Lisa Hanna showed her culinary skills at the Grace-Jamaican Jerk Festival in New York City on July 23 by winning the Celebrity Challenge against New York City Mayor, Bill de Blasio.
Won with Goodie
Hanna, formerly Miss World 1992, Jamaican government minister and currently Member of Parliament, won with her dish which she called Goodie. She and de Blasio were given 30 minutes to cook from a surprise basket that included the following
ingredients:
1.Raw pork
- Fresh Spinach
- One Granola bar
- Boiled Breadfruit
The Goodie is spicy, stir-fried pork in a jerk coconut cream sauce; thyme mashed breadfruit, steamed spinach with nutmeg and carmelized granola.
Mayor de Blasio
Mayor de Blasio is a two-time Celebrity Challenge champion, having defeated actor Leon and Miss Jamaica Universe 2014 Kaci Fennell in previous appearances.
Eddy Edwards, founder of the annual festival, estimates that over 15,000 patrons attended the seventh staging which took place at Roy Wilkins Park in Queens.
Massive crowd
A massive 15,000 patrons from around New York, the tri-state area and beyond came out to Roy Wilkins Park in Queens, to enjoy the 7th staging of the Jerk Festival on July 23. Guests were treated to a full day of the “jerk experience” from a variety of vendors, a delightful culinary pavilion, cultural and mainstage performances, a fun Kidz Zone and an array of giveaways from a variety of sponsors. Even the weather cooperated, adding to the good vibes of the day, despite a predicted storm, the weather was as pleasant as the crowd.
Celebrity Chef Throw Down
Chef Shorne Benjamin won the Celebrity Chef Throw Down against Chef Troy Levy of B.B King’s and The Food Network hit show Cooks vs Cons. Shorne has worked with renowned Master Chef Jean Georges at the popular restaurants ABC Kitchen, Maloney & Porcelli and contemporary restaurant Falai in NYC. Thanks to his jerk liver on a bed of toasted cassava chips, he can now add Grace Jamaican Jerk Festival Celebrity Chef Throw Down Winner to his resume!
