Barbahol goes virtual

FOR three years Barbahol has brought the best grillers face to face with crowds of hungry feters.

A hybrid of a food festival and a Carnival fete, the EEEmpire event has seen top chefs and amateurs alike present their culinary creations for scrutiny by a celebrity panel of judges in a meeting of great food and ambience.

The ongoing covid19 pandemic has made such social events near impossible. But creator Ken Sambury has repackaged this year’s edition to facilitate a completely virtual experience on July 25 titled Barbahol To Go, said a media release.

“Barbahol To Go blends the elements of curbside pick-up and delivery with the concept of an online party. We believe this effort will assist in stimulating both the culinary and entertainment sector giving work to a number of professionals whose livelihoods have been cut by the social distancing initiatives,” Sambury explained in the release.

He said the intention of this year’s event goes beyond turning a profit and praised the corporate sponsors such as Angostura LLB, Hennessy, Hunts BBQ Sauce and Kevin Ramgoolam Tent Rentals who have bought into his vision and invested in the showcasing of local culinary talent.

“We want to showcase the caterers and foodies, bring everyone together and put a spotlight on our brands pressing forward. We firmly believe that this altruistic approach will allow our economy to thrive in the future and be the boost for our sustainable development coming out of the covid19 pandemic,” Sambury said.

So how exactly will it all work?

Sambury said barbecue chefs and crews will create a Barbahol food package containing two servings of meat and one side and a free non-alcoholic drink. Alcohol can be added by request. Meat options include jerk chicken and guava flavoured barbecue pork, grilled steak, chicken, grilled lamb and fish. Packages will also include log in details for a virtual event, he said.

Packages will be available for pick-up and delivery between 12 -4 pm.

The online Zoom party begins at 6 pm and goes till 11 pm. Soca star Nadia Batson and singer/radio host Tim Tim (Keron Boodoosingh) will be this year’s celebrity judges.

“A closed virtual event will be hosted on Zoom allowing participants to show off the items they have purchased. The result of the competition will be announced and prizes will be given out. The online audience can also request to show their camera as they dance to the DJ music being played,” Sambury said.

For more info: eeempire.com