Huge line up for Kingston Kitchen tomorrow! Start to pick, choose & refuse from now! Suga knows her stops 🙂
Enjoy the weekend Suga Bears!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Save the Date!
Save the Date for this Sweet tooth Experience and get to know our Jamaican Bakers.
The displays should be to die for!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Who Made the Girls Say, Picante at JFDF 2017?!
The Menu!
I grabbed a tasty ‘Coketail’ on the way in to Picante last Friday night and stopped by Walkerswood featuring Alexa Von Strolley. Her Coconut milk, Mint and Cucumber Granita pleased the palate. Her Spicy Pork Belly with Chinese Pancake was indeed spicy. I enjoyed it. It didn’t look like the Curried Arancini with Fried Thai Basil Shrimp and Spicy Carrot salsa was ready though, so I missed out on that one.
Chef Andre Fowles was my first stop inside the main area. I was excited to see what the famous Chef had to offer. He is the first Jamaican dubbed two-time ‘Chopped’ Champion. He is also Chef de Cuisine at the renowned Miss Lily’s in New York.
He is famous for Jamaican Fusions and he demonstrated that last Friday night at Picante. Chef Fowles served up a juicy, well seasoned Oxtail mole with ‘Tun Caanmeal’ Churros. He was surprised that I wanted Pork. I think he thought the ladies were watching their weight. But he had no idea who he was talking to. I told him to give me the ‘Picante Pork Belly’ stat. It came with Scotch Bonnet Avocado crème. It was spicy but it didn’t make me scream, Picante. I enjoyed all the flavours resonating from the dish though, a mix of both sweet and spicy and I felt honoured to have his food.
Charissa Henry of Pink Apron Ja, who has been on the circuit for about three years had a lot going on, maybe too much. Her food came with instructions and a paper bag to shake it all up in. Her ‘Blouse and Skirt Swimz’ consisted of Jam-Asian Salt and Pepper Shrimp served with Nitrogen smashed, Chai Sweet Potatoes. I thought the Pepper Shrimp would have been spicy, but they weren’t. The entire concept was creative, but I don’t think the ‘shake-up brown paper bag’ to eat out of was suitable for a casually elegant event. Great job with the Nitrogen smashed, Chai Sweet Potatoes though. That had a uniquely satisfying taste and texture and definitely displayed thinking outside the box.
Allison Porter-Smalling a.k.a Chef Alli P, foodie turned homegrown Chef turned Cuisine artist, a newbie in the industry, peaked my interest. But her Beef Skirt topped with Watermelon Salsa and Scallion Aioli was disappointingly bland. No wonder there was no line. Points for presentation though.
If you were wondering which station had a line the entire night, that was Stush in the Bush’s Chris and Lisa Binns at work! The King and Queen of a unique farm to table experience including vegan delights, fiya grilled pizzas, homemade sauces, butters and preservatives.
Their long line wasn’t because they were moving slowly either. Even their friends pitched in to help them serve. When the rain relieved other tents from lines, persons still stood in the rain so they didn’t lose their spot in the line for Stush in the Bush! What were they giving these people?
I can’t believe it wasn’t Chicken! It was spicy Cauliflower ‘Chicken’ Wings and Mustard Greens with liquid STUSH Blow Fyah Sauce and Grilled Corn with a Scotch Bonnet Cashew Cream, Cilantro and Lime. Divine! Definitely Picante and even though I tried my best not to choose my faves, Stush in the Bush as the Winning station for the night, I cannot deny them what was earned. Bravo. Hi Five. Rain Dance.
Persons in the line that were clueless about Stush in the Bush from Priory, St. Ann, were surely brought up to speed by me while waiting. After the fact, when I checked on one of the ladies indulging in her Grilled Corn, her reaction was ‘Yes. Sooo good. I have to go to their place.’
Simon Levy, known for his brand, Roast, is the Chef that provides artisan meats to foodies. His Smoked Paprika Pork Belly was tender, but wasn’t anything to keep talking about. However, those Scotch Bonnet Margarita Shots were a hit! Picante!
