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The Caterers that will be taking the Jamaican Market by Storm!

by Chefs, Bakers and CaterersRestaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

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.

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The Flat Bread station had THE most toppings including pesto, smoked marlin, fresh mozzarella and mushrooms, basil, micro greens, you name it!

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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.

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Wines, Cocktails and Premium Spirits galore were offered.

The most outstanding for Suga was the tender, fresh, succulent cut of Beef! Perfection.

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The Chefs were personable and pleasant, especially the men who had a charming flair to their service. Well done Goddard. Well done.

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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!

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Gabby from Suga and her fiancé, Randy Burgess enjoy their Goodie bags from GCG

GCG Events

Norman Manley Int’l Airport

Kingston, Jamaica

Ph: (876) 924-8364

www.gcg-events.com

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Just 1 more day to get your Groceries delivered FREE by Pantrypan!

by What's Hot

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If you don’t remember Suga’s post about the Online Grocery Delivery service, pantrypan, click on the link below:

https://sugalifestyle.com/2015/07/31/free-24-hr-delivery-for-all-suga-lifestyle-followers-online-shopping-for-groceries-with-pantrypan/

The sign up process:

● Go to Pantrypan’s homepage at http://www.pantrypan.com

● Click on the “Shop Now” button and you will be redirected to the Sign Up/Registration Page.

● From there, all new users will be required to Create an account.

● Fill out the registration form and click the “Register” Button

● Choose your preferred delivery location; i.e Home or Office.

● If you choose the HOME delivery option, you will be redirected to their Product catalogue page where you CAN START SHOPPING IMMEDIATELY! 

OR

● If you choose the OFFICE delivery option, then they will get in touch to assist you in joining one of their existing groups or help you to create a new one.

Have a great weekend!

Photos by Garfield Robinson, The Jamaica Observer

Watch the Video of how The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel Pleased the Palate of Barack Obama

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot
Photos by Garfield Robinson, The Jamaica Observer
Photos by Garfield Robinson, The Jamaica Observer

See the exclusive video by The Jamaica Observer here on what President Barack Obama ate at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel. Word is he cleaned his plate and some of the must eats got crossed off of Suga’s recommended list such as Ackee and Saltfish and Red Stripe beer!

Click on link below:

https://youtu.be/1xHsIN3blPo

President of the United States of America, Barack Obama makes unannounced visit to the Bob Marley Museum last night

10 Things Obama should Eat and Drink in JA

by What's Hot
President of the United States of America, Barack Obama makes unannounced visit to the Bob Marley Museum last night
President of the United States of America, Barack Obama makes unannounced visit to the Bob Marley Museum last night

1. Cheese Patty

2. Ackee & Saltfish with Fried dumpling

3. Callaloo and Boiled banana

4. A Steamaz (Steamed fish)

5. Oxtail

6. Chippies Banana chips

7. A Bob Marley shot

8. A Red Stripe Beer

9. Some Whites (Wray & Nephew white rum)

10. A slice of Easter Bun and cheese

Have a great trip Obama !

Scenes from Le Diner en Blanc Kingston on March 7, 2015

How was Le Diner en Blanc Kingston ?!

by What's Hot
Scenes from Le Diner en Blanc Kingston on March 7, 2015
Scenes from Le Diner en Blanc Kingston on March 7, 2015

The big event has come and gone. How was it?! Suga’s sources spared no details. Suga’s prediction came through that a decent evening would subside from a chaotic start. At least one socialite kept it real saying, ‘Rocky start, fantabulous ending’ on her instagram post.

Firstly, we have to talk about the venue, Emancipation Park. The instant reaction of many, including myself was really?! Nowhere better? Disappointing. That scene is part of many Jamaicans’ daily routine during the work or exercise week. So some desire a change of scenery. But, surely the promoters must have put tremendous thought into the venue and that should be respected. So let us think where else in Kingston could be used as a venue that is public and somewhat monumental or historical? There are not many choices. Devon House, Downtown Waterfront and Port Royal have been done. Not to mention the overused Hope Gardens/Hope Zoo. Where does that leave us? The Bob Marley Statue, Ward Theatre or National Heroes Park? Ward Theatre back in its heyday yes, but definitely not now. Eyesore. By the Bob Marley Statue may have required too much work and money. Closest candidate may be National Heroes Park, but Securityyyyyy! Yes. A lot would be required.

