“We Are the Culinary Powerhouse of the Caribbean” 

The fine-dining eateries in Grand Case. The lolos. The food trucks. The beach bars in Orient Bay. The creole flavors. When it comes to culinary excellence in the Caribbean, Saint Martin is right at the top. 

And it’s that ethos which is framing the island’s tourism efforts, according to Valerie Damaseau, Saint Martin’s Commissioner of Tourism. 

The French side’s tourism chief, speaking to Caribbean Journal in an exclusive interview, said the island had a targeted tourism plan, one that was all about a high-end product — not mass tourism. 

“We’re the culinary powerhouse of the Caribbean,” she said. “Where in the world do you get to go and have that possibility of eating these various dishes and cuisines, with a touch of French, the one that people really travel for.”

It’s not really a surprise, given that Saint Martin once again dominated the 2025 list of the 50 Best Restaurants in the Caribbean, including the regions number one eatery, Le Pressoir in Grand Case. 

In recent years, Saint Martin has been pushing even deeper into the culinary space, with its high-profile food festival, the Festival de la Gastronome, now entering its fifth year as a celebration of local and international fare and a gathering of top chefs (this year’s event runs Nov. 11-25). 

And yes, new hotels are on the way, too, ones that will keep in line with the island’s collection of more intimate, authentic places to stay. 

The ultimate goal, Damaseau told Caribbean Journal, is to reach a capacity of 3,500 hotel rooms on the French side. 

But it all really comes back to the food, and it’s remarkable diversity. 

You can eat one nigh at a fine-dining restaurant, then go straight into ribs or Johnny cakes or grilled lobster,” she said. “There’s that mixture of of the authentic side, the culinary diversity we have, and the cultural diversity that we have.”

It’s a rather hard combination to beat.