Oji Jaja’s Coconut Lime Ceviche with Poached Shrimp pleased but didn’t tantalize the palate. I appreciated the exquisite presentation and variety in flavour, but it needed some zest to go with the theme of the night.
Fromage Gourmet Market/Brasserie’s Lisa Chin had some tasty Habanero Shrimp Cakes with truffle Corn Béchamel.
Colin Hylton, one of THE most popular consultancy Chefs in Jamaica and a veteran in the industry for 30 years, familiarly known for his Restaurant that was Guilt Trip, made us scream Picante. That round of Beef that I had when he said he was almost out of food was tough as rocks though. Where did he get that meat?! Anyhow, that sauce was finger-licking and hot!
I had low expectations for Alexx Antaeus of Opa Greek Cuisine. I didn’t even join his line. My husband, Randy decided to still give him a try, bringing back a plate full of food that he hardly touched. I gave him the ‘I told you so’ look and gave his Greek Herb Jerked Chicken, Spicy Beef, Eggplant and Béchamel Moussaka a try. ‘Meh’. It lacked seasoning, flavour and spice.
I was told I needed to head over to Jacqui Tyson. Jacqui is of course an icon in the Culinary industry, of which she has been a part of for the past 20 years. But as I stabilised the contents of my stomach below ‘full buck’, I tried to visit Chefs who I have never tried before. Her tent was also very crowded when I arrived. I was happy to still have space! I made it over to her tent at about 11pm, where there was still a line close towards the end of the night. My husband confirmed I missed her Picante! He visited earlier in the night and said her line was long but it moved quickly.
I had her well textured, Salmon Lollipop marinated in Olive oil, Tarragon and Garlic, grilled with three Béarnaise pepper (Scotch bonnet, Jalapeno and Mexican dried Chili) that was delish. I missed out on the handmade aged Appleton rum caviar that was sprinkled on top. What a calamity.
I took a break, missing out on Chef Christian Sweeney’s delights and passed on Desserts by KukUp Creations.
I then made the wise choice of leaving dessert for the end of the night. I visited Chocolatier Michelle Smith of Chocolate Dreams. What a treat! The entire spread of Hot Chocolate, Truffles, Toffees and Brownies was delicious. We ended the night saying Picante. Those Crunchy Scotch Bonnet Toffees were fire! Well done Michelle.
Picante was a fun, spectacular event. There was good music and I appreciated the availability of my choice of premium liquor up to 11pm and the fact that the rain was not continuous throughout the night. It actually seemed fitting for the event. Everytime a station heated us up like Stush in the Bush or Simon Levy’s Scotch Bonnet Margarita shots, there was a cool foreign-like breeze according to my friend Tiffany and a drizzle of rain. The event was equipped with a huge tent in the middle to shelter persons. We had top of the line options to pick, choose and refuse from. When the Big Man up above thought we were bordering on gluttony a bit after 11pm, a downpour of rain came down to wash away our gastronomical sins and in turn concluded Picante! #SugaEndorsed
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga’s Top Picks at CRISP Last Thursday!
Jamaica Food and Drink Festival’s Crisp last Thursday night was a soggy but tasty, well decorated affair. Rain was continuous throughout the entire day right up to the scheduled start time of 7pm. I kept checking the event’s Instagram page to see if it was still on and saw no update even after 6pm. So I got ready after 7pm as planned and arrived at 8pm.
I was surprised to see so many persons already in the venue with their umbrellas and some equipped for the drenched Gardens of the Pegasus in rain boots! There were already lines by the different Chefs. I hate lines. Especially since I had less than an hour to circle the event to get to another engagement afterwards.
Tickets were almost sold out and the event was still on despite the continuous rain, so it was clear that Patrons came out early to get their money’s worth. This event proves Food surely brings out Jamaican people, rain or shine and early too.
