Inaugural ‘Many Moods of Tilapia’ Cooking Competition Winner Crowned

Entrepreneur, Sasha-Kay Gooden-Petrie, is the winner of the National Fisheries Authority’s (NFA) inaugural ‘Many Moods of Tilapia’ cooking competition.

Mrs. Gooden-Petrie, whose coconut callaloo steamed tilapia and bammy bites wowed the judges, was presented with her prizes during the Eat Jamaican Day Expo at Devon House in Kingston on November 25.

These included, among other things, $100,000 from main sponsor, Rainforest Caribbean. Mrs. Gooden-Petrie owns and operates Ambrosial Catering Jamaica.

First runner-up was Immaculate Conception High’s Shelly Deng and her schoolmates, whose plantain stuffed deep fried tilapia landed them a $30,000 Hi-Lo Food Stores gift voucher compliments of Grace Foods.

Second runner-up, Camelia Thompson, was awarded $25,000 courtesy of Nestlé, for her tilapia and eggplant feast.

The top three finishers also received gift baskets courtesy of Musson Jamaica Limited and goodie bags from Rainforest Caribbean.

All of the contestants were presented with trophies sponsored by EasiSpice Manufacturers Limited and Spur Tree Spices Jamaica Limited.

The competition’s final round, which took place during the expo, saw the top five contestants participating in a cook-off.

Judges – Bernetta Kerr, Alicia Fulton, Jacqui Tyson, and Ricardo Hepkins, assessed the finalists’ entries for taste, presentation, use of tilapia and local seasonings, creativity, and sanitation.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., who visited the cooking zone while the contestants showcased their creations, pointed out that “the reality is, if you grow up in Jamaica, you understand how good our food tastes.”

“We, in Jamaica, have a gift; we have assets that the world wants. The number one reason why tourists come here, is our food,” he stated.

Commenting on her winning dish, Mrs. Gooden-Petrie said, “I know tilapia and I’ve used it before.”

“It’s a freshwater fish. So steaming it allowed me to bring out all the flavours,” she indicated.

The NFA’s Senior Director for Corporate Services, Angela Patterson, said she was “particularly pleased” about Mrs. Gooden-Petrie’s success, noting that “she won using good old Jamaican stuff – coconut, callaloo [and] bammy.”

The ‘Many Moods of Tilapia’ cooking competition was launched in September, with the aim of attracting the best tilapia-based recipes that portray the popular fish’s versatility. A total of 21 entries were received from 16 contestants.

The competition is part of the NFA’s strategies to promote aquaculture, especially in light of global challenges impacting food security.

The State entity has placed focus on tilapia to meet the growing demand for local fish and its by-products. This, in order to relieve the stress on marine fish.