A hopeful contestant fusses over his contest entry
before sequestered judges perform the taste test

First place contest winner, Seamus Mulcare
(centre) and his crew from Woody's Sea Food Bar

Sea dog Ziggy Marley takes a break from sampling
the tasty bounty. Photos: Susan Mann

ST JOHN, USVI: Last December when St John, US Virgin Islands, business owner Jodi Ray decided to organise a community event to benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina, both St John and St Thomas islands were brimming over with fund raising events for non-profits, not to mention a steady stream of regular community and cultural celebrations.
 
In the spirit of New Orleans the idea for a Jambalaya cook-off started brewing. Last year most raffle ticket prizes were donated by St Johnians. Ray anticipated that the cook-off would be a one time event specifically to help Katrina victims.
 
This year when St Thomas business owners offered to step up to the plate to contribute as well, Ray decided to organize and manage the cook-off again. The involvement of St Thomas business owners might well be attributed to the successful launch earlier this year of the fledgling new Habitat for Humanity Program on St Thomas.
 
Prior to the election, Cecile deJongh, wife of Governor-elect John deJongh, donated property handed down from her family on St Thomas, for construction of the first Habitat for Humanity home on St Thomas. This brought televised coverage and awareness to the local island community about the nature of the long-standing national Habitat for Humanity programme.
 
A total of 13 booths were built overnight, Caribbean carnival style, on the short stretch of beach next to the ferry dock on St John for the afternoon for this year's December 17 event.
 
New Orleans Mardi Gras was a main theme as colourful beads hung  from trees and costume masks were readily available.  A local musical group performed through out the afternoon, as the crowd sampled the spicy, over-the-top-hot Jambalaya. 
 
Tourists who happened upon the the fund raiser quickly joined in the spirit of the social festivities. Judges for the contest remained sequestered, as samples were delivered to them from the island's "top chefs." 
 
The winner selected was former Baltimore resident and "Woody's" chef, Seamus Mulcare. The local culinary star said he has been perfecting the concoction since 1999, and had won first place in a previous contest for a gingerbread house creation back in Baltimore.
 
All funds raised by this year's cook-off will be donated to St Thomas Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, where the first home is currently under construction for a single mother with several children. 
 
Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976 at Koinonia Farm, which still operates today. The small interracial, Christian farming community is located near Americus, Georgia. The first international building project took place in 1973 in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.