It was after the fact that I saw updates on JFDF’s Instagram page that the event was still on and the new start time was 8pm. I am sure many persons would not have seen those notices if they already started getting ready to battle the traffic.
I appreciated the colourful, Mexican themed décor. It definitely lightened the mood along with fully stocked bars that had a wide variety of Beers and even Beer mixes. The Beergaritas were a good idea for persons like myself who didn’t feel like drinking from a bottle that night.
With regards to the lines, some moved faster than others. I am happy I got to sample from almost everyone since I had to leave early.
The Menu!
My biggest regret was that I missed out on Chef Mark Cole‘s Crispy Pigs’ Ears and Plantain crusted Beef Tenderloin. I heard they were amazing.
Chef Cole was the main person I was looking out for but didn’t spot him at all. Apparently the rain got the best of his tent and he was moved to the tent by Jamaica Pegasus’ Desserts that wasn’t as visible as the others close to me. I didn’t plan on sampling Desserts, but those Cinnamon Churros looked divine! I definitely have some catching up to do and will make up for what I missed with a visit soon!
The Winner for Suga!
The 6 other Chef stations that I visited did a great job. Kudos to all of them for still producing great culinary work in such unfavourable conditions. However, the winner for Suga was Dionne Reid from Smoked Marlin!
That outcome was totally unexpected for me given my visit to their Restaurant earlier this year and their presentation compared to the others.
When I was by their station about 8:30pm, Patrons including myself did not receive the Beignets. Perhaps they were not ready as yet.
Regardless, they made it work and still plated quickly for persons lining up to see what they had to offer.
The taste of their Smoked Marlin Tostaditas had three stages for me. The experience started with a mild introduction of veggies, followed by a hit of spiciness, which gave a complete ‘woah effect’, topped off by burst of flavour. Bravo to Dionne Reid and her Smoked Marlin team all the way from Hanover.
Special mention goes to one of my faves, Christina Simonitsch and Andre Sewell. I finally got to try his food! Looking forward to one of his pop-ups since he is no longer at 218 Gourmet by Mountain View Avenue fulltime. Even though Sewell was not producing samples as fast, I refused to leave the line. The wait was worth it. I heard his line was continuous for the night and got many return patrons like Smoked Marlin, Christina Simonitsch and Mark Cole.
Christina’s Pork Belly was succulent with a tasty Crisp on top. Quite appropriate for the event. The Sorrel and Red Stripe Gel complemented it well too. I’m upset that I missed her Crispy Pigs’ Ears too! They looked like a part of her display like other Chefs, but I should have known better with Christina that anything on her table is up for grabs.
I thought Andre Sewell’s Jerk Fried Chicken Crispers with Scotch Bonnet Sriracha could have been a bit spicier, but it was delightful nonetheless. Afterall, spicy is my personal preference and it was Crisp not Picante.
The Popcorn Shrimp and seasoned Popcorn was a bit disappointing from Sarah Willers of Blue Ridge. I thought they would have been more creative, given their reputation of extravagant presentations and delicious food from the cosy restaurant nestled in the scenic Blue Mountains.
I enjoyed Dwayne Smalling aka Bearded Chef’s Beggar’s Purse though. The tropical flavours were truly brought out. Mission accomplished. Well done Chef.
Lastly, I cannot forget to mention one of the People’s favourites for the night, National’s station featuring Chef Christian Sweeney. The Cheesy Hardough Fries with Pulled Pork and Shrimp were a hit and I enjoyed it.
Crisp had high expectations so the quality of the event was definitely compromised by the rain. The Chefs had a late start and the surfaces to walk around were drenched, topped off by balancing an umbrella, food and a drink, but you can’t control mother nature. At the end of the night Patrons still left satisfied.
I am thankful and give a lot of praise to the Chefs, the Jamaica Pegasus and the JFDF team for managing to still pull off a great event. #SugaEndorsed
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Do you have your Tickets for Jamaica Food & Drink Festival?!
The Caribbean’s No. 1 Urban Food Festival starts this Saturday!
