People | 09 Jul 2015 | By Sun International
Table Bay Chef Showcases South African Cuisine at Florida Food and Wine Festival
The Table Bay hotel's executive chef, Jocelyn Myers-Adams, represented Sun International at the Ocean Reef Club's Food and Wine Festival in Key Largo, Florida in March this year.
The Ocean Reef Club is an exclusive Florida Keys community that is designed around sophisticated and tranquil living where privacy is paramount. What began as a modest fishing camp and lodge in 1948, The Ocean Reef Club now includes two championship golf courses, a tidal swimming pool, marina, fire station, medical centre, landing strip, flying club, magnificent private homes, and restaurants and shops.
To celebrate members' appreciation for fine cuisine, The Ocean Reef Club hosts an annual Florida Food and Wine Festival that showcases some of the tops chefs in the world. Jocelyn Myers-Adams was in attendance this year to introduce the club members to some of South Africa's food delicacies, including pickled fish and biltong!
We chatted to her about her experience at the Key Largo Food and Wine Festival.
Top Chefs and Tasty Tapas
The Florida Food and Wine Festival kicked off with a VIP market, where six top chefs from around the world created a tapas style menu item that represented the culinary flavours of their country.
Representing South Africa, Jocelyn served up a decidedly classic Cape Malay pickled fish, with fresh tomato sambal and watermelon radish for complimenting flavours and textures.
"Everyone loved it," she says, adding that "Nobody had ever experienced anything like it!"
Biltong and Whimsy
The next day, the visiting chefs were seen doing live demonstrations of various dishes from their regions. Jocelyn managed to get biltong and make a biltong pate for the spectators while regaling them with long-ago stories of how the Voortrekkers used to dry their biltong on their travelling wagons.
"They listened to my whimsy while eating their biltong pate," she laughs, "but everyone thought it was delicious!"
The Grand Gala Dinner
On the final evening of the Florida Food and Wine Festival, each chef presented a course at dinner. "I gave pickled fish a black tie!" says Jocelyn, who served up deconstructed pickled fish using local yellowtail snapper fish ceviche, Cape Malay pickle essence gel, pickled cucumber, tomato sambal, buchu aioli, Panko macaroons and coriander flowers.
Of the overall experience, Jocelyn says: "Working alongside great chefs from all around the world at such an exclusive resort was a great experience and one that I will cherish."
For more updates, follow Jocelyn Myers-Adams on Twitter.
Table Bay Chef Showcases South African Cuisine at Florida Food and Wine Festival
Table Bay Chef Showcases South African Cuisine at Florida Food and Wine Festival
Table Bay Chef Showcases South African Cuisine at Florida Food and Wine Festival