Queens, NY – She has captured the word with her beauty and style, and now, Miss Universe Jamaica, Kaci Fennell, will display her culinary skills as a Celebrity Cook-off contestant at this year’s Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival – New York. The annual celebration of Jamaican food, music and culture will be staged on Sunday, July 19, at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens and is one of the “must attend” summer events attracting over 16,000 food and music enthusiasts last year.
The Jamaican beauty, who made quite an impression at the Miss Universe contest earlier this year, is just as comfortable in the kitchen as she is on the runway and will electrify the audience as she creates tasty dishes to impress the judges in the Celebrity Quick Fire Challenge. “This is always one of the highlights of the day,” stated June Minto, coordinator of the Jerk Cook-off Pavilion, “Kaci’s appearance will be even more exciting this year as the audience will get a chance to interact with her and cheer her on as she cooks under the pressure of competition.” Other activities will include cooking demonstrations by Chef Irie Spice, host of the new PBS show “Taste The Islands with Chef Irie”, Chef Eddie G, host of the national syndicated show “Coast 2 Coast Cuisine” and Grace Foods chef “Sam” Davis.
New York’s biggest Caribbean food festival will again be filled with entertainment for everyone. This year’s highlights will include a Cultural Stage featuring traditional oral and folk performances, The Kidz Zone (a family favorite for kids of all ages) including rides, storytellers and face painting, and a busy Corporate Row offering samples and give-aways from event sponsors.
The main stage will feature performances from the crowd pleaser Sanchez, young hit maker Romain Virgo, Jamaica’s number one party band, Fab 5 Band and Carlene Davis, who will anchor a dynamic gospel segment to include other performers. A rare New York appearance by King Jammy’s Sound will be sure to delight the audience and entertain fans with a solid selection of dancehall anthems and crowd favorites to satisfy their musical appetite.
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Advance tickets are $30 and will be available online at www.jerkfestivalny.com and selected retail outlets in the next few weeks. Kids 12 and under will be admitted free. Gates will open at 12:00 pm and the fun will go on until 8:00 pm. The Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival New York is produced by Jamaican Jerk Festival U.S.A. Inc. and VP Records, the event is sponsored by Western Union, Continental Bakery, Vitamalt and Tower Isle Frozen Foods.
