Trinidad & Tobago with Top Honors at Taste of the Caribbean 2016

• CHTA Press
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO WINS TEAM & PASTRY TOP HONORS;
BARBADOS, BAHAMAS, TURKS & CAICOS WIN OTHER
TOP CATEGORIES AT TASTE OF THE CARIBBEAN 2016
 
MIAMI, FL (June 14, 2016) – After a two-year hiatus, the Trinidad & Tobago team returned to the Taste of the Caribbean Culinary competition and were crowned.
Caribbean National Team of the Year for the sixth time in the event’s history – more victories than any other team. Trinidad & Tobago’s Kimberly Jaggasar earned top honors as Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year. Other individual honors were bestowed on Damian Leach, Barbados who was named Caribbean Chef of the Year, and Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas, who took home the Caribbean Bartender of the Year for the second consecutive year. Turks and Caicos returned triumphantly to the competition for the first time in 17 years with Robinangel Simmons, Turks & Caicos winning the Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year title.
The four individual Taste of the Caribbean winners are inducted into the Taste of the Caribbean Hall of Fame and this year head bartending judge Josue Merced-Reyes, Inter E-marketing, was also inducted as an honorary member to the Taste of the Caribbean Hall of Fame.
“The best Caribbean cuisine, beverages and techniques were once again displayed at Taste of the Caribbean and we congratulate all of the teams and individual winners on the excellence they showed at the competition,” said Karolin Troubetzkoy, President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). “Our region’s culinary history is influenced by many cultures which we must continue to honor in our menu offerings as well as evolve with today’s new trends and techniques. We are proud of the culinary skills that were displayed throughout the Taste of the Caribbean completion and look forward to more great things from all of the participants,” added Troubetzkoy.
Presented by CHTA, Taste of the Caribbean featured cooking and bartending competitions between 13 Caribbean culinary teams from Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with the winners being recognized as the best in the region. This year’s event was held June 6-10 at the Hyatt Regency Miami.

 
Trinidad & Tobago celebrates winning the Caribbean National Culinary Team of the Year title.
Caribbean National Team Medals
 
  • Winner: Trinidad & Tobago
  • Gold Medals: Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago
  • Silver Medals: Anguilla, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Turks & Caicos and U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Bronze Medals: Jamaica and Suriname
Caribbean Chef of the Year presentation featuring (l-r) Frank Comito, director general and CEO, Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA); head judge Peter Olsacher, Bahama Breeze, Damian Leach, Barbados, Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of CHTA, and Vanessa Ledesma, chief operating officer of CHTA.
Caribbean Chef of the Year Medals
 
  • Winner: Damian Leach, Barbados
  • Gold Medals: Sheldon Tracey Sweeting, Bahamas, Damian Leach, Barbados, David Cudicio, St. Maarten/St. Martin, and Brandon Maharaj, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Silver Medals: Johnathan Hughes, Anguilla, Adriyel Lourens, Curacao, Elijah Jules, St. Lucia, Lorenzo Harper, Suriname and Edwin Gallardo, Turks & Caicos 
  • Bronze Medals: Miguel Saragoza, Bonaire, Patrice Malcolm, Jamaica, Ingrid Rodriguez, Puerto Rico and Shaun Brian Sells, U.S. Virgin Islands
 
Caribbean Bartender of the Year presentation pictured (l-r) Josue Merced Reyes, head bartender judge; Caribbean Bartender of the Year Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas; and Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA).
Caribbean Bartender of the Year Medals
 
  • Winner: Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas
  • Gold Medal: Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas, Ryan Adamson, Barbados, Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin, and Frank Robinson, U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Silver Medals: Jamal Hodge, Anguilla, Fabien Cleopa, Curacao, Adrian Johnson, Jamaica, Joafner Marrero, Puerto Rico, Alva Preville, St. Lucia, Clinton Ramdhan, Trinidad & Tobago, and Jean Tissiant, Turks & Caicos
  • Bronze Medals: Kelvin Ventura, Bonaire and Jonathan Somowidjojo, Suriname


Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year presentation featuring (l-r) Frank Comito, director general and CEO, Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA);

Augusto Schreiner, head pastry judge; Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year 
Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago and Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of CHTA.
Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year Medals
  • Winner: Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Gold Medals: Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Silver Medals:Lashanda Davis, Anguilla, and Javon Cummins, Barbados
  • Bronze Medals: Shelby Coleby, Bahamas, Maria Mastrangelo, Bonaire, Ramsley Leander, Curacao, Ronald Estephane, Martha Hippolyte, St. Lucia, St. Maarten/St. Martin, and Natalie Buckner, U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Honorable Mention: Dexter Singh, Jamaica, Ronny Diaz, Puerto Rico, Xaviera Mijnhijmer, Suriname, and Yoginder Singh, Turks & Caicos
 
Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year presentation featuring (l-r) Frank Comito, director general and CEO, Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA); head judge Peter Olsacher, Bahama Breeze Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year Robinangel Simmons, Turks & Caicos, and Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of CHTA.
Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year Medals
  • Winner: Robinangel Simmons, Turks & Caicos
  • Gold Medals: Efrain Marquez, Puerto Rico, Annelca Mendoza, Trinidad & Tobago, and Robinangel Simmons, Turks & Caicos
  • Silver Medals: Leonardis Moss, Bahamas, Nicholas Ifill, Barbados, Max Maaertense, Bonaire, Dane Rodriguez, Curacao, Surizea Adoptie, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Yamuro Zuiverloon, Suriname and Regine Abraham, U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Bronze Medals: Theron Thompson, Anguilla and Edna Butcher, St. Lucia
  • Honorable Mention:Cadane Wynn, Jamaica
            Taste of the Caribbean also featured individual competitions that took place during the event. Results are as follows:
Best Beef Competition
 
  • Winner Beef: Jeremy Lovell, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Gold Medals: Jeremy Lovell, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Silver Medals: Charon McKenzie, Bahamas, Miguel Saragoza, Bonaire, Peter Holstein, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Rafael Alamo, Puerto Rico, Gilbert Wirjomoenawi, Suriname, and Edwin Gallardo, Turks & Caicos
  • Bronze Medals: Karimah Carty, Anguilla, Kirk Ruck, Barbados, Adriyel Lourens, Curacao, Odane Whitelocke, Jamaica, Caron Jean, St. Lucia, and Michael Matthew, U.S. Virgin Islands
Seafood Competition
 
  • Winner Seafood: Richmond Fowler, Bahamas
  • Gold Medals: Richmond Fowler, Bahamas, Dane Rodriguez, Curacao, Rafael Alamo, Puerto Rico, David Cudicio, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Gilbert Wirjomoenawi, Suriname, Adam de Freitas, Trinidad & Tobago, and Joseph Charles, Turks & Caicos
  • Silver Medals: Wilwore Jordan, Barbados, Sherundly Bernabela, Bonaire, and Richard Pinnock, Jamaica
  • Bronze Medals: Peter Lawrence, St. Lucia and Edward McNamara, U.S. Virgin Islands
Cheesecake Competition
  • Silver Medals: Ron Maynard, Barbados, Ramsley Leander, Curacao, Ronald Estephane, St. Maarten/St. Martin and Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Bronze Medals: Leonicia Rey-Richardson, Anguilla, Jamal Small, Bahamas, Sherundly Bernabela, Bonaire, Ronny Diaz, Puerto Rico, Martha Hippolyte, St. Lucia, and Natalie Buckner, U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Honorable Mention: Amelia Baker, Jamaica, Xaviera Mijnhijmer, Suriname, and Yoginder Singh, Turks & Caicos
Following are the special awards that were bestowed at Taste of the Caribbean:
  • Hans Schenk Commemorative Award for the Most Innovative Dish Utilizing Indigenous Ingredients:Gilbert Wirjomoenawi, Suriname
  • Tony Mack Spirit of the Competition: Team St. Maarten/St. Martin
  • Best Rum Drink: Jamal Hodge, Anguilla
  • Best Vodka Drink: Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas
  • Best Non Alcoholic Drink: Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Sponsors
Taste of the Caribbean is staged by CHTA with host sponsors Interval International and JetBlue Getaways, gold sponsors Certified Angus Beef, Clear Channel Airport Division, Fiji Water, Justin Vineyards and Wineries and Landmark Vineyards, partner education institution Johnson & Wales and product sponsors Cargo International, Certified Angus Beef, Halpern’s, King Ocean Services, Marjyam World Flavours, Superior Farms,The U.S. Meat Export Federation, and U.S. Pork.
Taste of the Islands sponsors included presenting sponsor Sandals Resorts, gold sponsor Bahama Blue Spirits and Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, participating breweries Holy Mackerel Beers, J. Wakefield Brewing, Legacy Caribbean Craft Brewery, Night Life Brewery and Orange Blossom Pilsner and media sponsors Caribbean Journal and HCP Aboard Publishing.
Share:

Leave a Reply