All days should be a treat. If you must choose, check out where your favourite Chefs and Restaurants will be on www.jafoodanddrink.com. Picante and Crisp are stacked with Suga’s faves.
Hope you have secured your tickets! If not, here is the information you need:
Enjoy 7 World Class Food Events at 7 Iconic Kingston Venues.
There was a Sneak Taste on Tuesday at The Steak House on the Verandah, Devon House which had its opening last Sunday. Check out a few of the highlights!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Suga Experienced Heaven on Earth at Stush & Simo’s Moveable Feast!
Stush in the Bush and Simo’s Bread and Catering joined forces for a Bottomless Mimosa Brunch, titled Moveable Feast, last Sunday, October 8th at Arcadia Great House in Duncans, Trelawny.
Not to be confused with Michele Williams’ Moveable Feast Catering Company that has been in the business in Jamaica for over 10 years, the title of the event was inspired by the title of an Ernest Hemingway novel, A Moveable Feast. Lisa Binns of Stush in the Bush loved the title of the novel and deemed it fit for her Brunch collaboration with Christina Simonitsch of Simo’s Bread and Catering. Lisa says she hopes to ultimately move this feast around the island.
With Stush in the Bush based in St. Ann and Simo’s Bread and Catering based in Montego Bay, I thought Trelawny was the appropriate destination for their first collaboration, almost meeting in the middle.
The magic of this Sweet and Savoury event surpassed my high expectations. They both put on a spectacular spread with efficient logistics for their guests to have enough time and space amongst themselves to pick, choose, refuse and then indulge by the luxurious indoor and scenic outdoor seating available. The décor and landscaping of the Great House were tastefully vintage. Exquisite antique furniture, art work and fixtures.
Four Buffet rooms, an Ice Cream stand and a Pizza station located all around Arcadia Great House, was the equivalent of pure magic.
My usual faves from Simo’s were present, such as the Mini Cronuts topped with delicious rose and pistachio icing, Mini Pancakes and Crème Brûlée. My favourites from Stush that made their usual cameo appearance were their Blow Fyah and Chimichurri sauce with Crisp Plantain chips, Guacamole sauce, Fyah Grilled Pizza and Passion Fruit and Mango-Lime Vinaigrettes to go with fresh greens sourced from their farm.
However, the two main items that stood out for me were the Charcoal Blinis with Truffle Aioli, Quail Eggs Benedict and Avo-Daise and the Rum BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork that were the definition of divine, intricate perfection.
Other highlights for me were the Quinoa Pilaf, Pimento Pickled Onion, Pulled Pork, Plantain Ceviche, Chia seed and Coconut Yogurt Parfait, Lemon Pound Cake with Passion Fruit Butter topped off with Vegan Chocolate sauce and my husband did well with the rich, moist Chocolate and Coffee Cake.
For Salad lovers, the Summer Panzanella with Rosemary Red Stripe Croutons was delish! I was impressed that the flavour of the Red Stripe was not lost in the salad. The Beet Carpaccio with Feta was a great pairing as well.
Keep in mind that nothing is basic with Simo’s. As simple as you would think Chocolate Crisp cookies would be, the touch of salt added brought the taste to a whole new level to enjoy without getting a toothache.
Of course, Mimosas were on tap and the Lemon grass and Ginger Tea served was rich in flavour and absolutely refreshing.
Lime Meringue Tartlets, Sausage and Cheese Quiche, Ackee and Callaloo Quiche, Spinach and Cheese Frittatas, Herb Roasted Tomato, as well as Almond and Apricot Focaccia with rosemary, Lemon Herbed Mushrooms, Cucumber salad, Herb Loaf, Banana Bread, Buns, Herbed Balsamic Sweet Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Mac n’ Cheese, Roasted Vegetables with fresh Herbs (Beets, Carrots, Pumpkin) were other Brunch delights. Believe it or not, there were actually a few more that weren’t listed.
Stush’s Candid Sorrel Chips were quite interesting too.
