Best Dressed Chicken Presents: Farm & Forks

Who better to host the official countdown to the Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards’ silver anniversary than the Jamaica Broilers Group (JBG), who have for the last two-plus decades not only supported the region’s celebration of culinarians, but also partnered with the Food Awards committee to Trinidad & Tobago and the Cayman islands to elevate the narrative around the region’s food?

Twenty-five years later, JBG President & CEO Chris Levy remains resolute that the conversation needs to be kept alive as he welcomed JBG executives, a few long-standing customers, Jamaica Observer executives, and Food Awards judges, Sunday last, to the sprawling 380-acre Azan Farm which could easily pass muster in the Best Kept Secret category of the Food Awards.

“Welcome to Riversdale Farm! It is an active farm with five chicken houses that produces 120,000 chickens every seven weeks. We have 80 milking cows, two springs... it is a beautiful piece of property,” shared Levy. It’s no idle boast!

The scenic drive from Bog Walk awakened fond memories for many. Few had crossed Flat Bridge since the advent of the highway much less ventured to Riversdale, St Catherine.

All would soon discover how deeply intertwined the farm is with the Azan family, who operated it for nearly three decades. Now, it stands as a proud part of The Best Dressed Chicken enterprise.

As we venture deeper, the landscape undergoes a subtle transformation. Unassuming pastures give way to gently undulating fields, a sea of green under a vast sky. The air takes on a crisp freshness, hinting at the breathtaking views that await.

Suddenly, the farm reveals itself. Immaculate chicken houses shine in the midday sun and well-tended cattle graze in the distance, disturbed only by the occasional egret, framed against the backdrop of the hills. The entire scene is one of vibrant life, a testament to the bounty of the land.

Today, the farm hums with a different kind of energy. Festive canopies flutter in the breeze, transforming the working landscape into a celebratory venue in honour of the Food Awards’ 25th anniversary, a fitting tribute to the island’s culinary excellence. The aroma of wood smoke and roasting meats drifts on the air, tantalising the taste buds, as guests gather.

From the crest of a nearby hill, a panoramic view unfolds an endless tapestry of lush fields, vibrant with the life the farm nurtured. This is not merely a farm, but a symbol of Jamaica’s rich agricultural heritage and its promising future, and Arielle Oliver, The Best Dressed Chicken brand manager is eager for us all to experience it. It’s hard to feign indifference to the attention to detail, from the welcome beverage aptly called the Hudson Cocktail Story: Frozen Aperol Spritz Sorbet crafted to order by its namesake mixologist, Wynton Hudson. Holding court a few feet

(Photos: Garfield Robinson) Jamaica Observer Managing Director Dominic Beaubrun (left) and his wife Angelique were welcomed to Azan’s Farm by Chris Levy, president and CEO, Jamaica Broilers Group.

Jamaica Broiler Group President & CEO Chris Levy welcomes guests to lunch with The Best Dressed Chicken team at Riversdale Farm.

Arielle Oliver (right), brand manager, The Best Dressed Chicken, welcomed Jamaica Observer Deputy Managing Director Natalie Chin Samuda to The Best Dressed farm-to-fork event.

Mixologist Wynton Hudson adds Sans Pellegrino sparkling natural mineral water to the Hudson Cocktail Story: Aperol Spritz Sorbet.

Enjoying welcome drinks of Frozen Aperol Spritz Sorbet were guests Emlyn Jones (left) and Angelique Beaubrun.

Coconut vendor Andrew “Baboo” Richards was kept busy chopping coconuts.

Jamaica Broilers Group (JBG) President & CEO Chris Levy (right) caught up with execs Mike Jones (left), director of sales and marketing,the Best Dressed Chicken Division, Jamaica Broilers Group, and Dave Fairman, VP, The Best Dressed Chicken Division, Jamaica Broilers Group.

Brian Beecham stirs a glass of Spiked Basil Lemonade.