Team SVG to compete in “Taste of the Caribbean”

Following a seven year break, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Hotel and Tourism Association’s National Culinary Team will compete in Taste of the Caribbean at CHIC (Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference) 2006, at the Hyatt Regency, Miami, USA.

A six-member team will join teams from 13 other Caribbean countries in the ultimate ‘Master Class’ in the annual Contemporary Caribbean Cuisine Competition.{{more}}

The team was selected from the Association’s Chef and Bartender of the Year Competitions held during Tourism Month 2005, and is made up of employees of Young Island Resort, New Montrose Hotel and Raffles Resort. The members of the team are: Chefs: Vibert Barnum, McLean Sampson and Christopher John; Pastry Chef: Marrolin Ollivierre; Bartender: King Fields and Team Manager: Francelia Marksman.

The team will prepare a 3-course meal for 35 persons from a Mystery Basket. There will be 4 hours to prepare and 1 hour for service of the menu. Teams will be competing for the top honors of National Team of the Year, Chef of the Year, Bartender of the Year, and Pastry Chef of the Year.

For the first time, the competition will see the Team Manager doing more than coordinating her teams’ participation. Each team manager will be required to showcase the rich cultural heritage and uniqueness of their respective culinary expressions through individual presentations. These presentations are expected to bring to life the notion that the region is truly a culinary crossroad of the world, and to highlight indigenous ingredients of our region and individual countries. Sponsorship is being provided by the Tourism Internship Exchange System (TIES).

The team leaves for Miami tomorrow.