“Taste of the Caribbean” 2011 Winners

The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s (CHTA) 2011 “Taste of the Caribbean” competition hosted by the Hyatt Regency hotel  was held in Miami last weekend.  The CHTA, which  was founded in 1962 focuses  on Caribbean food and beverage and is an yearly  competition, that gives participants , the opportunity to network, polish professional skills and cheer on colleagues 

10 teams from the Caribbean  entered  for top Caribbean culinary honors. Competing teams hail from Anguilla, The Islands of The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Curacao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago and United States Virgin Islands

The 2011 Winners were;

CARIBBEAN CULINARY TEAM OF THE YEAR

WINNER

Trinidad & Tobago

Gold Medals

Barbados, BVI, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago

Silver Medals

Anguilla, Bahamas, Curacao, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, USVI

CHEF OF THE YEAR - sponsored by Bahama Breeze® Island Grille

WINNER

Mitchell Husbands, Barbados

Gold Medals

Anguilla - Justin Hughes
Barbados - Mitchell Husbands
BVI - Kenneth Molyneaux
Trinidad & Tobago - Devon Joseph

Silver Medals

Bahamas - Mychal Harris
Curacao - Jonathan De Haseth
Jamaica - Michael Dannaker
St. Lucia - Nicodemus Joseph
USVI - Dennis Vanterpool

Bronze Medals

Puerto Rico - Jorge Ramos

BARTENDER OF THE YEAR

WINNER

Humphrey Lew Jen Tai, Curacao

Gold Medals

Curacao - Humphrey Lew Jen Tai
Puerto Rico - Ded Chazulle
Trinidad & Tobago - Daniyel Jones

Silver Medals

Anguilla - Taffy Hodge
Barbados - Jamaal Bowen
BVI - Elton Sprauve

Bronze Medals

Bahamas - Hugh Jones
Jamaica - Fitzgerald Haughton
St. Lucia - Hanna Anneville
USVI - Al Boston

PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR - sponsored by Albert Uster Imports

WINNER

Kunal Chakrabarti, USVI

Gold Medals

Barbados - Janelle Crawford
USVI - Kunal Chakrabarti

Silver Medals

Puerto Rico - Ruben Garcia
Trinidad & Tobago - Cheryl-Ann Shortt Charles

Bronze Medals

Bahamas - Jamal Small
BVI - Ansony Salmon
Curacao - Syneuve Brandao

Special Mention

Anguilla - Shirmel Gumbs
Jamaica - Veerjoonauth Parmesur
St. Lucia - Paylyn Eugene

JUNIOR CHEF OF THE YEAR

WINNER

Mikhala Bagot, BVI

Gold Medals

BVI - Mikhala Bagot
Puerto Rico - Victor Bonano

Silver Medals

Bahamas - Kevin Pratt
Curacao - Junrick de Windt
Jamaica - Rochelle Grindley
St. Lucia - Scott Leone
Trinidad & Tobago - Ryan Bailey

Bronze Medals

Barbados - Stephanie Sayers
USVI - Afiya Auguste

Special Mention

Anguilla - Joseph Hodge

SPIRIT OF THE COMPETITION

WINNER

Puerto Rico

MOST INNOVATIVE DISH

WINNER

Kevin Pratt, Junior Chef, Bahamas
Abaco Spiced Rub Beef & Pan Seared Exuma Scallops, Served with Nassan Sweet Potato & Plantain Cheesy Croquettes, Coconut Infused Warm Vegetable Slaw Accompanied with Eleuthera Pineapple Chutney finished with Andros Mango Reduction

HANS SCHENCK COMMEMORATIVE AWARD FOR MOST INNOVATIVE MENU

WINNER

Jamaica
Appetizer - Jerk Chicken & Pineapple Crepe
Cucumber & Turnip Citrus Salad, Sorrel Sauce

Entrée - Coffee & Pimento Rubbed Pork
Appleton Rum Flamed Shrimp
Green Banana, Coco & JackFruit "Risotto"
Curried Cauliflower & Brie Mousse
Fava Bean Stew
Beet Foam

Dessert - Chocolate Teardrop
Dark Chocolate - Passion
White Chocolate - Curry
Naseberry Base
Spiced Sweet Potato & Coconut Dumpling
Papaya - Mango & Thyme Compote

BEST USE OF CHEESE

WINNERS

Negust Kaza, USVI
Fernando Parrilla, Puerto Rico

BEST MAC AND CHEESE

WINNER

St. Lucia
Smoked Saltfish Mac & Cheese with Freshly made Lucian Ketchup

BEST USE OF ORCHID CHOCOLATE

WINNER

Barbados
Home style Cassava Pone Caramel Rum Sauce Star fruit Ginger and Pineapple compote
White Chocolate bay leaf Shooter, tropical fruit sauce
Chocolate Passion and finished with Orange flavour dirt

MOST CREATIVE NON ALCOHOLIC DRINK

WINNER

Jamal Bowen, Barbados

MOST CREATIVE VODKA DRINK

WINNER

Daniyel Jones, Trinidad & Tobago

MOST CREATIVE RUM DRINK

WINNER

Daniyel Jones, Trinidad & Tobago

MOST CREATIVE DRINKS

WINNER

Daniyel Jones, Trinidad & Tobago

ICE CARVING COMPETITION

GOLD & WINNER

Randie Anderson, Jamaica

Silver

Jamaica - Kevin Broderick

Bronze

BVI - Imran Ashton

SEAFOOD COMPETITION

WINNER

Lester Gumbs, Anguilla

Gold

Anguilla - Lester Gumbs
Barbados - Andre Nurse
Puerto Rico - Cynthia Negron

Silver

Anguilla - Jordel Gumbs
Bahamas - Shaquine Bodie
Jamaica - Kevin Broderick
USVI - David Benjamin

Bronze

BVI - Macgarvey Thompson
Trinidad & Tobago - Adrian Cumberbatch

Special Mention

Curacao - Adriyel Lourens

CERTIFIED ANGUS BEEF COMPETITION - sponsored by Certified Angus Beef ®

WINNER

Wilmore Jordan, Barbados

Gold

Barbados - Wilmore Jordan
BVI - Kenneth Molyneaux
Jamaica - Anthony Miller
USVI - Negust Kaza

Silver

Anguilla - Darren Conner

Bronze

Trinidad & Tobago - Jeremy Lovell
Puerto Rico - Fernando Parrilla
Bahamas - Charon McKenzie

Special Mention

Anguilla - Jonathan Hughes
Curacao - Johnathan De Haseth