In an effort to continue its practical development and team building goals, Sandals Negril team members from the food and beverage department were put to the ultimate test by way of a cooking competition. The month-long event dubbed Make the Same, which commenced in February, saw over 15 cooks and chefs participating in the thrilling initiative.
Divided into eight groups, the teams were challenged each week to prepare a meal of choice selected by the judges. This included a variety of popular dishes such as, classic Jamaican breakfast, club sandwiches, and Mediterranean cuisine. Though challenged to excite the judges’ taste buds, the teams were also quizzed on general kitchen knowledge.
The grand finale of the Make the Same competition was a real treat to both team members across various departments and guests alike. The top two competing teams, ‘Make it Happen’ comprising team members Kedesha Spence, Yakini Scott and Abi Joan Allen and team Trending with team members Iona Robinson, Dannese Jones and Monique Thomas went head-to-head to see who would be crowned the top team and ultimate cook-off champion.
Out to cheer on their favourite teams, both guests and team members were confident in their selection, as it was non-stop shouting of the respective competitors’ names and banter amongst the audience. This gave the nervous but determined competitors the drive to deliver their best work as the timer ticked away to the last minute.
After what seemed an eternity for the judges’ deliberations, both teams were tied and the tension ran even higher as it was revealed a cook-off to see which team could produce the best ‘over-easy egg’ to ultimately determine the winner. At the end, team Trending, was announced the victors.
“My team and I were absolutely excited for this win; the initiative was a great learning tool for us and gave us the platform to test our skills and knowledge. This was an opportunity for us to bond as a group and it has definitely helped with the chemistry within the department,” shared Dannese Jones on behalf of the winning team.
For Executive Chef at Sandals Negril Delroy Haye, the aim of the competition was to promote team building and simultaneously boost self-confidence, particularly for those team members who were hesitant to showcase their skills in front of an audience.
“We grouped some of our more experienced team members with some of our newer employees for this initiative, so each person could learn from the other. This has resulted in obvious skill development and improvement all around,” a proud Haye added.
The top two teams walked away with a host of prizes including cash awards, trophies, appliances, gift baskets and gift certificates.
Noting that this is the second staging of the competition, as it was first held in 2019, Chef Haye added that though the COVID-19 pandemic had put things on hold for a bit, the team is looking forward to this initiative being a staple at Sandals Negril for years to come.
