Popular pastry chef, James I. Lettsome was honoured at the Annual Cultural Food Fair at Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park in Road Town on July 29, 2016. Photo: VINO

Members of the public supporting one of the booths offering local foods. Photo: VINO

The James Ishmael Lettsome Cultural Food Fair started around 9:00 A.M. and ended at sundown on July 29, 2016. Photo: VINO

A pastry booth. Photo: VINO

There must be some dancing after some good local food! Photo: VINO

James I. Lettsome (right) was awarded a plaque at the opening ceremony of the James Ishmael Lettsome Cultural Food Fair on Friday July 29, 2016 by Hon Myron V. Walwyn, Minister for Education and Culture. Photo: VINO

Lettsome was also awarded a plaque at the opening ceremony on Friday July 29, 2016 by Hon Myron V. Walwyn, Minister for Education and Culture.

The James Ishmael Lettsome Cultural Food Fair, which got underway from around 9:00 A.M. and came to an end at sundown, saw many vendors utilising the opportunity to display local food, drinks and desserts for sale to the public.

Worthy honouree

In introducing Mr Lettsome, Director of Culture Mrs Luce Hodge-Smith said, as a young boy, Lettsome lived with his grandmother, the late Esther Penn Dawson, where he learnt how to make tarts, cakes, sugar cakes and guava berry liqueur. As time progressed, he expanded on his knowledge of tart, from pineapple, guava and guava berry to include pina colada, pumpkin, mango, sweet potato, cashew, cherry, jackfruit among others.

Lettsome joined the VI Festival and Fairs Committee in 1990 and has served as a co-chair of the Village Sub-Committee, Chairman of the Coney Island rides, now renamed to the Kiddies ride, Chairman of the Food Fairs Committee and Chairman of the Calypso Sub Committee.

“Mr James Ishmael Lettsome is no stranger to festival and has served in many capacities other than those we mentioned, he was very vocal in making his opinions known as to what should be done with festival,” she added. In her opinion, this year’s honouree is “worthy and well-deserved” man to be honoured.

Dying culture

Mr Lettsome in his brief remarks said, “I am very happy and thrilled that I have been chosen as honouree.” He also called for the knowledge of pastry making, which he said is a dying culture in the territory, to be passed down to young Virgin Islanders.

In his remarks, Hon Walwyn commented that the food fair is an integral part of the festivities currently ongoing and is an occasion to showcase the territory’s culture in foods and creativity and allow members of the public to seek local foods at one location.

“I am particularly pleased to be here this afternoon to be supporting Mr James I. Lettsome who is the honouree this afternoon. James is someone who I admire very much, because James puts his words to action; and you can see that from his years of service in festival serving in different capacities. He doesn’t just sit on the sidelines, he gets himself involved and he makes things happen,” Hon Walwyn said.

He commended Lettsome for taking his passion for baking to a commercial level.