No fast food chains in VI good for culinary tourism- Sharon Flax-Brutus
Flax-Brutus was addressing the 3rd annual BVI Food Fete at Callwood Rum Distillery in Cane Garden Bay on Friday September 23, 2016.
According to the Director of Tourism, by combining travel with these edible experiences, culinary tourism offers both locals and guests alike an authentic taste of place. She quoted the 2016 Food Travel Monitor, which is a global study conducted by the World Food and Travel Association, indicating that ninety-five (95) percent of American travelers are interested in some kind of unique food experience when they travel, an increase from 47 percent in 2013.
“The reason we quote the US here is because it is our number one source market and it also represents about 50 percent of the travelers to the Caribbean that translates to about 14.1 million persons,” she noted.
“One travel agent, based in Florida, noted that people are looking for an authentic experience. They don’t want to go to another chain restaurant, they want to experience the local foods and culture that they find within the islands and of course, the BVI is the perfect destination for this experience. We do not have chain restaurants and we all know that I am extremely happy about that.”
The Director of Tourism pointed out that in the Virgin Islands there are many homegrown restaurants that offer excellent local cuisine and this is what the BVI Tourist Board wants to boast about and it is with this in mind that the BVI Food Fete was berthed and it continues to develop each year.
“We focus on keeping our month of activities unique so that we as a destination remain true to ourselves and stand out,” she remarked.
Calendar of events:
• Barefoot Gourmet Soiree - October 30, featuring seven international and local chefs to prepare their signature dishes at food stations along the beach. The lineup includes Chef Christopher Faulkner, a New York City restaurateur with a heavy Caribbean influence. Reservations are encouraged for this event, as space is limited.
• Taste of Tortola - November 5, several top class restaurants are participating in this year’s Taste of Tortola, and participants will have a chance to not only sample food of the highest quality, but also experience other highlights such as a new demonstration kitchen, live music, and dancing. A judging panel will be on hand to officiate the annual Fish & Fungi Competition, a Mixologist Competition, and announce the coveted “Best Of” awards.
• Peter Island Caribbean Food Festival - November 11-12, this event will bring together chefs from all over the Caribbean to celebrate Caribbean food and cooking techniques. Popular chefs including Nina Compton, Ron Duprat and more will gather for a weekend of elegant meals and fun competition.
• The Jost Crawl - November 13, this tour features some of Jost Van Dyke’s most iconic bars, where visitors can pop in for a cocktail before heading to the next stop.
• Taste of Virgin Gorda - November 19, will be held on the grounds of the Nail Bay Sugar Ruins, this event will mirror the Taste of Tortola and has attracted many of Virgin Gorda’s top restaurants. Secret judges will make their way around in search of the best food, best booth, best drink, and more. There will be jazz entertainment and those in attendance will each get to cast a vote for Virgin Gorda’s Favorite Restaurant.
• On The Rocks Bar Crawl - November 19, this bar crawl around Virgin Gorda will bring participants from bar to bar, sampling some of the island’s best spirits.
• The Lobster Crawl - November 25, this event serves as the perfect prequel to the famous Anegada Lobster Festival. On the night before the festival begins, participants can enjoy this bar crawl around Anegada, before sampling the island’s best lobster dishes the following days.
• Anegada Lobster Festival - November 26-27, earning the reputation as the “BVI true lobster haven”, Anegada’s visitors will learn while they explore it’s many culinary variations during this two-day festival. Local chefs will prepare, cook and serve samples at a number of local restaurants. Attendees will restaurant hop around the picturesque island, trying lobster in a variety of preparations (grilled, curried, lobster salad, and more). It will officially close the BVI Food Fete for 2016.
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62 Responses to “No fast food chains in VI good for culinary tourism- Sharon Flax-Brutus”
US president is and has been Ronald McDonald for years.
They simply changed the name: Pizza Hut is Pizza Hat; KFC is Kabooky fried chicken and McDonald's is well Mash Donald's LOL
digging your grave with your teeth. like or dislike ignorance is a bliss. organic is king
Can you imagine KFC trying to get a regular supply of good quality chicken?
It's raining, so no-one does any work at the port and all the chicken sits out in the heat and goes off.
It's festival so no-one wants to do anything for 3 days...
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Read their comments and blogs,theyare depressed,clueless uninformed,lazy,hateful,ungrateful,dissatisfied government dependent and irresponsible.
No surprise that this article brings out the suicidal and no class segment in full force.
A mellanated society void of Amerikkka's nonfood toxic addictive fast killer products,coupled with minimum crime,, mellanated business and property owners,millionaires and financial success,is no doubt,a harrowing uncomfortable rude awakening for
some tourists during their few hours visit,including some expats who made a decision to live here and attempt to revise and impose their known to impale and degrade ideas of what we should be.
They will survive, but more importantly,the success and the survival of the VI depends on who we are just the way we are.
Blessings on the (B)VI.