By Rita DeMontis, August 17, 2005

WANT A TASTE of real Jamaican cuisine? Villas by Linda Smith, a company specializing in elegant, private, fully-staffed villas in Jamaica, is offering haute cuisine as part of their vacation package.
And here's the rub -- local Jamaican chefs are being trained by internationally-renowned chef Nicola Farquharson of England, on bringing out the finest in already fabulous island fare.

Villas by Linda Smith has just introduced the new Gourmet Cuisine Cooking Course in select villas in Smith's collection and, although available to local professional chefs, vacationers can sit in on the action.
The five-day course is designed to educate and introduce new trends in food and raise the bar on traditional Jamaican fare. The course focuses on hors d'oeuvres, soups, salads, sauces, seafood, desserts and healthy menus. Emphasis also is placed on shopping for the best products and artistic presentation of food. Farquharson, who has trained in London's distinguished Westminster Academy, as well as around the world, says "new foods are becoming more available in Jamaica and many of the cooks are unfamiliar with these products. This program provides cooks with the information and confidence they need to present the best possible meals to their guests."

"We are excited about raising the culinary standards in our villas," says Linda Smith. "This course places us on the map as not just a mere holiday in paradise, but now as a gourmet destination."

Established in 1985, Villas by Linda Smith represents 60 private villas on Jamaica's lush north coast, dubbed "the Jamaican Riviera." Check out Jamaicavillas.com for more info.

Meanwhile, according to Farquharson, jerk is not so much a flavouring as a traditional method of barbecuing -- but is considered the the essential flavour that defines the country. Jerk is considered a mainstay of the Jamaican kitchen, a local dish that's cooked on the roadside, says Farquharson.

"The flavours of this seasoning are unique to Jamaica, as we use our own brand of hot pepper, the Jamaican 'Scotch Bonnet Pepper,' this is a fiery pepper," says Farquharson. "We also use local pimento and sweet wood to cook the jerk over the fire pit. The flavour is earthy and very spicy. It can also be heated up by serving it with a hot pepper sauce."

Pork or chicken, fish and lobster are highly seasoned with the pepper and spice mixture and cooked slowly over a pimento and sweetwood firepit. Fish would be wrapped in a banana leaf or in foil to be cooked.
It's explained that jerk is the Jamaican option of "salt curing, which helped to prevent spoilage in the hot tropical heat." The depth of the flavour is achieved by the length of time the meat or fish is left to marinate in the spices before cooking.

Click here to see menus.

Nicky Farquharson was trained as a Professional Chef at one of the top three chef’s schools in the world: Westminster University in London. Extra courses yielded a Fine Wine Diploma and Hotel Management Diploma. She received distinctions in all exam results and was awarded the Professional Chef’s Diploma.
Nicky has also managed restaurants in Australia and Jamaica, catered to Buckingham Palace and was Head Chef at an acclaimed restaurant in London.

Click here to see menus.

Established in 1985, Villas by Linda Smith represents 50 private villas on Jamaica's lush north coast,
dubbed "the Jamaican Riviera." Linda is known for her private staffed villas featuring gourmet meals.
For more information on Jamaican weddings, call Villas by Linda Smith at 301-229-4300.

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