St. Maarten News – Minister Ingrid Arrindell (Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications) congratulated the winners of the senior chef placement on the national team to represent Sint Maarten in the Taste of the Caribbean competition in Miami from June 12 to 14.
Two more competitions will be held to complete the team. Participants will be vying for the position of pastry chef and bartender.
Pieter Holstein, Executive Chef of the Food Collective BBA Rum & Pease in St. Maarten, and David Cudicio from Dreams Restaurant in Nettle Bay earned their positions during a competition held on February 6 at the Sundial School.
In addition to these winners, two chefs were chosen as the substitutes – Mariana Shah (Dish D’ Lish), and Nick Dillinger (Moomba Restaurant).
The country has been absent from Taste of the Caribbean since 2009. The event is organized by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).
“The competition is an opportunity for our best chefs and bartenders from North and South to showcase their island. I congratulate those so far who have been selected for the national team. Some other competitions still have to take place, and I wish those participants much success when the time comes,” Minister Arrindell said in a press statement.
Taste of the Caribbean is the region’s premier culinary competition and cultural showcase held once a year where the best chefs and culinary teams unite to learn, demonstrate their skills and provide the public with a scintillating exhibition of the most savory and delectable treats of the islands. It’s a showcase of the hottest and most popular trends in Caribbean gastronomy.
Over ten teams from the Caribbean throw their culinary hats into the ring to compete for the honor of becoming the best chef, culinary team, bartender and pastry chef in the Caribbean.
Each participating team represents a Caribbean island and has competed on a national level to qualify and participate. Each team is composed of two senior chefs, one junior chef, one bartender, one pastry chef, and one manager. The participating team members represent hotels, restaurants or educational institutions in the Caribbean which are member of the CHTA.
Minister Arrindell congratulates chefs Holstein and Cudicio
