Once again Miami was the host city to Taste of the Caribbean, a culinary competition and professional development conference for food and beverage professionals. Thirteen Caribbean national culinary teams competed for the title of best in the Caribbean, and these were the results of this year’s competition:

CARIBBEAN NATIONAL TEAM

• Winner: Trinidad & Tobago
• Gold: Bahamas, Puerto Rico,  St. Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago
• Silver: Anguilla, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Turks and Caicos. USVI
• Bronze: Jamaica, Suriname

CARIBBEAN CHEF OF THE YEAR

• Winner: Barbados – Damian Leach
•  Gold: Bahamas – Sheldon Tracey Sweeting; Barbados – Damian Leach; St. Maarten/St. Martin – David Cudicio; Trinidad & Tobago – Brandon Maharaj
• SIlver:  Anguilla – Johnathan Hughes; Curacao – Adriyel  Lourens; St. Lucia – Elijah Jules; Suriname – Lorenzo Harper; Turks and Caicos – Edwin Gallardo
• Bronze: Bonaire – Miguel Saragoza; Jamaica – Patrice Malcolm; Puerto Rico – Ingrid Rodriguez; USVI – Shaun Brian Sells

CARIBBEAN BARTENDER OF THE YEAR

• Winner: Bahamas – Marvelous Cunningham
• Gold: Bahamas – Marvelous Cunningham; Barbados – Ryan Adamson; St. Maarten/St. Martin – Paul Peterson; USVI – Frank Robinson
• Silver: Anguilla – Jamal Hodge; Curacao – Fabien Cleopa; Jamaica – Adrian Johnson; Puerto Rico – Joafner Marrero; St. Lucia – Alva Preville; Trinidad & Tobago – Clinton Ramdhan; Turks and Caicos – Jean Tissiant
• Bronze: Bonaire – Kelvin Ventura; Suriname – Jonathan Somowidjojo

CARIBBEAN PASTRY CHEF OF THE YEAR

• Winner: Trinidad & Tobago – Kimberly Jaggasar
• Gold: Trinidad & Tobago – Kimberly Jaggasar
• Silver: Anguilla – Lashanda Davis; Barbados – Javon Cummins
• Bronze: Bahamas – Shelby Coleby; Bonaire – Maria Mastrangelo; Curacao – Ramsley Leander; St. Lucia – Martha Hippolyte; St. Maarten/St. Martin – Ronald Estephane; USVI – Natalie Buckner
•  Honorary Mention: Jamaica – Dexter Singh; Puerto Rico – Ronny Diaz; Suriname – Xaviera Mijnhijmer; Turks and Caicos – Yoginder  Singh

CARIBBEAN JUNIOR CHEF OF THE YEAR

• Winner: Turks & Caicos – Robinangel Simmons
• Gold: Puerto Rico – Efrain Marquez; Trinidad & Tobago – Annelca Mendoza; Turks & Caicos – Robinangel Simmons
• Silver: Bahamas – Leonardis Moss; Barbados – Nicholas Ifill; Bonaire – Max Maaertense: Curacao – Dane Rodriguez; St. Maarten/St. Martin – Surizea  Adoptie; Suriname – Yamuro Zuiverloon; USVI – Regine Abraham
• Bronze: Anguilla – Teron Thompson; St. Lucia – Edna Butcher
• Honorary Mention: Jamaica – Cadane Wynn

BEEF COMPETITION Sponsored by Certified Angus Beef

• Winner: Trinidad & Tobago -Jeremy Lovell
• Gold: Trinidad & Tobago – Jeremy Lovell
• Silver: Bahamas – Charon McKenzie; Bonaire – Miguel Saragoza; Puerto Rico – Rafael Alamo; St. Maarten/St. Martin – Peter Holstein; Suriname – Gilbert Wirjomoenawi; Turks and Caicos – Edwin Gallardo
• Bronze: Anguilla – Karimah Carty; Barbados – Kirk Ruck; Curacao – Adriyel  Lourens; Jamaica – Odane Whitelocke; St. Lucia – Caron Jean; USVI – Michael Matthew

SEAFOOD COMPETITION

• Winner: Bahamas – Richmond Fowler
• Gold: Bahamas – Richmond Fowler; Curacao – Dane Rodriguez; Puerto Rico – Rafael Alamo; St. Maarten/St. Martin – David Cudicio; Suriname – Gilbert Wirjomoenawi; Trinidad & Tobago – Adam de Freitas; Turks and Caicos- Joseph Charles
• Silver: Barbados – Wilwore Jordan; Bonaire – Sherundly Bernabela; Jamaica – Richard Pinnock
• Bronze: USVI – Edward McNamara; St. Lucia – Peter Lawrence

CHEESECAKE COMPETITION

• SIlver: Barbados – Ron Maynard; Curacao – Ramsley Leander; St. Maarten/St. Martin – Ronald Estephane; Trinidad & Tobago – Kimberly Jaggasar
• Bronze: Anguilla – Leonicia Rey-Richardson; Bahamas – Jamal Small; Bonaire – Sherundly Bernabela; Puerto Rico – Ronny Diaz; St. Lucia – Martha Hippolyte; USVI – Natalie Buckner
• Honorary Mention: Jamaica – Amelia Baker; Suriname – Xaviera Mijnhijmer; Turks and Caicos – Yoginder  Singh

SPECIAL AWARDS

• Hans Schenk Commemorative Award for the Most Innovative Dish utilizing Indigenous Ingredients: Suriname – Gilbert Wirjomoenawi

The winning dish was pan seared black tiger shrimps served with a “Afingi” cake incorporated with crab meat, accompanied with pan grilled pumpkin and a ‘Nage’ spicy yucca watra (pepre’ watra) drizzled with herb oil.

• Tony Mack Spirit of the Competition: Team St. Maarten/St. Martin
• Best Rum Drink: Anguilla – Jamal Hodge
• Best Vodka Drink: Bahamas – Marvelous Cunningham
• Best Non Alcoholic Drink: St. Maarten/St. Martin – Paul Petterson