festival, which will take place at Markham Park, in Sunrise on Sunday, September 18, noon to 9 p.m.
And this is not just any old cook-off. Now in its fourth year, the Jerk Cook-Off, and indeed the whole Jamaican Jerk Festival, is growing in popularity by leaps and bounds. Previous years’ contests have been held under large, cool tents with elegantly decorated stations, many adorned with exotic tropical blooms. Contestants in chef’s garb or stylishly conservative attire stand proudly by their entries. The judges move from table to table, tasting and evaluating. Table decor and appointments such as fine linen, flatware and china are some embellishments that competitors utilize to enhance their entries; perhaps that they hope will woo and wow the judges. But of course, the star is the Jerk cuisine.
Entries are judged on elements of preparation such as taste, texture and tenderness, as well as elements of presentation such as garnish, table décor, and chef’s appearance. All count towards an entry’s total points. Among those to be tapped for judging duty are Barbara Ellington, from Jamaica, renowned food critic and connoisseur of fine dining, also Sara Mair, one of the head chefs at Ortanique restaurant in Coral Gables. In a novel and innovative move this year, actual festival-goers will be selected to participate in the judging.
The first place winner in 2004 was a Jamaican, Bernett Spence, who lives in Boynton Beach. Some believe that he was actually more thrilled with winning the golden Dutchie more so than with his cash prize. Last year’s second place winner is Kingston-born Trevor Griffiths, who lives in Fort Lauderdale and owns a commercial high-pressure steam cleaning company — when he is not performing as a Jerk chef, that is. He will be competing again this year, intent on pursuing top honors. The 2004 Jerk Competition was his first, and he is confident that he can build upon his success and experience and change that silver to gold in 2005. “I really only entered last year at the prompting of some friends and also for the fun of it”, Griffiths says. “I was pleasantly surprised when I took second place. “This year I am in it as a competitor. I have improved my recipe”, he says, careful not to give away any details, “And I will also be working some more on the presentation”.
And they will have challengers from all walks of life. “The field of competition is wide open; it’s anyone’s game”, says June Minto, coordinator of the competition. “People might be surprised to know that the 2003 champion was an Italian American, Joseph “Papa Joe” Voden, who learned the intricacies of Jerk cuisine in New York from Jamaican friends.” Within a couple of months of his victory at the Jerk Cook-Off Competition, Papa Joe had opened his very own restaurant on Miami Beach, says Minto. His success with this uniquely Jamaican cuisine and the fact that his Jerk impressed the people from whose country it originated was instrumental in his decision to open up shop. Front and center on the menu is …but of course… Jerk.
Prizes for the Jerk Cook-Off Competition are: First Place- five hundred dollars and the gold Dutch Pot trophy; Second Place- two hundred and fifty dollars and the silver Dutch Pot trophy, and Third Place- one hundred dollars and the bronze Dutch Pot trophy …and of course, bragging rights all around. So come out and support your favorite contestant or just see the action go down at the Jerk Cook-Off, part of the Jamaican Jerk Festival. It’s a fun-filled, all-day family outing with food, art and crafts, displays, games and rides, plus musical entertainment featuring Byron Lee and the Dragonaires plus many others.
Tickets are five dollars in advance from selected outlets or at JamaicansRUs.com; they are ten dollars at the gate. Broward County Parks charges a one-dollar per person park entry fee.
