Mario Batali, April Bloomfield, Seamus Mullen Join Jamaica's First-Ever NyamJam Festival

On November 13 and 14, Island Records founder Chris Blackwell will host the first ever NyamJam Festival in Jamaica, celebrating "the best of Jamaica's food, music, and culture." The festival's name is derived from the local patois for "snack," which is "nyam."

Participating chefs, who will host private dinners and other culinary events, include Mario Batali (Babbo), April Bloomfield (the Spotted Pig), José Enrique (Restaurante José Enrique), Seamus Mullen (Tertulia), and Johnny Iuzzini — the five of whom will host the festival's celebrity chef dinner on November 14, using ingredients from local farmers. Dinner for 300 guests will be followed by a surprise musical performance. 

The festival will also feature a number of prominent Jamaican chefs, including Brian Lumley (689 by Brian Lumley), Suzanne and Michelle Rousseau (Two Sisters and a Meal), Colin Hylton (Guilt Restaurant), Gabriel Ferguson (Norma's at the Marina, G's BBQ), Oji Jaja (Ashebre), and Celeste Gordon (The Frenchmen).

Tickets are available now and range from $150 for the culinary and music bazaar — featuring demonstrations by Batali, Iuzzini, Rohan Marley, and Action Bronson — to $350 for the celebrity chef dinner as well as access to the bazaar.