Countdown to Table Talk Food Awards

Jamaica Observer’s Table Talk Food Awards are moving into the final stretch before their 27th staging on Thursday, June 25, 2026. The awards programme has begun rolling out nominee profiles and category build-up pieces ahead of the ceremony, with one of the clearest early focal points being the Best (New) Local Product field. A judging session for that category was held at AC Hotel Kingston on Tuesday, May 12, bringing together 13 contenders, Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards conceptualiser and chair Novia McDonald-Whyte, Agriculture Minister Floyd Green and a panel of 15 judges and guest judges. ### When is the awards event, and where is the countdown now? Thursday, June 25, 2026, is the date the Jamaica Observer has given for this year’s Table Talk Food Awards. In articles published on May 21, the newspaper said the countdown had begun to the announcement of the Best (New) Local Product winner and to the wider 27th staging of the awards. (jamaicaobserver.com) April 23 marked the start of the Observer’s broader awards-season coverage, with judges beginning restaurant review features tied to the 2026 programme. The Food Awards microsite says this year’s edition is framed around food security, sustainability and support for Jamaica’s local food ecosystem in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. (jamaicaobserver.com) ### What exactly was judged at AC Hotel Kingston? Tuesday, May 12, was the date of the AC Hotel Kingston judging session for Best (New) Local Product, according to the Observer’s nominee roundup. The paper said the field included 13 entrants spanning small, medium and large enterprises, with products ranging from sweet potato chips and jerk fritters mix to canned lychee lemonade, coffee syrup, oxtail marinade, ready-to-grill barbecue chicken, desserts, beer mixes and rum mixes. (jamaicaobserver.com) Novia McDonald-Whyte said the category reflected the purpose of the awards and linked this year’s field to resilience after Hurricane Melissa. “We are Michelin stars,” McDonald-Whyte said, according to the Observer, as she urged support for local producers. ### Who are some of the named contenders? Cousin Vinny’s Kitchen was identified by the Observer as one of the 2026 nominees in Best (New) Local Product. (jamaicaobserver.com) Principal Vincent Lopez said the business launched prepared meals in early 2025, later added pasta sauces and desserts, and now sells through outlets including Loshusan Supermarket, General Foods, The Butcher Shoppe, CPJ and select Progressive Grocers. CocktailsToGo876 was also profiled as a nominee. The Observer named principals Orane Reid, Johnny Calame and Czar Plunket, and said the company emerged during the COVID-19 period as a ready-to-drink beverage business. Bread and Belly Foods Ltd, trading as CHEW, and Chrishaunas were among other nominee profiles published on May 21. (jamaicaobserver.com) The Observer said Bread and Belly Foods was conceptualised around 2024 and became operational around January 2025, while Chrishaunas was established in St Catherine in 2024. (jamaicaobserver.com) ### How broad are the awards beyond one product category? The 2025 winners list shows the Table Talk Food Awards extend well beyond new packaged products. Last year’s programme included Restaurant of the Year, Caterer of the Year, Best Café Experience, Best New Restaurant, Best Bar Experience, Best Sunday Spot, Outstanding Jamaican Food, Best Ethnic Restaurant and several special awards. (jamaicaobserver.com) June 26, 2025, was the date of the 26th staging, which the Observer said was held at King’s House and powered by Mastercard. The 2026 coverage suggests a similar multi-category structure this year, even as the current pre-event reporting has concentrated heavily on nominee showcases and judges’ visits. (jamaicaobserver.com) ### Why does the Observer keep emphasizing small producers and local supply? The Food Awards microsite says the 2026 programme will emphasize food security, sustainability and support for Jamaica’s local food ecosystem. In the Best (New) Local Product coverage, the Observer said contestants were presenting products built around local ingredients, inventive packaging and market-ready ideas, and that many participants saw the judging process itself as a source of feedback and industry exposure. (jamaicaobserver.com) A 2024 Observer report on the awards described the tasting event as a platform that can push new food businesses into wider visibility and create demand across farming, processing and distribution. That framing has carried into this year’s coverage as the publication profiles entrepreneurs and restaurants ahead of the June 25 ceremony. (jamaicaobserver.com) Thursday, June 25, 2026, is the next fixed date in the awards calendar now in public view. The Jamaica Observer has said that is when the Best (New) Local Product winner will be revealed as part of the 27th Table Talk Food Awards. (jamaicaobserver.com) (jamaicaobserver.com)