The Bahamas' gold medal winning team with Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) members. Pictured from left are Frank Comito, director general and CEO, Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association; head judge Peter Olascher, Bahama Breeze; members of Team Bahamas - Shelby Coleby, Charon McKenzie, Marv Cunningham, Sheldon Tracey Sweeting, Ron Johnson, Savannah Adderley and Leonardis Moss- and Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA)
Marv Cunningham has done it again, claiming a gold medal and the Caribbean Bartender of the Year title at the Taste of the Caribbean competition for the second consecutive year; Cunningham also turned in the best vodka drink in the competition as Team Bahamas who were the defending champs put up a good fight and returned home with a team gold medal.
Richmond Fowler, may be small in stature, but he came up big in the win category after a number of attempts, claiming a gold medal and the overall title in the Seafood Competition.
Also winning a gold medal was Sheldon Tracey Sweeting in the Caribbean Chef of the Year division;
Returning home with silver medals were Charon McKenzie in the Beef Competition; and Leonardis Moss in the Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year division
Shelby Coleby in the Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year division; and Jamal Small in the Cheesecake Competition returned home with bronze medals.
After a two-year hiatus, the Trinidad & Tobago team returned to the Taste of the Caribbean Culinary competition and were crowned Caribbean National Team of the Year for the sixth time in the event’s history — more victories than any other team.
Trinidad & Tobago’s Kimberly Jaggasar earned top honors as Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year.
Other individual honors were bestowed on Damian Leach, Barbados, who was named Caribbean Chef of the Year.
Turks and Caicos returned triumphantly to the competition for the first time in 17 years with Robinangel Simmons winning the Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year title.
The four individual Taste of the Caribbean winners were inducted into the Taste of the Caribbean Hall of Fame. Head bartending judge Josue Merced-Reyes, Inter E-marketing, was also inducted as an honorary member to the Taste of the Caribbean Hall of Fame.
“The best Caribbean cuisine, beverages and techniques were once again displayed at Taste of the Caribbean and we congratulate all of the teams and individual winners on the excellence they showed at the competition,” said Karolin Troubetzkoy, president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). “Our region’s culinary history is influenced by many cultures which we must continue to honor in our menu offerings as well as evolve with today’s new trends and techniques. We are proud of the culinary skills that were displayed throughout the Taste of the Caribbean completion and look forward to more great things from all of the participants,” said Troubetzkoy.
Presented by CHTA, Taste of the Caribbean featured cooking and bartending competitions between 13 Caribbean culinary teams from Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with the winners being recognized as the best in the region. This year’s event was held June 6-10 at the Hyatt Regency, Miami.
CARIBBEAN NATIONAL TEAM MEDALS
Winner: Trinidad and Tobago
Gold medals
Bahamas
Puerto Rico
St. Lucia
Trinidad and Tobago
Silver medals
Anguilla
Barbados
Bonaire
Curacao
St. Maarten/St. Martin
Turks and Caicos
U.S. Virgin Islands
Bronze medals
Jamaica and Suriname
Caribbean Chef of the Year Medals
Winner: Damian Leach, Barbados
Gold medals
Sheldon Tracey Sweeting, Bahamas
Damian Leach, Barbados
David Cudicio, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Brandon Maharaj, Trinidad and Tobago
Silver medals
Johnathan Hughes, Anguilla
Adriyel Lourens, Curacao
Elijah Jules, St. Lucia
Lorenzo Harper, Suriname
Edwin Gallardo, Turks & Caicos
Bronze medals
Miguel Saragoza, Bonaire
Patrice Malcolm, Jamaica
Ingrid Rodriguez, Puerto Rico
Shaun Brian Sells, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Caribbean Bartender of the Year Medals
Winner: Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas
Gold medal
Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas
Ryan Adamson, Barbados
Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Frank Robinson, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Silver medals
Jamal Hodge, Anguilla
Fabien Cleopa, Curacao
Adrian Johnson, Jamaica
Joafner Marrero, Puerto Rico
Alva Preville, St. Lucia
Clinton Ramdhan, Trinidad & Tobago
Jean Tissiant, Turks & Caicos.
Bronze medals
Kelvin Ventura, Bonaire
Jonathan Somowidjojo, Suriname.
Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year Medals
Winner: Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago
Gold medals
Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago
Silver medals
Lashanda Davis, Anguilla
Javon Cummins, Barbados
Bronze medals
Shelby Coleby, Bahamas
Maria Mastrangelo, Boniare
Ramsley Leander, Curacao
Ronald Estephane, Martha Hippolyte, St. Lucia, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Natalie Buckner, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Honorable mention
Dexter Singh, Jamaica
Ronny Diaz, Puerto Rico
Xaviera Mijnhijmer, Suriname
Yoginder Singh, Turks & Caicos
Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year Medal.
