Jimmy Cliff, Tessanne Chin to be honoured at Toronto gala

TORONTO — Reggae star Jimmy Cliff, The Voice winner Tessanne Chin and celebrity chef Roger Mooking are among those who will be honoured next year at The University of the West Indies Fifth Annual Toronto Benefit Gala.

Jimmy Cliff | Tessanne Chin
Tessanne Chin | Jimmy Cliff

The event, set for March 29 at the Ritz- Carlton Hotel, pays tribute to leaders of Caribbean and Canadian heritage. Cliff, 65, is a Jamaican singer whose hits include “The Harder They Come” and his covers of “Wild World” and “I Can See Clearly Now.”

Chin, also a native of Jamaica, won Season 5 of the competition show The Voice and released the single “Tumbling Down.” Her self-titled album will be released in 2014.

The 28-year-old singer’s father-in-law, broadcaster Michael Anthony Cuffe Sr., will host the Toronto gala. Mooking, born in Trinidad and raised in Edmonton, hosts

Everyday Exotic on Food Network and appears as a judge on Chopped Canada. He is also a Juno-winning recording artist whose most recent album, Feedback, was released this past July.

The University of West Indies event raises funds for scholarships for outstanding students in the Caribbean. To date, nearly 150 scholarships have been awarded. From: Shaw Media,