Spotlight on Yam for 2026 JCDC Culinary Arts Competition

Yam, a popular starch in Jamaica, will be the featured item for the 2026 Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) Culinary Arts Competition.

Food enthusiasts and amateur chefs are being invited to showcase versatile uses of the produce, which includes the yellow, white, and St. Vincent varieties.

While a favourite on many local tables, often boiled with other starches and served with protein, yam is often underutilised, with most persons sticking to boiling.

Culinary Arts Development Specialist at JCDC, Jane Jerry, tells JIS News that the focus on yam is to encourage Jamaicans to use the tuber in creative and unexpected ways, beyond the traditional boiling.

“Yam in any shape or form; we want them to use the yam not only to boil as a provision and eat with some protein but also to… come up with recipes and items that persons will want to try,” she says.

Contestants will be judged on creativity, taste, presentation, and their ability to innovate while staying true to Jamaican flavours.

This year’s competition, which gets under way in May, will see continued partnership with the Norwegian Seafood Council, which has supplied saltfish to be paired with the featured item, a combination Mrs. Jerry says is fitting because “it’s a nice thing to pair the yam with the saltfish”.

“A lot of persons would know that when you’re driving to Manchester, the roast yam and saltfish is a must for a lot of people,” she notes.

The JCDC’s annual Culinary Arts Competition, which attracts talent from across the island, provides a platform for up-and-coming culinary artists to showcase their skills.

It is an important component of the National Festival of the Arts, highlighting the importance of food in Jamaican culture.

Mrs. Jerry tells JIS News, however, that the competition is often overlooked.

“[People] don’t think that it is as important as the other areas, but it is because we [all] do want to eat food and eat good food,” she says.

Preparations for this year’s competition is already under way with culinary workshops held over three days from February 10 to 12.

Competition categories include Batters & Doughs, Wedding & Celebration Cakes, Traditional Jamaican Dishes, Preserves & Condiments, Wines & Liqueurs, Knife Skill Techniques, Recipe Writing, the Team Challenge, the Mystery Basket, and Pan Chicken.

For the Team Challenge and the Mystery Basket, participants will be required to prepare their dishes live before judges.

“There is a common table that persons can take items from to use with the items that they have and prepare the dish accordingly,” Mrs. Jerry tells JIS News.

The Pan Chicken category is a crowd favourite, requiring competitors to season their chicken at home and present it along with side dishes and a sauce that incorporates the featured item (yam).

A major focus is on food safety, with strict guidelines to prevent spoilage and ensure hygiene.

“They must know how to keep [items] chilled, walk with their igloo, put their items in the igloo, and take it to the competition zone,” Mrs. Jerry says.

Young food enthusiasts will also be accommodated through the ‘Young Testers Challenge’, where children will be tasked with preparing simple dishes under the watchful eyes of adjudicators.

“They get one hour and 15 minutes to prepare six baked cupcakes and a fruit and vegetable smoothie or they do two batches of pinwheel or canopy sandwiches, and they make a fruit or vegetable smoothie,” Mrs. Jerry tells JIS News.

Street Food JA, another major aspect of the Culinary Arts Competition, requires competitors to select three items from a list to create authentic Jamaican street food offerings. The list includes chicken neck, breadfruit, crab, fish, yam, fried dumpling, corn, bammy, shrimp, soup, and festival.

“What we do ask of the competitors is that they prepare for the adjudicators to taste and so they can sell to patrons that are there in the competition area. So, it becomes an income generator for the competitor,” Mrs. Jerry notes.

She is encouraging Jamaicans to support the event. “Come out to embrace what we have in Jamaica and how creative our Jamaicans are,” she urges.

For further details on the competition and how to enter, persons are advised to visit the JCDC website at www.jcdc.gov.jm and select Culinary Arts to access the handbook.

“They will have that to read to see what we are asking them to do for this year and the other information that is necessary for them to know when they are entering the competition. Before they start submitting their entries, they must read the handbook. It’s a guide,” Mrs. Jerry says.