Barbados dominates Taste of the Caribbean, retains gold medal

Barbados has once again shone on the regional stage as the island defended its title and won the renowned culinary festival Taste of the Caribbean yet again. 

The National Culinary Team was awarded for this feat during the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s culinary competition held in Miami, Florida. 

Barbados was named the Caribbean National Culinary Team of the Year while Rhashindra Donge of Bonaire was crowned Caribbean Chef of the Year during the culinary competition. 

The overall silver medal was secured by Team Saint Lucia while Antigua and Barbuda secured the bronze medal. 

Known as the premier culinary competition of the Caribbean, food and beverage educational exchange and cultural showcase competition, the event took place in conjunction with the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s annual industry conference, the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum. The event took place from November 18 to 20 at Florida International University’s Kovens Center in Miami. 

Following the event, CHTA CEO Vanessa Ledesma said that beyond showcasing the region’s exceptional and diverse culinary and mixology offerings, the Taste of the Caribbean is a demonstration of the unwavering commitment to nurturing talent, providing necessary resources while cultivating opportunities which empower Caribbean culinary and hospitality professionals to thrive.

She added that the heartbeat of Taste lies in the community it has created including the camaraderie, the connections, and the collective spirit  which makes it truly extraordinary. 

The event came back to the stage for the first time in five years and featured seven Caribbean destinations which competed in a friendly yet fierce battle for culinary supremacy. The participating teams included Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Turks and Caicos and the US Virgin Islands. 

The winning team of Barbados comprised of talented members including Rynaldo Joseph, Dejuan Toppin, Rickeena Kirton, and Alex Chandler who showed the world what true Bajan culinary artistry looks like. 

The Barbados team won the following awards, winning the overall gold trophy:

Caribbean Team of the Year

Junior Chef of the Year: Dejuan Toppin

Best Non-Alcoholic Drink: Alex Chandler 

Hans Schenk Commemorative Award for the Most Innovative Indigenous Ingredients: Dejuan Toppin

Pastry Chef of the Year - Silver: Rickeena Kirton

Chef of the Year - Silver: Rynaldo Joseph