BEIJING – Jamaica Week celebrations in China culminated in fine style this week, at the Ritz-Carlton Beijing with a Grand Jamaican Evening Reception and Dinner. Activities to mark the week were held at the Ritz-Carlton Beijing to coincide with the visit of Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett and his delegation attending the China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market (COTTM).
The week showcased Jamaican food, music and culture and kicked off with a sumptuous Jamaican Sunday Brunch on April 13 in Beijing. It was presented by The Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street in collaboration with the Ritz Carlton Rose Hall Jamaica, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Embassy of Jamaica.
The brunch provided patrons an opportunity to sample a taste of Jamaica with a wide variety of tasty dishes from jerk chicken, curried goat and rice and peas to delectable desserts prepared by Paige Barrows and Omar Jackson, Jamaican chefs from Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall collaborating with Jurgen Bemmerl, Executive Chef of The Ritz-Carlton Beijing Financial Street. This was complemented by Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee along with live Caribbean music.
During the week, a number of restaurants at the Ritz-Carlton offered a choice of Jamaican lunch and dinner menus coupled as well as nightly Jazz and Reggae performances with a daily rum bar providing Jamaican aperitifs. Minister Bartlett noted that the week’s activities gave delegates an opportunity to sample a bit of Jamaica.
The weeklong celebrations in which Jamaica’s culture and food came into the spotlight climaxed on Wednesday evening with a Grand Jamaican Evening Cocktail Reception and dinner at the Ritz Carlton.
The five-course dinner was attended by Chinese government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, tour operators and travel partners, businesspersons, members of the media and COTTM delegates. The wonderful fare again provided by chefs from Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall and Ritz-Carlton Beijing with special presentations of world renowned Jamaican drinks, Appleton Rum and Blue Mountain Coffee. Guests were also treated to live musical entertainment by the Ritz-Carlton Jazz/Reggae Group and Jamaican entertainer A.J. Brown.
Minister Bartlett said he hoped that the Jamaica Week celebration provided an insight into what visitors from China can expect when they visit Jamaica and he used the opportunity to invite them to experience first hand the warm Jamaican hospitality because “Once You Go…You Know.”
