Above: Jose Andres talks gastronomy in Haiti with Michel Gehy in Marigot (Photo: MT Haiti)
By Alexander Britell
World-renowned chef Jose Andres has arrived in Haiti to begin filming a project that will highlight the country’s gastronomy.
The project is a partnership with Haiti’s Ministry of Tourism, with film production being handled by the What Took You So Long Foundation.
Andres, who last week unveiled the new Mi Casa restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Reserve Dorado Bech in Puerto Rico, continued his Caribbean tour with a stop in cities including Jacmel, Les Cayes and Aquin.
While in Jacmel, he found time to stay at the historic Hotel Florida.
Above: Jose Andres making “rum sours” with Haiti’s Rhum Barbancourt
Andres is in Haiti for a 10-day tour. This first phase of the project will focus on Haiti’s southern regions.
A Ministry spokesperson told Caribbean Journal that the plan was for Andres to return twice more to Haiti to complete the project, and that Andres “wants to help Haiti in different ways — one of those is to show this other face of Haiti.”
Andres, who has made several trips to Haiti since the earthquake, reportedly pitched his idea for the programme to the Ministry as way of shedding light on Haiti’s culture.
The Spanish-born Andres trained with Chef Ferran Adria at the El Bulli restaurant outside of Barcelona. His current portfolio of restaurant includes Washington, DC’s Jaleo, Zaytinya,Oyamel, and minibar by josé andrés, as well as The Bazaar by Jose Andres at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills and at the SLS South Beach in Florida, among others.
The film programme will include visits to Haiti’s markets, hotels, beaches, farms and other attractions.