The Cliff Hotel brings culinary heavyweights to Negril for inaugural Jamaican Jerk Championship

James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott will headline a star-studded judging panel this December as The Cliff Hotel in Negril hosts the inaugural Jamaican Jerk Championship, a new culinary competition designed to spotlight Jamaica’s most iconic cooking tradition.

The event, set against the backdrop of The Cliff Hotel, will bring together top chefs, food personalities and culinary innovators for a weekend centered on jerk cooking, live competition and destination dining experiences.

Organizers say the championship aims to elevate jerk cuisine on the global stage while celebrating its deep cultural roots in Jamaica. Competitors will vie for the title of Jerk Champion under the scrutiny of an internationally recognized judging panel spanning barbecue, fine dining and Caribbean cuisine.

Celebrity judging panel

Leading the lineup is Rodney Scott, an American James Beard Award winner, Barbecue Hall of Fame inductee, and one of the country's most celebrated pitmasters. Known for his mastery of whole-hog barbecue, Scott began cooking at his family's South Carolina pit as a child and later built the acclaimed Rodney Scott's BBQ restaurant group. He has also been featured on Netflix's Chef's Table: BBQ and serves as a recurring judge on Food Network's BBQ Brawl.

He will be joined by Jamaican-born James Beard Award winner Andrew Black, whose culinary journey began in Jamaica's resort kitchens before taking him to some of Europe's finest restaurants. Now based in Oklahoma City, Black earned the 2023 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest and is renowned for blending European fine-dining techniques with global flavors across his acclaimed restaurant portfolio.

Also on the panel is Jamaican chef Andre Fowles, a three-time Food Network Chopped champion and Culinary Institute of America graduate whose career has taken him from Kingston to New York City. Fowles has cooked at the James Beard House, serves as personal chef to rock legend Bruce Springsteen, and recently published My Jamaican Table, a cookbook celebrating Jamaica's culinary heritage.

Michelin-starred Chef Dae Kim, originally from South Korea, will bring a fine-dining perspective shaped by Korean, French, Chinese, and Japanese culinary traditions. Trained at the three-Michelin-starred Per Se in New York, Kim became the youngest chef in New York City history to earn a Michelin star at his own restaurant, Noksu, and was featured in Apple TV+'s Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars.

Rounding out the group is Jamaican-born Chef Nicola Blaque, a James Beard Award semifinalist, Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient, and Culinary Institute of America graduate. After serving 10 years in the U.S. Army, Blaque opened The Jerk Shack in San Antonio, earning national acclaim for showcasing authentic Jamaican cuisine and helping introduce jerk to a wider American audience.

Together, the panel will evaluate competitors on flavor, technique and authenticity as they determine who earns top honors in the debut competition.

Tickets and travel packages

VIP tickets for the Jamaican Jerk Championship, along with exclusive room packages at The Cliff Hotel, will go on sale July 1.

Organizers say VIP guests will receive premium viewing access, enhanced event experiences and curated programming throughout the championship weekend. Limited accommodation bundles will also be available for visitors traveling to Negril, positioning the event as both a culinary showcase and a destination getaway.