The popular Taste of Cayman Food and Drink Festival is making its long-awaited post-pandemic comeback in Grand Cayman, Caribbean Journal has learned. 

The festival, which is being held May 13 at Grand Cayman’s Camana Bay, has added a pair of celebrity chefs to the lineup: Sandwich King host Chef Jeff Mauro and Food Network Canada’s Top Chef Canada Season 10 winner Tre Sanderson. .

“Chef Jeff will host an exciting demonstration in the Experience Room and Chef Tre will be at the Bon Vivant Demo Stage cooking against his friend, turned festival rival, the Fire Master himself, Dylan Benoit,” said Jay Ehrhart, director of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association. “We’ve had overwhelming interest and positive responses from our restaurant community and local talent whose presence will further elevate our designation as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.”

Local culinary stars will include Young Cayman Chef 2022 winner Chef Brittney Bodden, Chef Jessica Moore of Taste This Life, in-house Chef at the Governor’s residence Chef Mark Lea, Director at Bestlife & Zest Chef Maureen Cubbon, owner of Smokies BBQ Chef Sara Mair-Doak and Mixologist Maya Grant of Fusion Mixology.

The festival will host more than 30 food and drink vendors. 

“The absence of events like Taste in recent years has been felt throughout the tourism industry and particularly the restaurant sector, which is in part what makes this year’s return so incredible,” Ehrhart said. ““We are thrilled to have Visit Cayman Islands as this year’s official presenter of Taste as it demonstrates the strength of our partnership locally and globally. More importantly, it allows for an increase in impactful opportunities to remind the world of the wonderful talent and experiences found in the Cayman Islands and opens the door to have the caliber of international chefs like Tre and Jeff participate in the festival.”

For more, visit Taste of Cayman.