Island Outpost resorts in Jamaica invite guests into the kitchen
Cooking programs teach local recipes and introduce guests to local ingredients
Jamaica (September 12, 2006) – For travellers who love to indulge in exotic local cuisines, Island Outpost hotels in Jamaica are now opening their kitchen doors to offer lively cooking lessons that include accompanying chefs to nearby markets and learning traditional recipes, transforming hotel guests into culinary students-for-a-day. It’s a unique way to immerse oneself in a different culture.
Created by Chris Blackwell, founder of Island Records and Palm Pictures, Island Outpost is a collection of distinct Caribbean boutique properties. Their minimalist-chic designs create a castaway vibe in-tune with the natural island surroundings. Island Outpost’s Jamaican properties Goldeneye, Jake’s, Strawberry Hill and The Caves each offer unforgettable cooking programs that tap into indigenous tastes and favourite local recipes.
Goldeneye, James Bond novelist Ian Fleming’s former Oracabessa hideaway, operates more like a home, where the lifestyle is pure Jamaican in rhythm. Menus are created daily using market-fresh seasonal ingredients, capturing the simplistic, hearty style of authentic Jamaican cuisine. Pam Clarke and Glendon Brown, Goldeneye’s number one “Cookies,” always welcome guests into their kitchen. Pam and Glendon share their knowledge and passion with
special cooking classes, teaching guests how to prepare some of Goldeneye’s most famous dishes, including Pam’s Jerk Chicken and Glendon’s Racecourse Fish In Rundown.
Jake’s, located on Jamaica’s Treasure Beach, is a local hotspot celebrating the beachcomber lifestyle. For cooking enthusiasts, Jake’s immerses guests into local food culture with market trips on Fridays (which local chefs cite as the best market day). For Jake’s always-fresh seafood, guests can watch boats arrive with the daily catch. Cooking lessons at Jake’s can be arranged upon request for a fee of $20 and up. Guests can also cook their own catch of the day in the kitchen with the guidance of a knowledgeable chef.
Strawberry Hill, perched atop Jamaica’s Blue Mountains, offers refined luxury in a tranquil setting, featuring the Caribbean’s only Aveda Concept Spa. Strawberry Hill offers cooking classes to a minimum of two people and maximum six with a two-week advance notice for reservations. The cost is $75 per person. The superb cooking classes include a morning market trip to purchase fresh vegetables, fish and ingredients, featuring cultural education discussions along the way; a typical Jamaican lunch; a hands-on lesson from Chef Darren in preparation of the food; and a copy of the recipe so guests can share their new cooking skills with friends at home.
The Caves, located on a volcanic cliff by the crystal-clear Caribbean Sea in Negril, provides ultimate serenity. The Caves offers cooking classes upon request at no extra charge to guests. Guests can enjoy a session in the kitchen with the chef of the day. Informal yet detailed, the sessions are all about gaining a real taste for authentic Caribbean cuisine. Receive hands-on experience preparing one of The Caves specialty dishes, such as the traditional ackee and saltfish or its much-loved ital stew.
For more information on these resorts, see their listings under Jamaica accommodations at www.caribbean.com.
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