Media powerhouses Mona Scott-Young, creator of the VH1 series Love & Hip Hop, and Angela Yee, from the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club will compete in a 30-minute cooking challenge on Sunday July 31st, 2022, at The Grace Jamaica Jerk Festival in New York at Roy Wilkins Park.
The “Cook-Off” will begin at 4 pm under the culinary pavilion. Mona and Angela will each be given a basket of ingredients, to prepare a dish seasoned with Caribbean spices and sauces provided by Grace Foods. The dishes will be judged by a panel of celebrity chefs on presentation and taste. The winner of the challenge will receive the event’s coveted Dutch Pot trophy and, of course, bragging rights.
The Grace Jamaica Jerk Festival is a food and music event highlighting the island’s famous Jerk cuisine and celebrating its 10th anniversary. Several celebrity chefs who have been friends and supporters of the festival over the years, such as Chef Ron Duprat, best known as a top competitor on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef,” Iron Chef America, Bar Rescue, and Beat Bobby Flay on Food Network, will be appearing in the Culinary Pavilion. Joining Chef Duprat is Chef Andre Fowles, a Jamaican-born chef based in New York City and a three-time Food Network “Chopped” champion.
Coming from Buffalo is Chef Darian Bryan, a favorite amongst the Buffalo Bills NFL team. Chef Darian has been featured on the Food Network, CBS News, ESPN, and more. Chef Natacha Gomez, the sole female, is an ambassador for the Food Travel Tourism Association in New York, USA, and co-owner of Classy Pairings.
Born and bred in NYC, Eddie G is the lead chef and partner at Locavore Ventures, a culinary experience agency based in LA, NY, Dallas, and Philadelphia. New York’s unparalleled melting pot and veracity, coupled with flavors from 18 different countries, proved to be the perfect ingredients for Chef Eddie G’s signature delights.
Chef Troy Levy is a renowned force in the Caribbean International Modern Ital Cuisine. He has appeared as a finalist on The Food Network’s hit show Cooks vs Cons (Season 4, Episode 10). Troy was also a celebrity judge for The Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival cook-off between then New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio and Jamaica’s former Miss World and Member of Parliament, Lisa Hanna.
Coming from Buffalo is Chef Darian Bryan, a favorite amongst the Buffalo Bills NFL team. Chef Darian has been featured on the Food Network, CBS News, ESPN, and more. Chef Natacha Gomez, the sole female, is an ambassador for the Food Travel Tourism Association in New York, USA, and co-owner of Classy Pairings.
Max Hardy is a Bahamian-American, professional/celebrity chef, and owner of Coop Detroit and JEDs Detroit. Chef Max competed and finished as a runner-up for The Food Network’s Chopped and has been featured in Bon, Appétit, Essence Magazine, Fox 5 Good Day New York, NBC’s thegrio.com, and New York Post. Chef Max is also a philanthropist and founder of the One Chef Can 86 Hunger foundation.
Host chef Hugh Sinclair, a/k/a Chef Irie, will add his flavorful and exciting hosting skills to keep everyone engaged and entertained in the Culinary Pavilion. The Global Culinary Architect is the executive chef of Chef Irie Spice Inc. – Personal Chef and Catering Services, providing services to the tri-county area of South Florida. After working several years as an architect, and a regular guest on the nationally syndicated Rickey Smiley Morning Show.
Patrons will enjoy performances from some of the brightest talents in Reggae and Dancehall such as, Protoje, Lila Iké, Romain Virgo and Christopher Martin, Laa Lee (in his first New York performance), Cristale and Nigy Boy who will all take center stage as they perform a variety of hits and popular songs from their catalog.
The Kids Zone will buzz with fun activities for the young, featuring educational and brain-teasing puzzles, traditional ring games, and immersive activities such as face painting and art, which will even provide entertainment for parents.
Tickets for the Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival New York are available online and at selected Caribbean retail outlets for $45; the day of the event, tickets will be $60 at the gate. Children 10 and under are admitted free, and there will be a special discount for first responders and seniors with proper ID at the gate. Visit www.jerkfestivalny.com for a list of ticket outlets and event details.
