Saint Lucia has some of the most compelling gastronomy in the Caribbean: an intoxicating blend flavors and tastes, cultures and cuisines. 

Celebrating that diversity was precisely the aim of the island’s newest festival, Taste the Bay, which held its smashing first edition this past week. 

Taste the Bay, the brainchild of the island’s popular Bay Gardens Resorts, featured food tastings from more than 10 different eateries at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa. 

That ranged from Japanese to French to authentic Indian cooking, a celebration of global flavors and Saint Lucian culture. 

It also featured the sounds of local music stars Shemmy J. Ezra, Sedale and Invader, among others. 

It’s the latest culinary initiative for Bay Gardens, which launched the Caribbean’s first-ever all-inclusive dine around program back in 2016, something that has become a major inspiration for hotels across the region.

That plan lets guests enjoy up to two nights during their stay dining out at local restaurants as part of their all-inclusive package. It’s been a significant boon to restaurants like Buzz Seafood, Razmataz Tandoori Restaurant and Fridays, among others, that are part of the program. 

The response this year’s festival was tremendous, according to Sanovnik Destang, executive director of Bay Gardens Resorts.