GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Minister Hon. Ingrid Arrindell of the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), would like to congratulate the winners of the Senior Chef placement on the National Team to represent Sint Maarten in the Taste of the Caribbean Competition 2016 in Miami this June.
Two more competitions will be held to complete the National Team. Participants will be vying for the position of Pastry Chef and Bartender.
Pieter Holstein, Executive Chef of the Food Collective BBA Rum & Pease – St. Maarten, and David Cudicio from Dreams Restaurant – Nettle Bay, St. Martin, earned their positions during a competition held on February 6 at the Sundial School Hospitality Sector Kitchen and Restaurant.
In addition to the aforementioned winners, two chefs were chosen as the substitute Chefs on the team in the event that one of the Chefs is unable to provide representation. The substitutes are Mariana Shah, Dish D’ Lish, and Nick Drillinger, from Moomba Restaurant.
The country has been absent from Taste of the Caribbean since 2009. The event is organized by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). The competition will take place from June 12-14.
“The competition is an opportunity for our best Chefs and Bartenders from North and South to showcase their island. I congratulate those so far who have been selected for the National Team. Some other competitions still have to take place, and I wish those participants much success when the time comes,” Minister of Tourism Ingrid Arrindell said on Thursday.
Taste of the Caribbean is the region’s premier culinary competition and cultural showcase held once a year where the best chefs and culinary teams unite to learn, demonstrate their skills and provide the general public a scintillating exhibition of the savoriest and delectable treats of the islands. It’s a showcase of the hottest and most popular trends in Caribbean gastronomy.
Over 10 teams from the Caribbean throw their culinary hats into the ring to compete for the honor of becoming the best chef, culinary team, bartender and pastry chef in the Caribbean.
Each participating team represents a Caribbean island and has competed on a national level to qualify and participate. Each team of composed of two senior chefs, one junior chef, one bartender, one pastry chef, and one manager. The participating team members represent hotels, restaurants or educational institutions in the Caribbean which are member of the CHTA.