Canadian chef, Marie-Chantal Lepage's shrimp fruit minestrone, grilled prawns with lemon granita.
Western Bureau:
With exotic cuisine paired with some of the most rare and delicious wines from around the world, the Epicurean Escape at Grand Lido Negril Resort and Spa, delivered on its promise to tantalise taste buds through culinary artistry.
The 10th annual culinary event showcased the best in the world of culinary arts over a five-day period from June 24-28. From master sommeliers to award-winning local and international chefs, Epicurean Escape 2009 offered a royal selection of unique cuisine from celebrity culinarians who aroused the appetite of food lovers.
One such celebrity chef was Darren 'The Royal Chef' McGrady who received his trademark alias through his 11-year stint of cooking for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace, and four years as a private chef to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and her family at Kensington Palace.
Chef McGrady remained true to his title when he wowed his fans with the princess' favourite bread and butter pudding and one of the Queen's favourite meals of beef tenderloin steaks in wild mushroom, whiskey cream sauce with shrimp.
Fruit minestrone
Nevertheless, a charismatic chef Marie-Chantal Lepage from Quebec, Canada, gave an unusual but invigorating fuse of citrus, spices and shrimp in one of her cooking classes that characterised the taste of the seafood. Dubbed the fruit minestrone, grilled prawns and lemon granita with shrimp, the appetiser includes the combination of strawberries, watermelon, pineapple, lemon, spearmint leaves, balsamic vinegar and sesame seeds with espelette and sechauan pepper. This beautiful combination is served in a martini glass.
One of the signature events was the general manager's grand gala, which offered 100 local and international food and pastry choices. However, it was the seven-course meal on Saturday night that featured the scrumptious jerk and coffee marinated duck breast, on top of mixed greens with Seville orange vinaigrette by chef Mario Machado, which culminated Epicurean Escape 2009 in a delectable style.
Among the participating chefs were: executive chef Gary Robertson of Jamaica, executive pastry chef Jean-Francois Bonnet of New York, executive chef Marie-Chantal Lepage from Quebec, Canada, chef Nikki Cascone of New York, executive chef Mario Machado from Jamaica, Las Vegas' executive chef Michael Jordon, chef Kerry Simon of Los Angeles, Virginia's chef Bertrand Chemel, chef Mary Clarke and Wendy Jordan coupled with sommeliers Michael A. Jordan, Robert Bigelow, Jason Quinn, Anthony Giglio and Christopher Reckford.
This wild duck breast salad by chef Mario Machado offered a delicious jerk and coffee marinated duck breast, seared and sliced on top of mixed greens with a seville orange vinegreette. This was a part of the seven -course meal served during the 2009 Epicurean Escape formal dinner at Grand Lido Negril Resort and Spa from June 24-28.
'The Royal Chef' Darren McGrady prepared Diana Princess of Wales' favourite dessert, bread and butter pudding during one of his cooking classes at the Epicurean Escape in Negril last weekend. Chef McGardy spent 16 years cooking for the royal family in England.
Top Chef contestant Nikki Cascone prepared a scrumptious Vietnamese shrimp salad during her cooking class at the Epicurean Escape at Grand Lido Negril Resort and Spa. - photos by Sheena Gayle
Exciting
Epicurean escape!
Exciting
'Chef McGrady remained true to his title when he wowed his fans with the princess' favourite bread and butter pudding.'
Escovietched snapper with bammy soaked in warm milk, garnished with lemon and scotch bonnet pepper.