Jean-Georges Vongerichten
News

Why Jean-Georges Vongerichten Is Coming to Barbados

By: Caribbean Journal Staff - October 19, 2016

Barbados is rebranding its Food & Rum Festival.

Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. executives say they are aiming for the festival to attract more visitors and contribute to the island’s status as a player in the global culinary tourism niche.

BTMI also announced its partnership with culinary personality Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who has published several cookbooks and owns and operates several restaurants throughout the world.

“We are absolutely ecstatic to welcome Chef Jean-Georges at this year’s revamped Food & Rum Festival,” says BTMI’s US Director, Petra Roach. “He is a master artist that perfectly juxtaposes Barbadian cuisine with his own inimitable style. His participation will continue to bolster Barbados’ existing international culinary presence; adding on to our spectacular Bajan chefs and mixologists, diverse restaurant options, and globally known street food culture.”

This year’s Food & Rum Festival, which is timed to coincide with the island’s 50th anniversary of independence, will pay homage to its cultural traditions while constructing a platform for new culinary tourism.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Barbados.

The festival will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 17 with an opening night at Oistins Bay Garden.

The Night Out in Oistins will feature a chefs’ cook-off against a backdrop of flaming grills and music for dancing.

Day two will feature rum as the central focus, with a signature event at the Concorde Museum on Nov. 18.

Award-winning local chefs will fill the food stations with delectable dishes while creative mixologists will demonstrate the versatility of Barbados’ rum.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, guests will Taste the Spirits and enjoy rum and Bajan-inspired canapés at the Holder’s Polo Field.

Patrons will take in a polo match while also getting their choice of fine dining events as local and international celebrity chefs prepare four and five-course meals at top venues such as The Cliff Beach Club Restaurant and The Crane Resort & Residences.

Among the featured local chefs are Barbados’ own U.K.-based celebrity chef, Jason Howard; Damian Leach, Taste of the Caribbean Chef of the Year 2016; Henderson Butcher, head chef at Divi Southwinds Hotel; Craig Greenidge of Cm Catering; independent chefs, Michael Harrison and John Hazzard; and Michael Hinds, culinary director of Terasu Inc.

The main of the weekend, Feet in the Sand – a cook-off between Barbados’ ministers of tourism and agriculture at the Hilton Hotel and Resort – will take place on November 20.

Roach confirmed that in the spirit of the 50th anniversary, the festival will incorporate several private events throughout the month, including a special edition of the Celebration of Rhythms floorshow, rum trails, and an old time Bajan bus excursion.

Dana Niland, CJ Contributor

Popular Posts w punta cana

A New All-Inclusive W Hotel Is Opening This Year in Punta Cana 

The first-ever all-inclusive W Hotel in the Caribbean is opening this year in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Caribbean Journal has learned.  The hotel, part of a broad expansion for parent company Marriott International, is on the list of expected 2024 […]


Why Grenada Is a New Caribbean Luxury Hotspot

beach house silversands

From its world-renowned chocolate to its pristine beaches to a region-leading focus on sustainability, Grenada is as fascinating and unique as destination as you’ll find in the Caribbean.  But in the last few years, the lush Eastern Caribberan island has […]


5 Adults-Only Resorts to Visit Right Now in the Caribbean 

galley bay

Sometimes you just want that extra degree of serenity, of privacy, of seclusion. There is a reason, after all, that adults-only resorts are booming in popularity, particularly in the Caribbean: travelers want to know that when they arrive, they know […]


Related Posts best restaurants in the caribbean

The 50 Best Restaurants in the Caribbean - 2024

Don’t be fooled: there is a formula to creating a great restaurant. It’s the same formula we use to evaluate the region’s best places to eat. You see, every great restaurant is built on three core pillars: food, service and […]


A New Real Estate Hotspot in Barbados?

east barbados

Rugged, secluded and draped in soaring cliffs, the east side of Barbados has historically been the spot on the island for a private escape. In fact, 99% of the island’s East Coast falls within preserved national park land. But there […]


The Rolling Stones Fell in Love With Jamaica. Now They Have Their Own Caribbean Rum.

rolling stones new

The more you travel the Caribbean, the more you feel The Rolling Stones’ footprint. Head to the Rockhouse in Negril, where the group stayed in the 70s, and you easily imagine them on those mystical cliffs. Or you can journey just […]


SUBSCRIBE!

Sign up for Caribbean Journal's free newsletter for a daily dose of beaches, hotels, rum and the best Caribbean travel information on the net.


No. Thank You