To seal the deal and cool me down after I was fired up from grilled Pizzas and more, was the Stush and Simo’s Ice Cream Bar. I thoroughly enjoyed the Coffee and Avocado Lime flavours. I really should have had them all, but I was pulled away.
Note that quite a bit of the Brunch delights were Vegan, Dairy and Gluten Free!
There were a variety of Preserves, Jams, Marmalades and Sauces that complemented their neighbours on the table quite well. For instance, the Jerk Aioli with the Rosemary Roasted Chicken. Some of them were on sale too.
Simo’s is now doing Honey! It was launched at Moveable Feast.
Purchasing reasonably priced cups of Deaf Can’s Cold Brew and Frappuccino, was the perfect ending to a magical day, which prepped us well for the drive back to Kingston.
Chef Colin Hylton described the event as ‘BEYOND amazing’ and Chef Craig Anthony Fleming, who usually describes the culinary work of Christina Simonitsch as ‘truly first world’ was surely in his element and stated, ‘the brunch selection was beyond perfection’.
Kudos to Chris and Lisa Binns from Stush in the Bush and Christina Simonitsch from Simo’s Bread and Catering, as well as their hard-working team for never compromising on the quality of their gastronomic spreads. Their punctuality, attention to detail, quality control, infectious personality and radiating passion for the love of food is impressive and I felt honored to be apart of their culinary perfection once again.
When and where is the next one?!
â— Stush in the Bush
http://www.stushinthebush.com/visit
Instagram: @stushinthebush
â— Christina M.B. Simonitsch
Location: Montego Bay
Email: [email protected]
Instagram: @simosbreadandcatering
Catering, Cooking Lessons & Staff Training
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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A Chance to Save on Your Wedding that You Should Not Miss!
Have you been attending a lot of Wedding Expos, making a lot of phone calls for advice and quotes lately and/or having various consultations with Wedding Vendors in preparation for your Big Day? If so, this Wedding Promotion is for you.
When you feel the pressure of planning a Wedding, GCG Events Jamaica takes many items off your to-do list and makes them seem hassle-free. Suga had this experience with GCG catering for her Wedding. We all know my demands would be specific and expectations would have been high and they delivered flawlessly last April 2016. Kudos to GCG!
GCG not only caters for Weddings but for Corporate and Social events as well. For the complete package that they offer, for instance if you also require their Bar Services, they provide all the necessary glassware, ice, flatware, cutlery, disposables and service staff for an unbeatable price. Not to mention that they come fully equipped with their cooling trucks, electricity and more.
When booking with GCG, it is likely that you would communicate with Jasmin Ramsay or Cheridah Douglas who are the epitome of quick, efficient communication, quality service and the ability to deduce the needs of their customers, often without even having to ask.
The Chefs and Waiting Staff are personable, pleasant and conduct live cooking stations with delicious dishes. I highly recommend their Carving station. They do a tender, fresh, succulent Beef Tenderloin cut to perfection.
They also do a scrumptious Cheesecake and the list goes on. I haven’t had a disappointing dish from them to date.
GCG usually makes the effort to have their Presentation suit your theme as well. Check out this Presentation to go with a Rustic theme:
Do you want the Catering and Bar service at your Wedding to be Simply Outstanding?
Enter GCG Events Jamaica’s “The Day We Met” Wedding Promotion for the chance to be one of three lucky couples to win Simply Outstanding Savings for your Jamaican Wedding!
They will be teaming up with other reputable Wedding Vendors, offering discounts for Music and Equipment, Photography, Decor and Wedding Planning Services.
***Conditions apply. So see the Prize Details, Rules and Requirements to enter the Wedding Promotion below:
PRIZE PACKAGE:
â— 35%- 45% off GCG Events’ Wedding Catering Package
â— 30% off Music and Equipment from Blaktie Entertainment Jamaica (@blaktiejamaica)
â— 20% off Sean Murray Photography’s Photography Package (@seanmurrayphotography)
â— 25% off Taylor’d Events’ Decor Package (@Taylord.events)
â— 30% off Concierge Jamaica’s Wedding Planning Services (@conciergejm)
***CONDITIONS APPLY!***
1. The Competition will run from August 28th – October 31st, 2017Â on both Facebook & Instagram, and is open to couples planning on getting married in Jamaica between November 2017 and June 2018 whose minimum guest count is eighty (80).
