'Bickles' for Birmingham
Published:Thursday | May 17, 2012 | 12:00 AM
WHEN the starter pulls back the trigger for the explosive start of London 2012 Summer Olympic Games, Jamaica's sprint stars will have one less thing to worry about.
Apart from pure adrenaline pumping through their veins, sinewed muscles built on solid ground provisions from 'yard' will be powering them to the finish line.
"That's a guarantee," voiced celebrated chef Karl Thomas, who has the enviable job of seeing to the athletes' nutritional needs while they are in training camp in Birmingham.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, a furore erupted in the Jamaican camp as many athletes were unhappy with the foods provided by the host nation, and their dissent reverberated far and wide.
London 2012 will be different. Chef Thomas will travel with the athletes and has been commissioned by Grace Kitchens to prepare and execute a 2,500-calorie-per-day menu consisting of breakfast, lunch and dinner.
All menu items are totally Jamaican - down to the thyme, ginger and Scotch bonnet pepper, he shared with Food at a planning session held at Lilian's Restuarant at the University of Technology recently.
"I have developed three sets of menus, all incorporating Jamaican foods and beverages. After consultation with the athletes themselves and food, nutrition and lifestyle consultant, Dr Heather Little-White, all is ready," said the chef who won Grace's Creative Cooking Chef's Challenge in 2009.
Comprehensive programme
Grace Food and Service, in partnership with the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA), has taken on this challenge.
Promotion and consumer services manager, Grace Foods, Angella Grandison-Reid, told Food that the company's involvement was two-pronged: "To create a comprehensive nutritional programme to help our athletes execute outstanding performances, and continue to showcase Brand Jamaica."
Endorsing this view, Chef Thomas said that the recipes he selected aim to provide certain minerals and nutrients to help the development of strong muscle mass.
"Proteins in Jamaican recipes help to build muscles, while the calcium in the Jamaican recipes is good for the bones. Proteins help to repair muscles and other body tissues, so after performance, you need to have the right combination of proteins by consuming a great Jamaican food recipe to repair muscles and other body tissues," he explained.
Thomas has over 13 years' experience as a professional chef, and has worked at a number of top local hotels, as well as providing catering services for numerous events for corporate organisations.
OLYMPIC MARKET LIST
With this awesome responsibility, and with less than three months to the Olympic, Chef Thomas went shopping. Food went along, and glanced at the list of produce in bulk that will be shipped to the old English industrial town of Birmingham.
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
ITEM QUANTITY (POUNDS)
Yellow yam 242
Banana (green) 728
Banana (ripe) 2,856
Cho Cho 16
Mangoes 750
Pumpkin 119
Potato (sweet) 164
Potato (Irish) 228
Pineapples 783
Cabbage 62
broccoli 90
Thyme 17
Tomato 178
Ackee 120
Meats
Goat head 30
Oxtail 60
Mutton 80
Pig's tail 20
Pork chops 40
Salt fish 90
Beef 155
Chicken whole 180
Chicken breast 324
Liver 75
CHEF THOMA'S MENU (at a glance)
Monday July 16th 2012
70 Persons
Breakfast
Hot Cereal
Grace Corn Meal Porridge
Hot Beverage
Grace Roma Cocoa
Coffee
Grace teas (assorted
Fresh fruit platter (assorted
Pastries (assorted)
Grace Juices (aloe, blends, chilling)
Main meal
Grace Ackee and salt fish
Braised liver
Grace Smoked Bacon
Steamed Callaloo
Grace Johnny Cake
Boiled green bananas
Fried ripe plantain
Tuesday July 17th, 2012
70 persons
Breakfast
Hot Cereal
Grace Banana Porridge
Hot Beverage
Grace Roma Cocoa
Coffee
Grace Teas (assorted
Fresh fruit Platter (assorted)
Grace Juices (aloe, blends, chillin)
Main Meal
Escoveitched Fish
Brown stew chicken with Grace Green Peas
Grace Honey Glazed Ham
Steamed cabbage
Grace Festival
Boiled yellow yam
Fried bammies
Wednesday July 18th, 2012
70 person
Dinner
Soup
Grace Vegetable
Salad
salad Bar (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots, corn)
Carrots and Raisin salad
Yam salad
Fresh fruit platter (assorted
Main meal
Grilled chicken with a Grace Blends Sorrel Pomegranate Glaze
Pan seared fish with a Tomato Relish
Stew Peas with Pigs Tail fresh beef
Rice and Peas
Pasta Primavera
Grilled Vegetables
Dessert
Grace Corn Meal Pudding
Blueberry Cheese Cake
Thursday July 19th, 2012
70 persons
Dinner
Soup
Grace pepper Pot
salad
Salad Bar (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots, corn)
Carrots and Raisin salad
Cold Slaw
Fresh fruit platter (assorted)
Main meal
Grace Jerk Barbecue Chicken
Baked fish with julienne vegetables and a Grace Coconut curry sauce
Brown Stew Mutton
Seasoned Rice
Garlic Mash Potatoes
Broccoli au gratin
Dessert
Bread Pudding
Orange Chiffon cake
Monday July 16th, 2012
70 persons
lunch
Soup
Red Peas
Salad
salad bar (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots, corn)
Carrots and Raisin salad
Sweet pasta salad
Fresh fruit platter (assorted)
Main Meal
Jerk Chicken
Steamed fish with Grace Coconut Milk
Braised Oxtail with Grace Butter Beans
Pumpkin Rice
Roast Yam
Glazed Carrots
Dessert
Sweet Potato Pudding
Chocolate Cake
Tuesday, July 17th 2012
70 Persons
Lunch
Soup
Grace Pumpkin Beef
Salad
Salad bar (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, carrots, corn)
Carrots and Raisin salad
Pasta salad
Fresh fruit platter (assorted)
Main meal
Baked Chicken
Brown Stew Fish
Curried Goat
Rice and Peas
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sauted broccoli with toasted Almond
Dessert
Grace Corn Meal Pudding
Passion Fruit Cheese cake