Wed | Jan 21, 2026

Second time’s the Charm: Two-time PAN CHEF a huge success!

Published:Thursday | October 24, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Pause
Contributed
Jeana Francis Brown (centre), flanked by CB Foods Mascot (left), and Nicole Hall (right), assistant brand manager, CB Foods, collects her gift basket at PAN 2019 Regional 2 in St Elizabeth.
Contributed
PAN finalist Jeana Francis Brown complements her chicken with old-fashioned National Giant Hardo Bread.
1
2

Jeana Francis Brown is a PAN chef who embodies perseverance. A huge culinary talent, Brown placed second in her parish of St James, in the PAN 2019 Regional 2 competition, hosted by CB Foods, at Independence Park, St Elizabeth. She also placed third in the Miracle Sauce Lick Di Spot Competition, both of which concluded on Saturday, September 28.

Brown, while a talented chef, admits that her 2019 entry into the ­competition is not her first go at the championship title. The PAN chef entered in 2016 and says that her efforts were not met with the success and accolades she received in the 2019 instalment of the competition.

“Back then I wasn’t prepared to enter. There were things I didn’t understand then that are important to stand out in the competition ... Things like proper plating; how to present your meal and sauce,” said Brown, recalling the experience.

“I also didn’t get the chance to enter the training segment last time around and I think that was a huge disadvantage for me. Someone else was meant to enter but they ended up dropping out of the competition abruptly and that’s when I got a call,” she added, noting that by then, she had missed the opportunity to join the training ­programme prior to the competition and could no longer leverage the available knowledge.

Brown is pleased to say this time her luck has taken a turn for the better. The training has aided her in her development tremendously; something she believes is evident in the results from PAN Regional 2.

“The training is a big help, of course. It also made me understand how I should go about what I’m doing and what I will come up against in the competition,” she said.

The PAN 2019 grand finals, hosted by CB Foods, is set for Sunday, October 27 in St Ann. Jeana Francis Brown is fully prepared to wow judges and patrons once again with her jerked chicken, as well as her sauce. She has special plans in store for the latter.

“I prepared my sauce much better this time round, with a little scallion, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper and some special ingredients I won’t get into,” said Brown. “For grand finals I will be using the same sauce but I will change some things up to add to the flavour, and you know, do something a little different.”