SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (October 7, 2003) – The Anguilla Culinary Team, composed of Vaughn Hughes, Sherman Niles, Shaun Hodge, and Joyah Gumbs, earned a silver medal at the Caribbean Food and Beverage Awards of Excellence among 11 Caribbean national teams at the Renaissance Jamaica Grande, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, October 2-5, 2003. The winning menu consisted of: Pan Seared Napoleaon Snapper with wilted Spinach, served with Banana Soursop Rum Sauce and topped with Fried Yucca (starter); Stuffed Chicken Breast with Crayfish and Stewed Curry Chicken served in a Fried Plantain Basked, with Mixed Baby Greens (main); and Anguilla Sweet Potato Coconut Conky Dumpling, served with Guava Ice Cream and Anguilla Pyrat Rum Sauce (dessert).

The Anguilla Team

In addition, Alexandra Ballin, bartender at The Pumphouse, earned honors in mixology with a silver medal in the Bartender Competition and an award for the Most Creative Non-Alcoholic Drink, for her cocktail, “Mango Massage.”

Bartender Alex Ballin

The awards, highest honors for food and beverage professionals in the Caribbean region, culminated three days of events at Taste of the Caribbean, annual showcase for the development and refinement of Contemporary Caribbean Cuisine, sponsored by the Caribbean Culinary Federation (CCF) and the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). "The sense of camaraderie among the participants was outstanding. We demonstrated our personal best and exchanged skills and information with a network of professionals, members of the press and the public, all of whom share a common interest in the culture and cuisine of our region. It was an inspiring and educational experience for everyone who attended," said Peter Rousseau, President of CCF.

Silver medal winning dish

The competition brought teams of chefs to Taste of the Caribbean 2003, for qualifying rounds of "live kitchen" competition in which each team prepared a 3-course meal for 40 persons in under 4 hours.

Teams (in the preliminaries) and individuals from Gold Medal teams (who advanced to the finals) competed for point scores according to standards for professional competition set by the American Culinary Federation (ACF), not against each other. The scoring system provides clear criteria for excellence and is unaffected by the relative levels of the competitors skills.

Mango Massage

Officials for the competitions were Head Judge, Rick Crossland, Senior Vice President, Culinary and Beverage; Bahama Breeze; Augusto Schreiner, Executive Chef and Owner, Augusto’s Cuisine (Puerto Rico); Klaus Friedenreich, CMC, AAC, CHE, Director, Culinary Arts Program, The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale; Kerry Beadle CEC, CFE, Department Chair of Hospitality Technology, Morrisville State College (NY); Timothy Murray, Corporate Executive Chef, Culinary Development, Peer Food; Hendrik Kolenbrander, Corporate Executive Chef; Hans Schenk, Food & Beverage Consultant (Jamaica). Beverage competitions were judged by Robert Renovales, Director of West Coast Operations, Worldbeverages Logistics Inc., and Josué Merced-Reyes, Food & Beverage Consultant, El Buen Vivir and Pleasure in Puerto Rico Host.

Taste of the Caribbean strives to promote the development and refinement of Contemporary Caribbean Cuisine, its signature foodstyle, which rests firmly on the use of indigenous ingredients and the interpretation of Caribbean culture and traditions by food and beverage industry professionals. While maintaining a focus on professional development in the region, it also seeks to contribute to the promotion of tourism, and the region's overall economic growth, by enhancing the food and beverage experience offered to visitors by Caribbean resorts and restaurants. For more information, contact Lorraine J. Ortiz-Valcárcel, T 787-725-9139, F 787-725-9108 or email: lortiz@caribbeanhotels.org.

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