Not Just another beautiful Caribbean Island, Jamaica has become a Foodies Delight!!

Now everyone knows that one of my FAVORITE places in the world to visit time and time is again.  I’ve bragged about the wonderful people, the beautiful beaches and have gone on and on about one of my favorite foods in Jamaica, Jerk Chicken.  Well…. with an array of new Farm-to-Table restaurants, celebrity chefs, and the freshly formed Jamaican Gastronomy Network, the island has become a Foodie’s Delight!!  Are you ready to dig in??  Let’s go!!

The rebirth of Jamaican food culture has occurred over the last five years and has risen to an organized prominence with the formation of the Jamaican Gastronomy Network in September of 2016.    The Gastronomy  Network links together a network consisting of  chefs, local members of the media, business executives, ,and academics who are charged with boosting the profile of Jamaican cuisine domestically and abroad.

Of course, delicious and flavorful Jamaican food is typically seen as jerk chicken,  beef patties, and Jamaican Escovitch Red Snapper topped with spicy Scotch bonnets.  Now… quite sensibility that this isn’t quite fine dining; however, at a time where veganism and all natural ingredients are trending, Jamaica has leaned into its Rasta roots that promotes clean eating and embraced the country’s natural influences of Chinese, Indian, Arab, Portuguese, Spanish, and British food. That range within the country’s culinary offerings based on its history creates a built-in fusion both in the food and tourism industry which have been identified as a strength which should be emphasize. And, the results have manifested into a fancy haute cuisine.

There is definitely a major Jamaican gastronomy movement going on, with more farm-to-table experiences, new themed restaurants, an explosion of local talent making cuisine their career, the formation of culinary trails, an increased number of food festivals, and a deepening of food offerings. The Gastronomy Network is creating a consumer-facing brand called “Taste Jamaica” that includes a website and sleek app to chronicle various available gastronomic experiences on the island and help people make dining and tourism decisions.

If you are a foodie, GET OFF THE RESORT PROPERTY and check out the CULINARY TRAILS, FESTIVALS, AND BEYOND!!  In addition to some of the long-existing tours, like the Appleton Rum Tour and Craighton Coffee Plantation Tour, Jamaica is doubling down on its food offerings with organized festivals. Among some of the most popular events that showcase the island’s wealth of culinary options are The Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival (March), Jamaica Rum Festival (March), the Little Ochie Seafood Festival (July), the Jamaica Food & Drink Festival (October), and Restaurant Week (November).

The recently launched Blue Mountain Culinary Trail puts emphasis on Jamaica’s organic food offerings in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. It includes visits to Holywell Recreational Park within the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park, Old Tavern Coffee Estate, Blue Ridge Restaurant and Cottages, and Mavis Bank Coffee Factory.

A top-notch food experience can add something unique to a traveler’s experience on an island like Jamaica by helping you move beyond the generic experience into something deeper.  Sun, sand, and sea will always be a draw , as that is what draws us to the Caribbean, but you still have to eat!!  Having a great meal outside of the all-inclusive resort and participating in a local food festival, experiencing a farm-to-table or attending a cooking class all provide options to engage in a more authentic way.

Is your mouth watering??  Are you ready to see what Jamaica has to offer us foodies??? I sure am!!  If you can’t get to Jamaica right now, but craving delicious, authentic Jamaican Food….. Check Out Virgil’s Jamaica Food Truck. 

 

Remember, Trasformativa is your Jamaica Travel Specialist!!

 

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ABOUT TRASFORMATIVA TRAVEL

Trasformativa is a US based travel company with offices located in Durham, NC and Clarksville, VA.  We are  focused exclusively on transformational travel. Our experienced and qualified travel agents offer many different types of transformational travel opportunities. We work with individuals and groups of many sizes to help them find a true difference. Most of the people who contact us are luxury travelers and leaders of groups who are traveling together. This includes, yoga or fitness instructors, health and wellness professionals, human resource directors, sales managers, CEO’s, church group leaders, corporate trainers, personal chefs, wedding planners, brides, corporate travel professionals, and also individuals looking to plan an exciting and out-of-the-way trip for a group of their friends.

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