Curry in de Six was a spicy summer affair

After the pandemic, this curry festival in Toronto proved to be just the right opportunity to get out and vibe with musicians, chefs, community leaders, and the beautiful people of the Six!

On Saturday, July 15, the inaugural Curry Festival and Duck Curry Competition took place outside the One Love Table food bank in Toronto.

Our chief guest was TV celebrity Chef Dev, usually seen on CityLine, whose sought-after recipes have made waves around the world. He judged the five participants of the duck curry competition, and the winner was Andrew Ramharak, who cooks for fun.

The other attraction was the many vendors selling spicy curries and famous Guyanese treats under tents throughout the day.

Music for every background

Performers and musicians entertained a crowd of diverse backgrounds: Joel De Connector, calypso monarch; Raz Hyder, hip hop sensation; Bhisham aka Mistahsoca, the young steel pannist; Hameed Shaq, legendary steel pan player; and DJ Vick, your favourite West Indian spin master. Challisa of Tropical TV and Karan Singh were the emcees.

Honouring the people behind the work

One Love Family Services is a not-for-profit providing hampers to families of diverse backgrounds in Toronto, and a monthly opportunity for seniors to socialise. This time, a special Humanitarian Award was presented to Sam Boujie, founder of Global Funds and Beauty Nut Cosmetics, for providing our venue of operation. The award was presented by Directors Juliane Martin, Alli Shaw, and Habeeb Alli.

The core volunteers also received certificates of appreciation from the Hon. Rob Oliphant, MP, presented by Vice-Consul Osafo Scot and Michael AbduRasheed Taylor, Regional Chaplain of Ontario. Chef Dev stayed back and mingled with the vendors and audience, taking pictures and sharing his wisdom about the food industry.

Funds raised will continue to support our food security program. A special thank you to the hard-working vendors, tireless volunteers, and committed attendees who made the festival a spicy affair, like the curry duck, or duck curry!

Amir Quality Foods was our main sponsor, joined by Beauty Nuts, Nurani Family, and Berbican Foods.

Why Curry in de Six?

After the Pepperpot festival at Christmas, curry was the next obvious cuisine to celebrate, for Canada and the West Indian diaspora.