2. Weddings already booked with GCG Events prior to August 28, 2017 do not qualify for entry.Â
3. Top three couples whose post has the most likes win! So there isn’t just 1 winner!
4. Entries close October 31, 2017. Winners will be announced on November 2, 2017!
HOW TO ENTER:
1. Post a video on your FB or IG page telling us how you met, the proposed date & venue of your Wedding, your ideal Wedding concept & menu preferences.
2. Be sure to include the following hashtags – #gcgeventswedding #simplyoutstanding #winningwedding
3. Tag: @gcg_events, @blaktiejamaica, @conciergejm, @Taylord.events, and @seanmurrayphotography
4. Share your post with friends! Most likes wins!
*** GCG Events Jamaica reserves the right not to accept or to disqualify any entries if any of the above terms & conditions are not followed correctly***
Let GCG make your Wedding Simply Outstanding! #SugaEndorsed
GCG Events
Location: Norman Manley Int’l Airport. Kingston, Jamaica
Ph: (876) 924-8364
Website:Â http://www.gcg-events.com
Facebook: GCG Events
Instagram: @gcg_events
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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Save these Dates Foodies!
The Caribbean’s No. 1 Urban Food Festival is in a few weeks!
Check out the official line up below for Jamaica’s Food and Drink Festival that is at the end of October:
By: Gabrielle Burgess
If you liked this Promo, follow Suga Lifestyle or like the Suga Lifestyle Facebook page.
Restaurant Week Jamaica 2016 is almost here!
Jamaica Food and Drink Festival has come and gone. Brunch at The Gallery was quite memorable for patrons yesterday. Now on to the next!
Restaurant Week Jamaica starts Friday, November 11 and ends Saturday, November 19, 2016.
Here are your categories. Suga’s picks coming soon!
By: Gabrielle Burgess
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The Caterers that will be taking the Jamaican Market by Storm!
Goddard Catering Group also known as GCG Events are THE Caterers to watch! Up to last week Thursday, many did not know who or what was Goddard. How did that change? GCG hosted what I considered as a launch titled, ‘Destination: Delicious!’ last Thursday night at the Ruins, Mona that was Simply Outstanding, fully representing their brand.
Fidelity Motors Ltd. is a part of the Goddard Enterprises Group of Companies and GCG often works together with Tai Flora Luxe. So on the outskirts of the event, a car was on display followed by a beautiful table arrangement and lounge area decorated by Tai Flora.
GCG and Tai Flora pair beautifully together, as GCG not only caters for Corporate and Social events but for Weddings as well. They describe themselves as expensive but based on Suga’s experience with them, I absolutely disagree. For the complete package that they offer, for instance if you also require their Bar Services, they provide all the necessary glassware, ice, flatware, cutlery, disposables and service staff for an unbeatable price. Not to mention that they come fully equipped with their cooling trucks, electricity and more. To add icing to the cake, they are partners with Pop Up Gourmet Jamaica, which means that once you have your Pop Up Gourmet Advantage Card you get a 10% discount. Depending on the size of your event, that could turn out to be up to $30,000 to $50,000 or more off of your bill! My Gosh, where have they been all along? They have been around for many years Suga Bears. After successfully catering for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007, they saw the need to raise the bar on catering services throughout the region, leading to the birth of GCG Events in 2008, an affiliated company of Goddard Catering Group and a member of the Goddard Enterprises Group of Companies. Some persons who know of them may also familiarise them with the airport or airport/airplane food. But when you taste their food, you would have no idea. They are thus familiar with the importance of punctuality as well.