So back to Emancipation Park. The use of spectacular lighting had a gorgeous effect. The addition of little white fences and of course the people who stuck to the theme, dressed in white from head to toe, feathers, masks, hats, umbrellas, other accessories and more. Fashion and style ‘did tun up, way up!’ Not to mention the tasteful table decor and accent pieces brought. Great Effort, awesome job. The park has not had an event like this. Totally revamped. Unfortunately, the Secrecy factor was not realised. But who would expect that in Jamaica?

So, venue revealed. Transport to the venue was smooth. Then chaos. Persons had difficulty accessing their tables and chairs. Someone in particular had their table taken and they didn’t get their chairs for about 45 minutes so they were left to stand.

There were poor logistics with people accessing food and drinks as well. When they eventually obtained their food, it was cold and some got the wrong orders. Furthermore, check out the dish in the picture above. That was gourmet food? That was catered? That was what people paid for? People do better from home. But yes, it was one of the dishes prepared by Colin Hylton, Pork Belly. Worse, who wants cold Pork Belly? Wow. Risky. At least the Chicken dish was good. But, if the promoters did not market and weigh so heavily on catered food by renowned chefs etc. and stuck to the basic picnic theme of carrying your own food, this exquisite event would not have left such a bad taste in some people’s mouths.

However, there were positives. After people got settled in there was a good vibe and people enjoyed themselves. Despite poor logistics of accessing tables and chairs, long food and drink lines, crowd management was impressive and persons did not feel like they were confined in a small place with ~900 people. Someone said they felt as if they paid to go to a fun wedding.

It was especially evident that the majority enjoyed the festivities toward the end of the night. Sparkles were lit and balloons were released into the air. Some described the evening as ‘magical’ as it should be. Music was given a fair by those gifted with recognising quality versus others who thought it was great. Good range though, from mento to techno to soca to dancehall.

Le Diner en Blanc. A lot of hype that was not lived up to for persons that pay keen attention to good quality and detail. Even though the promoters have a lot to learn from and thus adjustments to make for the next staging, there is certainly a lot of potential for the event. A partyholic said it was ‘a nice change from the usual party scene’. Of course it was, it is a totally different kind of event compared to our ‘lacklustre sessions’. A comparison should not even be made, but can you blame him. A hype was built around catered food, sponsors and an all white theme. There were long lines for food and drinks, so perhaps an all-white Frenchmen party?

Putting all that aside, the event definitely had a different feel to it, the all-white made a big impact on the elegance and ambience of the event and persons, well most, were able to put the shaky start behind them and enjoy their night. Some would go back and some wouldn’t. Sad for such an event for people to have said they actually would not go back. However, you can’t please everybody. Kudos to the promoters for eventually pulling off one of the most highly anticipated events in Jamaica for a long time. There must have been loads of pressure and clearly a lot of skepticism faced. The vision in terms of what the event is intended to promote globally, was a little more than half accomplished. One of Suga’s sources gave it a pass. Friendship, Heritage and some Effort was achieved. Our monumental, Emancipation Park was completely transformed. Most importantly, Joie de Vivre (The Joy of Living) and Magic were completely fulfilled. Take it to Montego Bay next year, not Trident Castle, Portland 🙂

SuGa Global Readers

Happy 1st Anniversary to SuGa Lifestyle!

by What's Hot

SuGa Global Readers

SuGa Lifestyle has kept readers up to date for the past year on Restaurant Ratings and Reviews, Recipes, Health and Fitness, GW ART, Charities and What’s Hot, for instance with popular Sports events or tournaments. Restaurant Reviews continuously proves to be the most popular posts amongst readers.

Conceptualizer, Gabrielle Williams has traveled across the United States, the Caribbean and as far as Japan, where the local cuisines and fine dining options are a must stop. On most weekends, regardless of which parish or country she may be in, she can be found satisfying her fancy of exploring the culinary talents on offer at the restaurant of her choice.

Gabrielle also had the pleasure of being a Table Talk Observer Food Awards Judge for 2014. She will unhesitatingly give restaurants, chefs or caterers fair recognition for their good work, objectively highlighting those that have been inconsistent, mediocre or low in quality and by offering suggestions for general improvement.

