News Americas, MIAMI, FL, Fri. July 1, 2011: The taste of Barbadian chef, Mitchell Husbands, was titillating this year that it landed him the coveted title of Caribbean Chef of the Year.
Husbands of Coral Reef Club in Barbados, took the top spot at the just concluded Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s 2011 “Taste of the Caribbean” culinary competition in Miami last weekend.
Other winners included Humphrey Lew Jen Tai of Curacao who won for Caribbean Bartender of the Year; Kunal Chakrabarti of the U.S. Virgin Islands who won the title of Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year and Mikhala Bagot of the British Virgin Islands, who wonfor Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year.
Kevin Pratt, a junior chef from The Bahamas, won for for creating the Most Innovative Dish – Abaco spiced rub beef & pan seared, Exuma scallops served with Nassauan sweet potato & plantain cheesy croquettes, coconut infused warm vegetable slaw accompanied with Eleuthra pineapple chutney finished with Andros mango reduction.
Other winners included:
Hans Schenk Commemorative Award for the Most Innovative Menu: presented to the Jamaica Culinary Team for jerk chicken & pineapple crepe, cucumber & turnip citrus salad, sorrel sauce, coffee & pimento rubbed pork Appleton rum flamed shrimp, green banana, coco & jackfruit “risotto,” curried cauliflower & brie mousse, fava bean stew, beet foam, chocolate teardrop, dark chocolate – passion, white chocolate – curry, naseberry base, spiced sweet potato & coconut dumpling and papaya – mango & thyme compote.
• Best Use of Cheese: presented to Negust Kaza, U.S. Virgin Islands and Fernando Parilla, Puerto Rico.
• Best Mac & Cheese: presented to St. Lucia for Smoked Saltfish Mac & Cheese with freshly made Lucian Ketchup.
• Best Use of Orchid Chocolate: presented to Barbados for Homestyle Cassava Pone Caramel Rum Sauce Star fruit Ginger and Pineapple compote, white chocolate bay leaf shooter, tropical fruit sauce, Chocolate Passion and finished with orange flavour dirt.
• Most Creative Drinks: presented to Daniyel Jones, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Most Creative Rum Drink: presented to Daniyel Jones, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Most Creative Vodka Drink: presented to Daniyel Jones, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Most Creative Non-Alcoholic Drink: presented to Jamal Bowen, Barbados.
• The Spirit of the Competition: presented to Puerto Rico Culinary Team.
• Best Use of Certified Angus Beef: presented to Wimore Jordan, Barbados.
• Gold Medals: Wilmore Jordan, Barbados; Kenneth Molyneaux, British Virgin Islands; Anthony Miller, Jamaica; and Negust Kaza, U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Silver Medal: Darren Conner, Anguilla
• Bronze Medals: Charon McKenzie, The Bahamas; Fernando Parilla, Puerto Rico; and Jeremy Lovell, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Honorable Mention: Jonathan Hughes, Anguilla, and Johnathan De Haseth, Curacao.
• Best Use of Seafood: presented to Lester Gumbs, Anguilla.
• Gold Medals: Lester Gumbs, Anguilla; Andre Nurse, Barbados; and Cynthia Negron, Puerto Rico.
• Silver Medals: Jordel Gumbs, Anguilla; Shaquine Bodie, The Bahamas; Kevin Broderick, Jamaica; and David Benjamin, U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Bronze Medals: Macgarvey Thompson, British Virgin Islands, and Adrian Cumberbatch, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Honorable Mention: Adriyel Lourens, Curacao
• Gold Medals: Justin Hughes, Anguilla; Mitchell Husbands, Barbados; Kenneth Molyneaux, British Virgin Islands; and Devon Joseph, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Silver Medals: Mychal Harris, The Bahamas; Jonathan De Haseth, Curacao; Michael Dannaker, Jamaica; Nicodemus Joseph, St. Lucia; and Dennis Vanterpool, U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Bronze Medals: Jorge Ramos, Puerto Rico.
• Gold Medals: Mikala Bagot, British Virgin Islands, and Victor Bonano, Puerto Rico.
• Silver Medals: Kevin Pratt, The Bahamas; Junrick de Windt, Curacao; Rochelle Grindley, Jamaica; Scott Leone, St. Lucia; and Ryan Bailey, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Bronze Medals: Stephanie Sayers, Barbados, and Afiya Auguste, U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Honorable Mention: Joseph Hodge, Anguilla
Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year Mikala Bagot (second from right) pictured with (l-r) Alec Sanguinetti,
director general & CEO of CHTA; Rick Crossland, Ruth’s Hospitality Group, and Josef Forstmayr, president of CHTA.
Caribbean Pastry Chef Medal Presentations
• Gold Medals: Janelle Crawford, Barbados, and Kunal Chakrabarti, U.S. Virgin Islands.
• Silver Medals: Ruben Garcia, Puerto Rico, and Cheryl-Ann Shortt Charles, Trinidad & Tobago
• Bronze Medals: Jamal Small, The Bahamas; Ansony Salmon, British Virgin Islands; and Syneuve Brandao, Curacao.
• Honorable Mentions: Shirmel Gumbs, Anguilla; Veerjoonauth Parmesur, Jamaica; and Paylyn Eugene, St. Lucia.
Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year Kunal Chakrabarti (center) pictured with (l-r) Alec Sanguinetti, director general & CEO of CHTA;
Albert Uster, Albert Uster Imports; Rick Crossland, Ruth’s Hospitality Group, and Josef Forstmayr, president of CHTA.
Caribbean Bartender Medal Presentations
• Gold Medal: Humphrey Lew Jen Tai, Curacao; Ded Chazulle, Puerto Rico; and Daniyel Jones, Trinidad & Tobago.
• Silver Medals: Taffy Hodge, Anguilla; Jamaal Bowen, Barbados; and Elton Sprauve, British Virgin Islands.
• Bronze Medal: Hugh Jones, The Bahamas; Fitzgerald Haughton, Jamaica; Hanna Anneville, St. Lucia; and Al Boston, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Caribbean Bartender of the Year Humphrey Lew Jen Tai (center) pictured with Alec Sanguinetti, director general & CEO of CHTA;
Josue Merced Reyes, Interemarketing, Rick Crossland, Ruth’s Hospitality Group, and Josef Forstmayr, president of CHTA.
Caribbean Ice Carving Medal Presentation (a new category for this year’s competition)
• Gold Medal: Randie Anderson, Jamaica.
• Silver Medal: Kevin Broderick, Jamaica.
• Bronze Medal: Imran Ashton, British Virgin Islands.
Caribbean Team Medal Presentations
• Gold Medals: Barbados Culinary Team, British Virgin Islands Culinary Team; Jamaica Culinary Team; and Trinidad & Tobago Culinary Team.
• Silver Medals: Anguilla Culinary Team; The Bahamas Culinary Team; Curacao Culinary Team; Puerto Rico Culinary Team; St. Lucia Culinary Team and the U.S. Virgin Islands Culinary Team.
Ten teams participated in Taste of the Caribbean, hailing from Anguilla, The Islands of The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and United States Virgin Islands.
