July 6, 2026
Today, the search begins.
Applications for the inaugural Jamaica Jerk Championship are officially open.
Last week we asked you to think of the cook whose reputation was built one satisfied customer at a time. The one your family insists on visiting whenever they travel home. The one locals recommend before anyone else. Today, that cook can apply.
Participation in this Championship is intentional and considered. We are not looking for volume. We are looking for cooks with meaningful experience in the craft of jerk, whether that experience was earned through competition, through formal training, or through years behind a roadside pit that built a following without ever seeking one. Prior recognition at other jerk or food events is welcomed and will be considered as part of a holistic selection process. Every participant will be chosen with respect for the craft and for the setting they are entering.
Applications will remain open through August 31, 2026. The selection committee will review submissions from across the island before inviting the inaugural competitors to The Cliff Hotel in Negril this December.
This is the moment we have been building toward since the judging panel was announced, since the venue was confirmed, since we first said this Championship would be national in soul and international in stature. The judges are set. The venue is set. Now the field begins to take shape.
If a cook came to mind when you read last week’s post, today is the day to tell them.
Respect the Jerk.
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