Barbados’ culinary scene is spicing things up again, with multiple nominations in the 2024 World Culinary Awards!
🎖️ Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival
The increasingly popular Barbados Food and Rum Festival, a winner in 2023, is back in the running for Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival.
Following its debut in 2009, the festival has evolved and expanded over the years with an increasing focus on local chefs, mixologists, ingredients and traditions.
While celebrating local Bajan cuisine, international and celebrity chefs are also invited to the table bringing new techniques, flavors, and influences to the festival. These chefs often shine a spotlight on local ingredients, using them in unexpected ways. Their participation also encourages aspiring young Barbadian chefs to pursue their culinary dreams.
🎖️ Caribbean’s Best Emerging Culinary City Destination
And it’s not just the festival! Our capital city Bridgetown is being recognized as a rising star in Caribbean cuisine.
Several restaurants in the city serve up local favourites such as macaroni pie, grilled fish, and tasty stews to hungry office workers daily. For lighter fare there’s rotis, cutters, patties, and more!
Joining a food tour is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in Bridgetown’s culinary landscape. Sample local favorites like fish cakes, coconut water, and sugar cakes, learning about the history and culture behind the food. Venture beyond the typical tourist hotspots, to discover hidden gems and authentic Bajan eateries.
🎖️ Caribbean’s Best Landmark Restaurant
The Terrace Cafe, located at historic St. Nicholas Abbey, has also copped a nomination for Best Landmark Restaurant. Seamlessly blending an elegant ambiance and a casual vibe, the outdoor cafe overlooks a lush tropical gully.
Visitors to the Plantation are encouraged to linger in this tranquil setting while enjoying homemade rum punch (with rum distilled on the plantation), local beer, or a cup of tea, while refueling with a sandwich, wrap or salad.
🎖️ Caribbean’s Best Culinary Training Institution
The Hospitality Institute, part of the Barbados Community College, has for many years been training and inspiring chefs from Barbados and across the Caribbean.
Building on essential technical skills (such as cooking techniques, food safety practices, and plating aesthetics), training extends to food science, nutrition, menu planning, and budgeting.
![Aesthetically plated meal with fried fish, potatoes and vegetables.](https://barbados.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/dining-hospitality-institute.jpg)
Students also gain valuable real-world experience by working in the on-site restaurants of Hotel PomMarine where the Institute is based.
Their contribution is being recognized with a nomination for the Caribbean’s best Culinary Training Institution.
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