Chef Oshane Archer takes first place in celebrity cook-off at MoBay Jerk Fest
Published:Thursday | August 7, 2025 | 12:09 AM
It was seven years ago that Oshane Archer moved to St James from his home parish of Clarendon, looking for a fresh perspective on life and new environs. Now, just two years into the launch of his catering service Sway Kitchen, the 29-year-old is turning heads with his explosive flavours and creative cooking styles.
Archer was one of four contestants who participated in this year’s celebrity cook-off during the 16th staging of the MoBay Jerk and Food Festival, which was held on Emancipation Day at the Catherine Hall Entertainment Complex.
While his competitors were working hard on Jamaican jerk chicken, Archer says he wanted to take things a step further.
“We did the jerked chicken pasta … I knew everyone would be coming with like bread or festival – which is the real Jamaican style – so I wanted to add my own little style to it and added pasta instead,” the chef told Food.
Next to Archer stood Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Dwight Crawford; David Mullings, chief executive officer of Blue Mahoe Capital; and Dr Jodine Jackto-Tafari, family physician and owner of Sekhmet Medical Centre and Accu Lab Diagnostics.
Crawford came out of the gate swinging with the excitement of his Emancipation jerk chicken, an ode to the significance of the day and the cultural significance of the style of cooking.
On the other end, Mullings and his team were preparing a sweet and spicy jerk chicken, while Dr Jackto-Tafari was turning heads with her unique plating skills that captured the audience’s eyes.
Despite the tough competition he faced, Archer came out on top for both flavour and creativity, winning him first place in the process.
“It’s a great feeling to come out with the top prize. I am so happy for the opportunity and the platform, and I look forward to doing more amazing cooking in the near future,” the winner said.
When asked what was the secret to his success, Archer sent commendations to the event’s seasoning sponsor, Walkerswood, for keeping the flavours of his dish dynamic.
“We tried to incorporate more of the sponsor’s ingredients, such as the Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning, and we just added our little secret touch to it. So, I think that combination of flavours is what really [helped] us come out victorious,” the chef said.