By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

Some of the Caribbean leading culinary professionals are gearing up for the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s Taste of the Caribbean event.

The big Caribbean cook-off will take place June 21-23 at the Hyatt Regency Miami.

Held in conjunction with the association’s annual industry conference, the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum from June 21-23, and the Caribbean305 culinary and cultural consumer celebration on June 22, Taste of the Caribbean features culinary teams from 14 Caribbean destinations in a “friendly but intense” battle for cooking supremacy.

Participating destinations include Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Grenada, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos.

Trinidad and Tobago are defending team champions, and this year marks Grenada’s return to the competition following an 11-year absence.

Since 1993, the Caribbean’s best chefs and culinary teams have gathered at Taste to compete, demonstrate their skills, learn from each other, and offer diners an exhibition of the most delectable culinary treats of the islands.

Taste of the Caribbean also serves as a forum for food and beverage professionals to exchange practical information, develop skills, sample and purchase, strengthen and establish supplier relationships, and meet new vendors. 

Competitions focus on culinary themes, including chocolate, “mocktails,” rum- and vodka-based cocktails, and beef-based dishes. 

Other competitions include “mystery baskets,” in the style of popular Food Network show, Chopped.

At the end of the five-day affair, the Caribbean Chef of the Year, Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year, Caribbean Bartender of the Year, Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year, and Caribbean Culinary Team of the Year are crowned.

For more, visit Taste of the Caribbean.

— CJ