This year’s staging of The Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) will feature an event on Friday, February 22 called “Taste of Jamaica” which is to be dedicated to Jamaican cuisine.

The festival which runs from February 20 – 24 is hosted in the Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties of Florida in the USA and involves over 100 events.

The Jamaican component of SOBEWFF is an initiative of the island’s Gastronomy Network (which forms part of the Tourism Linkages Network) and the Jamaica Tourist Board to showcase Jamaican gastronomy to international foodies. It represents the first time Jamaica will be taking over a night at the celebrated festival.

“Taste Of Jamaica” will be an “evening soiree” hosted by chefs Cindy Hutson and her partner Delius Shirley, son of the late, famous Jamaican restaurateur and chef, Norma Shirley.

The two will be partnering with four chefs from Jamaica as well as other chefs from the diaspora to promote Jamaican gastronomy at the upcoming event.

The intention is to go “beyond jerk” for which Jamaica is known all around the world and highlight the island’s wider repertoire of both classic and new, ground-breaking cuisine.

Chair of the Gastronomy Network, Nicola Madden-Greig, notes that the profile of Jamaican cuisine has grown in stature over the past several years with food now being ranked in second place among the Top 10 reasons tourists visit Jamaica.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/business-observer-corporate-listing/taste-of-jamaica-for-sobe-festival-in-miami_157623