Caribbean cook-off at Albemarle CiderWorks, raising money for Haiti

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) – A Caribbean Cook Off at Albemarle CiderWorks raised money Saturday for the Ford Haitian Foundation despite a short rain delay.

Racquel White is the owner of Rum Punch, a Jamaican food truck, and is one of the three chefs competing.

“Today I’m serving curry goat with rice and cabbage and in Jamaica it’s like a really big Sunday staple,” White said.

White said the event is a chance to highlight overlooked communities.

“I’m from Jamaica and so Haiti is a neighboring island and um, I don’t think they get a lot of recognition. Haiti gets so much bad press and so a lot of people don’t want to donate,” White said.

All proceeds from Saturday’s event go to the Ford Haitian Orphanage and School. Ray Ford is the founder and president.

“And we go down there. I’ve been there four times, it’ll be four times this year. And it’s been going for 25 years. We do medical work down there also, in a Haitian clinic,” Ford said.

Ford shared that the foundation relies on donations and every cent goes directly to Haiti.

Charlotte Shelton co-owns Albemarle CiderWorks. She said what can be done locally is important for international relief.

“Mostly what hits the airwaves is what goes on, on the other end of Haiti, which is violence and corruption. And so the fact that there is this place, that is a wonderful ray of hope for the human race in my opinion,” Shelton said.

You can learn more and donate to the foundation here.