VI excels at annual 'Taste of the Caribbean' 2018
The team, comprising mostly young people, outshined their regional counterparts in the one week competition hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) at the 'Hyatt Regency Miami' in Miami.
Virgin Gorda native and VI School of Technical Studies student, Radiance Modeste—reportedly the youngest in the competition at 17-years-old—was adjudged the overall winner of the seafood competition.
Ariq F. Clarke, also of Virgin Gorda, secured a silver medal in the Junior Chef of the Year Competition as well as an honourable mention in the ‘Certified Angus Beef Competition.’ The two are former winners of the “BVI Tourist Board Junior Chef Competition”, and had travelled with the Board to the prestigious Mid-Atlantic Food and Wine Festival in 2015.
Culinary Arts
Clarke—a Johnson and Wales School of Culinary Arts, North Miami Campus student—participated in the event with schoolmate Lakesha M. Barry, who also received an honourable mention in the ‘Chocolate Competition.’
Clarke and Barry were also teammates in the 2017 South Beach Wine & Food Festival while VI Bartender, Everson Rawlins, snagged the bronze medal in the 'Bartender of the Year' competition.
Speaking to the team’s outstanding performance, Chairman of the VI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association, Mr Louis Potter, said “…we are pleased with the success of our team of junior chefs.”
VI Strong
According to Mr Potter, the VI team persevered in the toughest of circumstances, overcoming difficulties brought on by the passage of two major hurricanes, “overcoming the limitations imposed by last year’s storms, I think the team exemplified the essence of BVI Strong…I was impressed and proud of the performance of the team...I know our investment in this young team will reap dividends in the future.”
Since its inception in 1993, the 'Taste of the Caribbean,' is said to be the region’s premier culinary competition, food and beverage educational exchange, and Caribbean cultural showcase. The event features the Caribbean’s best chefs and culinary teams as they unite at taste to compete, demonstrate their skills, learn from each other and offer the general public a scintillating exhibition of the most delectable culinary treats of the islands.
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