Jamaica Food and Drink Festival Launched in Brooklyn
The international event showcased Jamaican culinary heritage in Williamsburg with four featured chefs.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Food and Drink
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The Jamaica Food and Drink Festival expanded its global presence with a recent launch event in Brooklyn. The celebration featured a showcase of music and cuisine at Aliyah's at the Indigo Hotel.
Why it matters
Organizers selected Brooklyn as a key location to establish the festival as an international brand. The event highlighted Jamaican heritage through dishes prepared by chefs of Jamaican descent.
The festival featured a lineup of four international chefs of Jamaican descent. Partners supporting the expansion include Visa, the Jamaica Tourist Board, and the Victoria Mutual Group.
The players
Scotley Innis
He is one of the four international chefs who presented dishes rooted in Jamaican heritage at the Brooklyn event.
India Doris
She participated as a featured chef during the inaugural Brooklyn showcase of the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival.
Patrick Simpson
He served as a featured culinary expert representing Jamaican heritage at the September festival launch.
Andre Fowles
He is a featured chef of Jamaican descent who presented his work at the festival in Williamsburg.
Jamaica Tourist Board
This government agency served as a partner for the expansion of the festival into the New York City market.
The details
The event brought together chefs Scotley Innis, India Doris, Patrick Simpson, and Andre Fowles to present heritage-rooted cuisine. The festival was supported by various commercial partners including Worthy Park, Walkerswood, Supligen, and Best Dressed Plate.
Timeline
The Jamaica Food and Drink Festival occurred in Brooklyn on September 24, 2026.
The next edition of the festival is scheduled to take place in Kingston from March 4-7, 2027.
Industry Dynamics
The Brooklyn launch marks an international extension of the Jamaica Food and Drink Festival's annual Kingston programming. This move reflects a broader trend of regional culinary festivals seeking to capitalize on global diaspora markets to grow their brand reach.
Local residents in Brooklyn gained direct access to international culinary talent and Jamaican heritage programming. The event served as a preview of the larger festival experience that requires travel to Kingston for the full 2027 edition.
The takeaway
This event demonstrates how niche international food festivals can leverage cultural centers like Brooklyn to expand their brand identity. Culinary enthusiasts can look forward to the return of the full festival experience in Jamaica in early 2027.
What happens next
The festival is scheduled to hold its next edition in Kingston, Jamaica, from March 4-7, 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about local culinary events in the New York City Food and Drink section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by South Florida Caribbean News.
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