Chester Francis-Jackson, Gleaner Writer
Sean Scott of Wray and Nephew with Stephanie Scott at the Chefs' Day Off and Brunch at the Sovereign Centre, a part of the Kingston Restaurant Week activities on Sunday. - RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
TOMORROW THE curtains come down on what has been one glorious epicurean adventure, as the shutters come down on the inaugural staging of The Gleaner's Kingston Restaurant Week.
Well, pumpkins, y'all can take it from this here scribe, it was a blast of a week and then some, and for those who would second-guess these assertions, think again before y'all do, 'cause we have the increased girth to prove it. But, for my word, what a class act it was too.
My dears, Stephanie Scott and The Gleaner deserve tons of commendations for not just nurturing this fabulous idea, but for also steering it to fruition. As for participating restaurants and eateries, two thumbs up, and then some, as there were stellar performances all around, with people still raving about the performance of Cable and Wireless head honcho, Rodney Davis, who guest-starred as the night's sous chef, at the oh so fine Strawberry Hill, on Monday night.
My darlings, it rained, and then some, but with the word out being that the rather affable and disarmingly handsome president was booked to make his culinary debut, for KRW my dears, all the hotties and fab ladies decided this was the place to be, and so they journeyed up the hill to share in what proved to be a superb culinary experience.
Then there was the absolutely sensational fare over at the Akbar Indian Restaurant, on Holborn Road on Wednesday night. Precious angels, for those of you who are fans of dishes curried, Kingston's premier curry spot did not disappoint, and served up some tantalising dishes that had palates dancing in glee. Well, sweet-things, saving moi's favourite for last, so I will do Mac's Chop House tomorrow night, and I can't wait for the encounter with the rib-eye, medium-to-well.
Then, there was the relaunch and opening of the New Palm Court Restaurant just in time for KRW last week, and honeys, this was all that - a fabfest and culinary adventure of the exceptionally fabulous kind. It is a place of many faces, moods and characters - all blending to make one charming melting pot of ideas, opportunities, and competing cultural and sub-cultural textures and tones.
Well, Kingston is now in the final throes of its first staging of what it hopes to become its annual Restaurant Week, and "everything cook 'n' curry". The week however, is an idea whose time has come, as Kingston is experiencing a kind of renaissance in the restaurant industry. In recent times, more and more speciality restaurants catering to those with that discriminating palate have sprung up all across the city.
Kingston has always been the culinary capital of the Caribbean, boasting many of the finest restaurants, to be found in the English and Spanish speaking region. In more recent years it's as if the city entered into a state of flux and this trend of fine eateries and fab restaurants, went into a state of decline.
There was once was a time when the city's leading hotels, were also homes to the finest restaurants. This too fell off adding to the decline in preferred dining spots. Well, that too is changing and that's where the Hilton Kingston Hotel comes in. It is located in the heart of the financial district and hip-strip on Knutsford Boulevard.
The Ron Kelly owned and Hilton operated Hilton Kingston hotel, has not only eclipsed its competitors as the premier hotel in the city, under the guidance of GM Frank Roshouvel, the property has been slowly and steadily outclassing the would-be competition in style and substance!
They began with a multi-million dollar upgrade and face-lift that not only gave the property a new look, the new Gymkhana, Fitness Centre, new trendy Café, the prized Restaurant Japan and Jonkanu Lounge, have substantially raised the bar in terms of the amenities now on offer to its guests and patrons.
General Manager Frank Roshouvel could have rested on his laurels instead in his continuing quest to provide the residents of Kingston as well as international travellers with an oasis of fabulousness Roshouvel has added a new gem to the bustling property the new Palm Court Restaurant.
Located above the lobby and across from Restaurant Japan, the restaurant, was officially launched last Tuesday, at an exclusive white-gloved affair, hosted by the general manager and his very charming wife Lorraine. Guests included the crème of civilised and fabulous society, and was quite a virtuoso performance.
Daahlings, it was a night of superlatives and oohs and aahs, beginning with a very chic cocktail reception, hosted a-la poolside and under the sprawling almond tree, that sits rather matronly at the south of the pool entrance to the property's foyer, that got underway around half six.
Canadian multi-millionaire Ron Kelly of RHK Investments made his appearance at the reception, all decked out in a Saville Row suit, boutonnière and all and on his arm a fabulously statuesque brunette and sporting one fabulously blazing rock on that all-important ring-finger and dressed fabulously in a grey coloured Kasper two piece and both looking the picture of dee-vine contentment.
And when the buzz hit that indeed, Ron Kelly and his companion of some 15 years the fabulously elegant Bonnie Hickey former Parliamentarian in the Newfoundland Assembly, had tied the marital knot earlier in the day at hotel, dovecakes the oohs and aahs, went into overdrive and then some.
My daahlings the paparazzi moved in and there were flash bulbs everywhere. Some guests queued to offer their congratulations, others peered at the 'rock' but all expressed warm sentiments on the occasion of the couple's nuptials.
My dears, by the time guests moved inside for the main event, the mood was not only fabulously festive, it was downright celebratory. A mood that continued throughout dinner, an occasion that proved a flawless encounter of the culinary kind. The kind of service and esoterica that is truly a beauty not only to behold, but also to share!
Pumpkins, we are talking a six-course meal here, and of the highest order, if there were any who doubted the credentials of the occasion, the opening act of steaming hand-towels for the perfunctory ablutions necessary before indulging in the fine art of dining.
My daahlings, for the details of this spectacular showpiece opening, I commend to you the writings of colleague Keisha Shakespeare's piece in yestarday's Gleaner.
Honeys, it was a class-act all they way, and in the finest of mode. Oh the service! The service! The service!!! Precious angels, hot no puss back foot, and then some! And kudos here to Food and Beverage Manager Oliver Lavoine, Chef, Garfield Victor and Maitre 'D Leroy Myers, the battery of Public Relations staff and waiters on hand for this pretty nigh to immaculate, affair.
Dears, dinner was a charmer and then some, with a critically hand-picked shortlist of the uberclass, the fab and the fourth estate, in attendance. Among the notables out, were: Hon Maurice and Valerie Facey; Tony and Sheila Hart; Kenny Benjamin; Robert and Judy Levy; Joe Matalon and companion the lovely Bernadette McKinley-Morin; Peter Moses; Richard and Jacinth Byles; Mrs. Beverly Lopez; Aubyn and Tamara Hill; the fab Sheila Benjamin Fernandez; President of the Chaine de Rottisseur Kermit Tucker and wife Yvonne; Dr. and Mrs. David McBean; David Anderson; Lisa Hanna; Anthony Miller; Ms. Claudette Kenlock; Nicola Cunningham; and special guest, CitiGroup U.S., VP, Raymond McGuire.
