Andre Wright succeeds the second time around
Quality time and special seasoning the recipe to Wendell Gayle’s success
DESPITE NOT securing a place among the winners in PAN 2016, Andre Wright decided to try his luck again in 2017. At the recent regional, Wright placed second.
“I always admired CB for this competition and for what they are doing for pan chicken vendors across Jamaica. It’s a very good thing that they are doing and that’s why I decided to enter again,” disclosed Wright.
Wright has been preparing pan chicken for the past five years, mostly on weekends in Waterworks, Westmoreland.
“I have a small business that I want to upgrade and improve. The competition has sharpened my personal skills in food preparation, and that’s what I’m taking with me to the grand finals – my enhanced skills.”
Wright shared what made his chicken special in securing victory the second time around. “The seasoning helped and I always make my chicken tender and succulent. I have a passion for it, so all the passion is thrust into what I do. I love cooking and this is something that I learnt from a friend.”
WENDELL GAYLE, first-place winner for Hanover, says spending quality time in preparing the chicken and special seasoning were what contributed to this victory.
The 45-year-old father of three from Jericho in the hills of Hanover has been preparing pan chicken from a small cookshop for the past 10 years.
“You have to put in quality time in how you prepare the chicken, add your special seasoning and the presentation. That’s what makes my chicken special,” Gayle shared.
He entered PAN 2017 after he was encouraged by friends. “Two of my friends who entered years ago encouraged me to enter. I am glad I did because the experience was good. Just seeing people enjoy the chicken that I prepared is satisfaction for me.”
He shared the joy he felt when he was announced as the winner for his parish. “You see like how Andrew Holness did look the night he was announced winner in the election last year, that’s the same way I felt. Overjoyed and happy.”
A father of three, Gayle has a day job in the hospitality sector, but does his chicken on the weekends as an extra source of income for his family.
He has big plans for utilising the cash prize if he is announced the winner at the grand finals. “My dream is to open my own restaurant, but if I won, I would use some of the money to help out the Jericho Primary School. They need a lot of things, including educational stuff, so that would be my priority, and then I would use some to invest in a restaurant.”
Since his parish win, Gayle says his has seen an upswing in his pan chicken business. “People in the community recognise me from the competition and I have been getting jobs to jerk chicken at parties. It (PAN 2017) has really opened a lot of doors for me.” said Gayle.