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Worldskills Japan Competitor Wins Gold in Taste of Jamaica Competition

The Taste of Jamaica competition is not for those who play in the kitchen on weekends. Dozens of professional chefs, bartenders and other food service personnel compete for a chance to represent Jamaica in the finals of the Taste of the Caribbean competition.

At 21, and still a student at the HEART/Culinary Institute of America's professional chef programme, Brian Lumley entered the contest as a way of gaining experience. With sincere modesty, he says he never thought about winning. Instead, he approached it as simply another exercise in his training.

Still, it was a daunting task for a young chef. There were a few celebrities among the judges. He was facing older, more experienced competitors. And most intimidating, his coach and mentor, Executive Chef Carl Thomas, who was a competitor.

But Brian's recent experience had given him both confidence and a few tricks of the trade. Last November, he represented Jamaica at the 39th WorldSkills International Competition in Japan, and although he didn't win a medal he gained enormous experience. It was also helpful that the requirements for the Taste of Jamaica competition were similar to what he had encountered in Japan.

Curious and inventive, Brian decided to take part in the "Mystery Basket" section of the contest. Each competitor got nine ingredients to prepare one course, but can omit or substitute only one ingredient. The chefs had two hours: one to assess the ingredients and plan a detailed menu, the other to cook.

Brian's basket included dasheen, pumpkin, red pepper, zucchini, shrimp, chicken, Jamaican red snapper, guacamole and watermelon. He exchanged the dasheen for potatoes, but the watermelon was a surprise. "I just wasn't expecting a fruit," says Brian.

Undeterred, he reached into his menu of food ideas and pulled out a delightful dish that clearly impressed the judges. Titled "Loveable," Brian's dish was a red Thai curried chicken breast stuffed with jerk snapper, a side of julienne vegetables and pumpatoes (pumpkin and potatoes) with shrimp guacamole topped with fresh Parmesan cheese. And what about the watermelon? He put some in the stuffing!

Brian was awarded the gold in the Mystery Basket Competition, the National Meats sponsored "Chef of the Year" award and Best Dressed Foods' "Most Creative Use of Chicken" award.

He and his coach were elated. The two had become friends since he and Carl had begun working together during preparation for the competition in Japan. He credits that participation for much of his success in Taste of Jamaica.

Of course, he also credits Carl for much of what he knows. When he was in training they would begin as early as five in the morning some days. "Carl sacrificed being with his wife and child to help me," says Brian. "That has motivated me a lot." The two hope to start a small catering business together sometime in the next year.

Eventually, Brian hopes to become a corporate chef, one who manages and directs several executive chefs working for a single company. It's a bold ambition since there is only one such chef in Jamaica today. For now, he is completing a yearlong bond at the HEART Runaway Bay hotel, and then will enter year three of his program. After that, he hopes to do an exchange programme in Switzerland or France.

He is extremely supportive of HEART and encourages other young people to participate in the agency's programs. "At HEART you get the certification and the experience. I was in a kitchen within three months of starting my program," says Brian. Clearly, this chef knows how to hit the ground running.