CORAL GABLES – Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival in collaboration with the Organization for Jamaican Unity (OJU) took the University of Miami campus by storm with a presentation of mouth watering Jamaican jerk chicken and other tasty delights, fittingly entitled Taste of Jamaica.
For the first time at the University of Miami, authentic Jamaican Jerk chicken was grilled, served and devoured on “The Rock”, a bustling student meeting place in the center of campus.
The aroma of jerk chicken on the grill attracted over four hundred students and faculty alike to this central gathering place where they not only sampled spicy jerk chicken, but also an assortment of Grace Tropical Rhythms juices, coconut water and banana chips.
Chef Stafford serving a sample of Jerk Chicken to a Student at the University of Miami.
Taste of Jamaica, an annual event presented by the student organization OJU, was given a complete upgrade by the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival, transforming the event into a grand presentation of Jamaican culture through food. The highly anticipated event had students gathering on “The Rock” from early in the afternoon, braving the blazing sun, to sample jerk chicken and festival prepared by Chef Stafford and Truck Stop’s Harry Sinclair respectively. Those waiting were refreshed with Grace drinks, Golden Krust cocktail patties, potato pudding and Grace plantain chips. Many students could not resist the opportunity for a free lunch and found their way on line again and again, jammin’ to a selection of reggae hits.
Sydney Roberts (left) of Jamaican Jerk Festival USA, Inc. with members of OJU at the Taste of Jamaica at the University of Miami.
The Organization for Jamaican Unity was more than grateful for the initiative by the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival and Grace Foods, promoting Jamaican culture at the Miami campus. “OJU is proud to be associated with the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival in anticipation of their 10th anniversary,” stated Ludlow Dawes III, President – Organization for Jamaican Unity. He added, “We hope to continue this tradition as a way to bring Jamaican culture to the U.” After getting a ‘Taste of Jamaica’, the University of Miami community is now more ready than ever for the 10th Annual Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival on November 13, 2011 where they can once again indulge in a variety of jerk cuisine and cultural presentations.
