Johnny Cake gives the go-ahead!

Aïda Weinum, director of the Saint-Martin Tourist Office, accompanied by local ambassador chefs Amanda Whit and François Baly and this year’s patron, chef Jimmy Bibrac, opened the festivities… and the programme promises to be packed! Six editions, six years of passion sum up this culinary adventure for Valérie Damaseau, the president of the Tourist Office, who in her speech was keen to emphasise the importance of passing on knowledge, particularly through the partnership with the vocational college, but also through the presence of numerous chefs on the island for the occasion.

Who makes the best Johnny Cake? 

There were five entrants: Golden Taste, Tatie Aline, T’s Delicacy (Soualiwomen Kultural Association), Sky’s the Limit, and A&K Multi Services – and it was no easy task, as what these ladies are used to making had to be produced this time under tight time constraints and with marks awarded at every stage. They also had to make two different batters, one traditional and the other allowing free rein to their creativity, kneaded by hand, of course! Each dough then had to rest for 20 minutes (which is really the absolute minimum). For the traditional Johnny Cakes, each contestant had to prepare 12 perfectly equal portions, by eye, without scales or any other aids. A task that requires a certain amount of skill! Several criteria were taken into account in the scoring: speed of execution, the cleanliness of the bowl – which reveals the quality of the kneading – the texture of the batter, the consistency of the portions, as well as the cooking and, of course, the taste. All this was scored out of 40 marks. Under the watchful eyes of the audience and to the lively commentary of Malaika Maxwell, the contestants kneaded, shaped and fried their Johnny Cakes. Whilst everyone was able to sample them and get a sense of their own preferences, it is up to the jury to determine the best Johnny Cake. But to find out the results, a little more patience is required: the verdict will
only be revealed at the awards ceremony on Friday 20 November.
A band provided the entertainment on the boulevard throughout the evening, which also marked the launch of the ‘Festival Tables’ in Grand-Case’s restaurants.
The festival is now underway and will run until 22 November. Join us this Friday evening for the first day of the Village de la Gastronomie on the seafront in Marigot to discover the thirty or so chefs, artisans and flavour creators ready to delight our taste buds until Saturday evening. On Sunday, the eagerly awaited BBQ competition will take centre stage… and that’s just the start!
Full programme and bookings for the various events: www.festival-st-martin.com.