Winner: Robinangel Simmons, Turks and Caicos
Gold medals
Efrain Marquez, Puerto Rico
Annelca Mendoza, Trinidad & Tobago
Robinangel Simmons, Turks & Caicos
Silver medals
Leonardis Moss, Bahamas
Nicholas Ifill, Barbados
Max Maaertense, Bonaire
Dane Rodriguez, Curacao
Surizea Adoptie, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Yamuro Zuiverloon, Suriname
Regine Abraham, U.S. Virgin Islands
Bronze medals
Theron Thompson, Anguilla
Edna Butcher, St. Lucia
Honorable mention
Cadene Wynn, Jamaica
Best Beef Competition
Winner Beef: Jeremy Lovell, Trinidad & Tobago
Gold medals
Jeremy Lovell, Trinidad & Tobago
Silver medals
Charon McKenzie, Bahamas
Miguel Saragoza, Bonaire
Peter Holstein, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Rafael Alamo, Puerto Rico
Gilbert Wirjomoenawi, Suriname
Edwin Gallardo, Turks & Caicos
Bronze medals
Karimah Carty, Anguilla
Kirk Ruck, Barbados
Adriyel Lourens, Curacao
Odane Whitelocke, Jamaica
Caron Jean, St. Lucia
Michael Matthew, U.S. Virgin Islands
Seafood Competition
Winner Seafood: Richmond Fowler, Bahamas
Gold medals
Richmond Fowler, Bahamas
Dane Rodriguez, Curacao
Rafael Alamo, Puerto Rico
David Cudicio, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Gilbert Wirjomoenawi, Suriname
Adam de Freitas, Trinidad and Tobago
Joseph Charles, Turks and Caicos
Silver medals
Wilwore Jordan, Barbados
Sherundly Bernabela, Bonaire
Richard Pinnock, Jamaica
Bronze medals
Peter Lawrence, St. Lucia
Edward McNamara, U.S. Virgin Islands
Cheesecake Competition
Silver medals
Ron Maynard, Barbados
Ramsley Leander, Curacao
Ronald Estephane, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago
Bronze medals
Leonicia Rey-Richardson, Anguilla
Jamal Small, Bahamas
Sherundly Bernabela, Bonaire
Ronny Diaz, Puerto Rico
Martha Hippolyte, St. Lucia
Natalie Buckner, U.S. Virgin Islands
Honorable mention
Amelia Baker, Jamaica
Xaviera Mijnhijmer, Suriname
Yoginder Singh, Turks & Caicos
Special awards bestowed at Taste of the Caribbean:
Hans Schenk Commemorative Award for the Most Innovative Dish Utilizing Indigenous Ingredients: Gilbert Wirjomoenawi, Suriname
Tony Mack Spirit of the Competition: Team St. Maarten/St. Martin
Best Rum Drink: Jamal Hodge, Anguilla
Best Vodka Drink: Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas
Best Non-alcoholic Drink: Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin
HALL OF FAME
Caribbean National Team of the Year
2016 - Trinidad & Tobago
2015 - Bahamas
2014 - Puerto Rico
2013 - Barbados
2012 - Puerto Rico
2011 - Trinidad & Tobago
2010 - Barbados
2009 - Trinidad & Tobago
2007 - Trinidad & Tobago
2006 - Trinidad & Tobago
2205 - St. Maarten/St. Martin
2004 - Trinidad & Tobago
2003 - Jamaica
2000 - Bermuda
1999 - Curacao
1997 - Puerto Rico
1996 - Aruba
Caribbean Chef of the Year
2016 - Damian Leach, Barbados
2015 - Jonathan Hernandez, Puerto Rico
2014 - Rashindra Donge, Bonaire
2013 - Brian Lumley, Jamaica
2012 - Devon Joseph, Trinidad and Tobago
2011 - Mitchell Husbands, Barbados
2010 - Graham Singer, Antigua and Barbuda
2009 - Glendon Carty, Anguilla
2007 - Fernando Parrilla, Puerto Rico
2006 - Hans Van Triest, Curaçao
2005 - Carlos Portela, Puerto Rico
2004 - John Hazzard, Barbados
2003 - Bobo Bergstrom, St. Lucia
2000 - Mark French, Puerto Rico
1999 - Martin Maginley, Jamaica
1997 - Jeremy Cruz, Puerto Rico
1996 - Michael Salmon, Aruba
Caribbean Bartender of the Year
2016 - Marvelous Cunningham, Bahamas
2015 - Marv Cunningham, Bahamas
2014 - Brandon DeCloux, USVI
2013 - Roberto Rodriguez, Puerto Rico
2012 - Jamaal Bowen, Barbados
2011 - Humphrey Lew Jen Tai, Curacao
2010 - Alva Preville, St. Lucia
2009 - Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin
2007 - Raymond Edwards, Trinidad and Tobago
2006 - Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin
2005 - Rakeesh Madoo, Trinidad & Tobago
2004 - Alexandra Ballin, Anguilla
2003 - Hiram Avila, Puerto Rico
2000 - Alexander Meyer, Aruba
1999 - Ron Webster, Anguilla
1997 - Lissette Rijna, Bonaire
1996- Neil Felix, Grenada
Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year
2016 - Kimberly Jaggasar, Trinidad & Tobago
2015 - Sheldon Tracey Sweeting, Bahamas
2014 - Sheldon Tracey Sweeting, Bahamas
2013 - Sheldon Tracey Sweeting, Bahamas
2012 - Pablo Colon, Puerto Rico
2011 - Kunal Chakrabarti, USVI
2010 - Maureen Bowers, Antigua and Barbuda
2009 - Alberto Febo, Puerto Rico
2007 - Rene Almeda, Puerto Rico
2006 - Tracy Sweeting, Bahamas
2005 - Geert Maarten Van Mil, Aruba
2004 - Sally Gaskins, Bahamas
2003 - Jing Shi, Jamaica
2000 - Jing Shi, Jamaica
1999 - Linval Green, Jamaica
1997 - Pascal Barronier, Anguilla
1996 - Casten Flindt, Barbados
Junior Chef of the Year
2016 - Roninangel Simmons, Turks & Caicos
2015 - Edna Butcher, St. Lucia
2014 - Sanju Smith, Jamaica
2013 - Naomi Lovell, Trinidad & Tobago
2012 - Isaiah Connel, Trinidad & Tobago
2011 - Mikhala Bagot, BVI
2010 - Osvaldo Ortega, Puerto Rico
Honorary Member
Josué Merced-Reyes (2016)
Augusto Schreiner (2015)
William “Bill” Moore (2014)
Apprentice of the Year
2000 - Luis Alvarez, Puerto Rico (2000)
1997 - Michael Moncrieffe, Cayman Islands
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