Chefs JJ Johnson & Kardea Brown Talk Hosting NPIWFF

The 2025 Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival (NPIWFF) is about to kick off with veteran and neophyte chefs set to make the experience, once again, a can’t miss ever. For its third anniversary, Chef JJ Johnson returns to host multiple events while Chef Kardea Brown will be in Nassau for the first time spreading her food gospel.

The four-day festival properly started Wednesday, March 12, and will run through Sunday, March 16, at its Atlantis Paradise Island home in the Bahamas.

Celebrity Chef Johnson should be familiar. He frequently appears on the Food Network and his own show, Just Eats, on Cleo TV. A NPIWFF regular, this year, the James Beard Award winner will again be hosting Jerk Jam, the festival’s signature event. While local, international and celebrity chefs will be showcasing their finest jerk dishes. Reggae star Shaggy is the musical headliner. There will also be People’s Choice Award for the best dish served—which Johnson can’t win since it’s technically his event, but he’ll be there along with a friend.

“At NPIWFF I get to connect with a lot of people especially Bahamians who watch my show, Just Eats. I hope people get the impression that I like to have a good time and truly enjoy connecting with them. This is my third year hosting Jerk Jam,” Johnson told CASSIUSLife. “I invited Kardea Brown to co-host with me, we’re going to bring all the energy and vibes.”

While Brown may be new to the NPIWFF fold, she’s a renowned chef and New York Times bestselling author. The South Carolina native, who just got married, is the star of Food Network’s Delicious Miss Brown and is known for bringing her Gullah cuisine to the masses. Along with co-hosting Jerk Jam, she will also be hosting the Gospel Brunch on Sunday.

“I love the food and culture of the Caribbean Islands, so it was a no brainer when I was asked to participate in the event,” Brown told Cassius. “As a chef, I am most looking forward to the local food and beverages. I am ready to eat my way through NPIWFF!”

While Brown’s presence will surely be appreciated by festival goers, her expertise is another reason joining Team NPIWFF was seamless. She adds, “Gullah people and Bahamian people share the same West African ancestry. Therefore, our foods are very similar. Seafood forward, with layers and layers of flavor.”

Also worth noting, and speaking of flavor, the Atlantis Paradise Island resort now features one of Johnson’s FIELDTRIP restaurants, which specializes in bringing his sustainable, community-led “fast casual” rice bowl concept to fruition. “We have been open for six months, we’re getting fan mail and I think it’s a great addition to the Atlantis to give folks healthy, flavorful and easy options,” said Johnson. “We are now reaching more people from all over the world! I am excited for people to try it out.” 

More info about NPIWFF right here.

Chefs JJ Johnson & Kardea Brown Talk Hosting Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival  was originally published on ionecassius.staging.go.ione.nyc