Pembroke Pines, FL — With the growing popularity of foods like Jerk Chicken Wings and Coconut Shrimp, it is clear that Caribbean cuisine is gaining tremendous visibility in the American mainstream. Blondie Ras Productions, a creator of Caribbean lifestyle television content, has announced that it is bringing its Caribbean cooking series Taste the Islands to the mainstream as well. Taste the Islands with Chef Irie will begin broadcast on South Florida PBS affiliate WPBT2 in early 2015.

The series is hosted by one of South Florida’s most popular and animated Caribbean culinary personalities – Hugh “Chef Irie” Sinclair. In each episode of Taste the Islands with Chef Irie, the Jamaican-born culinarian is challenged to create a mouthwatering meal using specific Caribbean ingredients or cooking methods. Chef Irie elevates the dishes to the level of world class cuisine he is best known for, creating stunning presentations that excite the senses. Throughout the program, short vignettes also educate viewers about Caribbean food culture, and about Chef Irie’s love and knowledge of foods from the Caribbean and elsewhere in the world.

Blondie Ras Productions and Chef Irie have already been gaining visibility in the South Florida community. Their current broadcast, The Caribbean Diaspora Weekly – South Florida Editionairing Sundays at 11:30AM on South Florida’s CW Network, is a TV magazine where Chef Irie has made consistent appearances in the Grace Foods sponsored ‘Cooking Caribbean’ segment. Chef Irie is a new columnist for the South Florida Times where his culinary delights have garnered extraordinary reviews.

Executive Producer Calibe Thompson was palpably excited about the news, but remained tight lipped about other developments on the horizon. “Chef Irie’s dynamic personality and awesome approach to flavor combinations have been catching the attention of some pretty impressive decision makers. We’ve got more and better things to announce in the next month or two, but for now, we’re looking forward to bringing Caribbean cuisine to every television household from Key West to the Treasure Coast.”