What is considered as a simple website with a slow start and hardly any promotion, has attracted over 7600 hits and readers each month from as far as Spain, Bulgaria, Israel, Italy, Malta, India, Algeria, Thailand and Uganda to name a few and sustains consistent readers from the USA, Canada, Barbados, UK, Cayman Islands, Brazil and ofcourse, Jamaica.

SuGa Lifestyle is happy to receive the continued support and feedback from its readers, whether it’s from Facebook, WordPress, LinkedIn, Google Groups, Twitter, word of mouth or other sharing avenues and looks forward to being a part of the journey of Jamaica rising as a Foodies Paradise.

Keep on reading SuGa and continue to make us the Go-to website to keep you in the know and aid in deciding on your dining destination. Thanks SuGa Readers!

Simply Red! Wine and Food Galore! Gabby checks out BBQ Oxtail, Cheese fountains and more

by Restaurant Reviews & RatingsWhat's Hot

Simply Red’s 25th Anniversary was a night to remember. Relaxed atmosphere with a wide variety of wine and food as expected. The only thing lacking was a range of desserts. Chocolate Dreams locked up shop pretty early and there seemed to be mainly Mousses and Pana Cottas. Other than that, nothing to really bite or cut into. The tents were also pretty hot, probably as a result of humidity setting in after the evening rain, but no fans were in sight. The logistics however, allowed enough space for persons to walk around freely in the large central area to cool off.

It would be hard to give highlights, as every chef, caterer, company or organization had something special to offer. UTECH had a few stations. You could hardly taste the lobster in their Lobster roll with red pepper remoulade, but their Brined Duck Breast with breadfruit soffrito was cooked to perfection. Brian Lumley’s signature Herb de Provence Chicken marinated with white wine was up to good standard as usual, complemented by mushroom cream sauce and red pepper coulis. The Ham stuffed 689 Croquettes were decent as well. Chef George Matthews had a wicked Steak flank with Corn on the Cob and Barbecue Oxtail! The Barbecue Oxtail was alright, I expected more with the sauce and it surely didn’t slide off the bone.

Rainforest Seafoods had Smoked Marlin sandwiches that had way too much butter, but a Bread pudding with cheese and an optional honey topping that was delish. Their Avocado salad with arugula was also divine. The Chilean’s Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Pebre had a savoury, unique taste. Unfortunately the beef was not tender enough and the representative did not sufficiently or enthusiastically explain the dish. Perhaps the kids also representing the booth that were oh so adorable, stole her spotlight.

Interesting and fun options were Tastee’s cheese fountain with potato wedges and Kendel’s Mackerel Tempura rolls.

Persons that wished to load on the carbs had unlimited options of pastas, noodles, lamb and beef burgers as well.

Jacqui Tyson put on quite a show with her Best Dressed Fried Chicken and dancing chefs. Her area as well as the Pop Up Gourmet/CPJ booth, were crowded all night compared to all the others that had a free flow. Kudos to Jacqui for occasionally going on the mic to keep the crowd in the know of what she had to offer, raising person’s interest and having them go back for more.

Mission Catwalk also had a booth showcasing red dresses made by contestants, of which there was a poll going for the best dress. Only two were impressive, though the others showed great potential and it was a good promotion for the show.

Grace, Campari, BETCO Premier Ltd. along with JMMB, CPJ wines with Pop UP Gourmet, Select Brands and the Chilean representatives kept the spirits flowing all night. The Little Penguin Chardonnay and BETCO’s René Barbier Blanco were the winners for me.

The event seemed to be well supported, so hopefully The Heart Foundation reached their target and it will be even more spectacular next year.

Cost: $5000JMD or $4500JMD from Pop Up Gourmet

 

Attention All Foodies! Kingston Kitchen this Saturday!

by What's Hot

Tutti Frutti Truck + Rainforest Seafoods, Best Dressed Chicken, NCR Sheep, Hellshire Style Fish Booths and more will be there!

Pre-sold tickets available at CPJ Deli – Lady Musgrave Rd., Copy Cat – Barbican Centre, Cafe Blue – Sovereign, Tea Tree Creperie – 8 Hillcrest Ave. and Candy Craze – Manor Park.

Support Brand Jamaica – our local chefs, caterers, restaurants, small batch vendors and farmers.