Forty-two (42) cuisine chefs, twelve (12) pastry chefs and eleven (11) bartenders worked assiduously as they competed in the National Chef & Bartender Competition held last Saturday, February 10th 2007 at the Savannah Hotel. 

The chefs who worked diligently were allotted two hours to prepare five plates of their signature dish for presentation to the judges. The Bartender Competition ran simultaneously with the Chefs Competition and the competitors were required to prepare two (2) servings of their signature drink for presentation to the judges. The dishes and drinks which were created were pleasing to the eye and the palate and this made the standard of the competition very high. 

The winners of the National Chef & Bartender Competition were officially announced at a presentation of awards on Thursday, February 15th 2007 at Ocean Park. In the end it was Chef Creig Greenidge of Sandridge Beach Hotel and Mitchell Husbands of Coral Reef Club who tied for First place. They both earned the coveted Cuisine Chef of the Year title.  Chef Greenidge is not a first time winner as he has won the title in 2005 and placed 2nd in 2006. Chef Adrian Cumberbatch of Fairmont Royal Pavilion won silver, while Wayne Knight of Sandy Lane Hotel earned bronze. 

Chef Janelle Crawford of La Mer Restaurant, Port St. Charles has been named Pastry Chef of the Year once again, and Nekeisha Holder of Fairmont Royal Pavilion won the silver medal. Alicia Olton, Aqua Restaurant and Kerwin Alleyne of Hilton Barbados tied in the bronze category. Bartender of the Year is Mr. Adrian Bynoe of the Sandy Lane Hotel and 2nd place went to Jacqueline Proverbs of Almond Beach Village. Gordon Bovell of Mango Bay Hotel earned a bronze medal.

The winners from the 2007 National Culinary and Bartender Competition will get the opportunity to join the award winning Barbados Culinary Team, and will be trained to represent Barbados at local and international culinary and bartender competitions, exhibitions and other food and beverage appearances.

Special thanks is extended to the sponsor of the Competition, Hanschell Inniss in association with Cockspur Rum Barbados, Anchor and Farmers Choice. We also wish to recognize all of the judges:  Chef Graham Licorish, Coral Reef Club; Chef Max Benz of the Savannah Hotel, Chef Christophe Poupardin of The Sandpiper; Chef Michael Harrison, Sandy Lane Hotel; Chef Brenda Licorish, The Sandpiper; Chef Bernard Fantoli, Hilton Barbados; Pastry Chef Ezra Beckles, Turtle Beach Resort; Ms. Ann Walcott, Hanschell Inniss; Mr. Luke Downie of Chef Workz; Mr. Dan Jelansek of Aqua Restaurant; Mr. Horace Franklyn, Treasure Beach Hotel; Mr. Basil Jemmott, PomMarine Hotel; Mr. Elvis Godding, Hanschell Inniss and Mr. Justin Sisnett of Hilton Barbados.   

The BHTA also wish to take this opportunity to formally thank Mr. Abram Alleyne and his team at the Savannah Hotel for their dedication and willingness to assist during every stage of the competition and also to Mrs. Patricia Affonso-Dass and her team at Ocean Park for the use of their facilities to host the presentation of awards.  Last but not least. special thanks must be given to Mrs. Michelle Smith-Mayers, Judy Wilkinson, Mandy Robinson and Ralph York, Chairman of the Culinary Alliance of Barbados who were instrumental in the planning process and ensuring that the competition was a success. 

Article compliments of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association

Additional Information:
February 18th, 2007

http://www.bhta.org