They do a lot of Overseas Weddings and Funerals. Funerals?! Yes, because when persons land at the airport where their office is located, all they have to do is ask for GCG to take care of everything for them and work with their budget stating how much a head they can afford. The headache they thought they would have is usually gone once it reaches into GCG’s hands as they seem to be an excellent team. It is likely that you would communicate with Jasmin Ramsay or Cheridah Douglas who are the epitome of quick, efficient communication, quality service and the ability to deduce the needs of their customers, often without even having to ask.
To the general public, GCG probably started to visually creep into the Events market since the 1st Epicurean Escape in 2012 held at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove, close to Ocho Rios, Discovery Bay and Runaway Bay. The Festival featured some of Jamaica’s finest including Chef Ravi Anne, Chef Dennis McIntosh, Chef Theo Smith, Chef Christopher Evans, many others and most importantly, GCG’s current head Chef, Daniel Schwietzer. Since then they have been taking their time filtering into the Events market even more.
Executive Chef Daniel Schwietzer is Swiss and discovered his love for cooking from his Uncle who had a restaurant in Geneva, Switzerland. He knew very quickly from then that he wanted to be a Chef. He traveled across Switzerland where he learnt French and Italian cuisines, Los Angeles, California and then finally to Jamaica 25 years ago! He has served in the capacity of Executive Chef at Morgan’s Harbor Hotel, Temple Hall Estate, Plantation Inn and for the past 19 years, Goddard Catering Group Jamaica Ltd.
So what did Chef Schwietzer and the other Chefs as well as Bartenders have to offer at Destination: Delicious held last Thursday? It was quite a spread. Suga arrived at about 7:45pm. The event was slated to be from 6:30pm to 10pm so I arrived when things were about to be in full swing. Invited Guests were greeted with Sangria and I was just in time to hear Chef Schwietzer be introduced and have him take us through all the stations where he was sure to display his passion of fusing Caribbean and European cuisines.
The Cocktail station had Roasted Tuna with balsamic glaze drizzled over micro greens, Bruschetta with jerked cream cheese, escellion and wine, Rice noodles with Salmon, usually paired well with white wine and Ceviche drizzled with lime juice and some country pepper. The Ceviche and Tuna Appetizers impressed Suga.
The Soup station had Red peas, Manish water and Pumpkin soup with Spicy Banana Bread croutons that enhanced the flavour. All were tasty, but the Manish water was the hit for the night.
There was a Salad station to top off wetting the appetite. I loved the general use of fresh micro greens as I am in total support of the local farm to table concept.
Then for the meat lovers, the Beef and Pork station were kicking where the mango salsa complemented the Beef Tenderloin well and the coffee rubbed and chocolate infused methods were a delightful enhancement in flavour.
The Flat Bread station had THE most toppings including pesto, smoked marlin, fresh mozzarella and mushrooms, basil, micro greens, you name it!
There was a live cooking, Pasta station with Seafood pasta and a Dessert station where for Suga, the highlight was the Apple crumble. It was delicious.
Wines, Cocktails and Premium Spirits galore were offered.
The most outstanding for Suga was the tender, fresh, succulent cut of Beef! Perfection.
The Chefs were personable and pleasant, especially the men who had a charming flair to their service. Well done Goddard. Well done.
Executive Chef Daniel Schwietzer and Gabrielle Williams from Suga Lifestyle
I thoroughly enjoyed the night and expected nothing less. It was evident that persons were pleasantly surprised, impressed and pleased with the high standard and quality of service, food and drinks that GCG presented. A lot of power players in the Events industry were present and I am sure they will be key to future events and persons that GCG will cater to.
There is currently a breakdown across the service industry, Wedding vendors in particular, with regards to efficient communication such as getting quotes to customers in a timely fashion, following up with customers etc., but GCG is coming full force now and they will be at Dîner en Blanc this Saturday and other events to come. You won’t have to look out for them too hard because they will be Simply Outstanding!
GCG Events
Norman Manley Int’l Airport
Kingston, Jamaica
Ph: (876) 924-8364
www.gcg-events.com