Publix
Culinary Pavilion
The Host
Chef Irie
Chef Irie is the CEO and Executive Chef of Chef Irie Spice, Inc. – Private Chef and Catering Services, providing food services to the tri-county area of South East Florida. He was born in Jamaica, where he grew up on a sugar estate.
Hugh always had a passion for cooking and felt right at home in the kitchen.
Being a Personal and Private chef has allowed him to work with entertainers, professional athletes, and many of South Florida’s elite. [chefirie.com]
The Competitions
Chef Clash Challenge
Chef Darian Bryan
Chef Darian is a Jamaican chef bringing Chef Darian is a Jamaican chef bringing the heat to Buffalo, NY. He has been featured on Food Network, CBS News, ESPN, The Jamaican Observer, The Gleaner, TVJ, and more.
He arrived in the States in 2012 and has quickly risen to the spotlight through his pop-up fine dining dinners in surprising and unusual locations, private dinners and meal prep for Buffalo’s favorite NFL players, and his block-long lines at his Jamaican pop-up events titled “Jerk Hut.” Chef Darian specializes in everything from his signature fedora hats and chef jacket styles to his jewelry to his colossal surf and turf.
He recently opened a new dining concept, a boutique for chef services. The boutique allows the Chef to focus on his mission, which is redefining the Chef, bringing them from the back of the house to the front, with each dining party centered around his cooking.
Chef Darian believes that chefs are rock stars and should be celebrated; their food makes people happy, and they should also feel and see that love. Through all his success, he represents Jamaica to the fullest and loves to merge his Caribbean cuisine with all his fine dining dishes, hence the nickname, “The Fancy Jerk.”
Chef Jamal Small
Chef Small, is no stranger to the world stage and has an extensive collection of medals and accomplishments to his name, conveying a highly experienced culinary artist, proficiently inclined with taste and flavor.
He is proudly Bahamian.
Chef Small. obtained a degree in Culinary Arts while becoming an apprentice at Kerzner International (Atlantis). The budding prospect actively absorbed technical aspects of culinary, inclusive of techniques, flavor, and composition.
While functioning as an apprentice, he participated in many food shows, competitions, and seminars in an effort to hone his craft. His culinary journey thus far has taken him aboard yachts, private homes, and luxury resorts.
Jamal has been perfecting his craft for well over a decade and the evidence of his ability lies not only in his attainment of Caribbean Chef of the Year 2018 but also in his achievement of Chef of the Year (Beef Category, Certified Angus, 2013) and his subsequent induction into Le Chaines as Chef Rotisseur (2015).
Notwithstanding the accolades, Jamal has also played a pivotal role in executing the entrée mystery basket plate for the historic
(2015) National Culinary Team
Celebrity Quick Fire Challenge
Cherney Amhara, Defending Champion
Amhara comes from a multi-racial Caribbean family and spent her early years living in St. Andrews Parish, Jamaica, before moving to California as a child. The Jamaican-American journalist is thrilled to be a part of South Florida’s diverse community and tell stories that impact our area.
In her spare time, Amhara loves to cook and loves to travel. She typically takes a cooking class whenever she visits new countries or regions. Amhara even has an Instagram page, @ChefNCher, dedicated to her cooking.
Alexis Frazier
She is a proud Floridian born and raised in Fort Lauderdale.
She graduated from Florida A&M University in the fall of 2013 with a degree in broadcast journalism.
Before her return to the Sunshine State, Alexis gained more than 5 years of experience as an Anchor/Reporter at ABC affiliates in Texas and South Carolina. When she’s not on air, Alexis likes to travel, try new food recipes, spend time with family, read, and listen to Beyonce’.
The Demonstrations
Chef Kofi
Chef Kriss Kofi’s deep appreciation for delectable cuisine was developed at a young age growing up and watching his mother prepare his favorite meals.
Born to Jamaican parents and having the opportunity to work in his father’s Jamaican restaurant located in Miami, Florida; by the age of 17 it was then that he decided to pursue a career as a Chef.
In July 2014, Kofi made the life-changing decision of going vegan that being an even more strict form of vegetarianism forced him to explore all the interesting ways to create a delicious and enticing meal [chefkofi.com]
Paulette Daley
Paulette Daley has previously worked with Publix. Paulette grew up in the Tweedside district of Clarendon, Jamaica.
She is a mother of four, a grandmother of nine, and a great-grandmother of one.
Her love language is cooking Jamaican food to feed her family, her many relatives, and friends.
Her favorite dish to cook is oxtails served with rice and gungo peas. [www.publix.com]
Chef Reece
Travis Reece, aka “Chef Reece,” hails from Kingston, Jamaica, and was raised in St. Elizabeth.
He developed farming skills at age 8, caring for livestock and cultivating various crops. While growing up on a farm, he initially aspired to be an Agronomist but soon discovered his true passion for cooking.
After moving to the United States, Chef Reece worked in fast food and food distribution, impressing colleagues with his culinary talents. This led him to start selling lunch plates on the side. His skills took him around the world, cooking for celebrities like Kanye West, Travis Scott, Kris Jenner, Tristan Thompson, and more.
Chef Reece’s culinary expertise has made him a beloved figure in the world of Caribbean cuisine. Gaining fame as “Oxtail Reece” for his renowned dishes like Oxtails, Mac Reece, Jerk Chicken, and Rice and Peas.
Now based in Miami, FL, Chef Reece is the proud owner and Executive Chef of Chef Reece Kitchen, South Florida’s fastest-growing Jamaican Fusion restaurant in Pembroke Pines, FL.
His mission is to share love, flavors, and unity through food.