Saint-Martin Tourism Office presented the 2025 Gastronomy Festival programme at its information kiosk in Marigot. (Robert Luckock photos)
MARIGOT–One might think the Gastronomy Festival could not get much better than it is in terms of organisation and variety, but Saint-Martin Tourism Office continues to tweak the details, to build, innovate and improve on the event’s reputation and self-styled slogan, “Culinary Powerhouse of the Caribbean”.
Saint-Martin Tourism Office President Valérie Damaseau (left) and Director Aïda Weimum (right) unveiled a giant poster of the programme.
As Director Aïda Weinum put it: “This year we want to give it a fun, sexier, vibe.”
The fifth edition of the festival is not far away, November 11-22, 2025. The competing restaurants for the “Best Table In Saint-Martin” accolade will be incorporating this year’s featured ingredient, passion fruit, into their menus.
At a presentation of the 2025 programme on Thursday, Tourism Office Director Aïda Weinum disclosed the launch of the festival will take place on the Boulevard of Grand Case on November 10, following the Taste of Sunrise on November 9. On that day the entire Boulevard will be pedestrian only, from Spiga all the way down to Tropics Bar, with live music and entertainment.
From November 11 to 22 residents and visitors are encouraged to discover the menus of the competing bars and restaurants, with special menus and cocktails featuring passion fruit. Wine and cheese pairing evenings at selected establishments will again be on the programme.
“Dîners à4 Mains” (dinners by four hands) features a local chef and an invited chef creating a menu together on November 12 and 13 at two prestigious restaurants.
The main competition days are: Private Chefs on November 12 and 13, Food Trucks on November 15, the Lycée competition on November 17, the restaurants competition on November 18 and 19, and on November 21 the finals of the restaurants and mixology competition.
The restaurants’ competition is divided into four categories for judging: Authentic Stars, Beach Stars, Gourmet Stars and City Stars. So far confirmed are Godfather of the event this year Michelin-starred chef Laurent Huguet, and Chef Jason Santos, owner of four restaurants in Boston, who will be judging the Food Trucks and Private Chefs competition.
“There is a twist this year compared to previous years: the restaurants will be competing live in front of a jury and the public,” said Weinum. “Previously one of the international chefs would visit the selected restaurant to judge it out of the public eye, but we thought it better to open it up for all to witness. Then, when it comes to the judging of the finalists, the visiting international chefs will be blindfolded, relying only on taste.”
The Gastronomy Village on the waterfront is open for two days on November 14 and 15, showcasing the best of local cuisine. Around 30-40 stands, with the name of the restaurant on each, will be set up.
For the very popular BBQ competition on November 16, judged again by BBQ expert Kevin Bludso and assistant judges, the event will start much earlier in the day, starting from noon until midnight, to spread out the number of people expected.
“We have realised that the crowd has been getting bigger and bigger for the BBQ competition
every year and that has become problematic,” explained Weinum. “The first year we estimated 500, and got 5,000 people, the second year we had 7,000 attending and the third year, around 8,000. So we hope we have got it right this time.
“By starting earlier we will get more people attending in the long run. Secondly, for the cashless system we will have more top-up stations available. This year we expect more participants for the BBQ competition; usually it is around eight spots that we have but this time we will be up to 18 spots.”
Cooking workshops will take place on November 15 and 16 for children, November 15, 16, and 17 for adults, and Sip N’ Cook on November 15 and 17. Food and Cocktail Pairing will be on November 20 limited to 60 persons and will feature a five course meal.
The mixology contest will also be taking place during the festival. Arthur Sutley, President of the Jury, will be visiting bars with his co-judges to find the best cocktails. The Mixology finals among six bartenders will be on November 21.
Finally, the grand finale and closing evening of November 22 will see another change. The tourism offices of each Caribbean island have been invited to send a chef to Saint-Martin to present their food and culture.
“We have 15 spots for them, and are already receiving positive feedback. So the closing night will be a ‘Best of the Caribbean edition’. Also, for the Gastronomy Village we have decided to charge an entry fee of 5 euros.”
Weinum introduced the local ambassador chefs: Shane Huggins, Gaëlle Mussington, Danitza Dormoy, Kénila Hyman, Kareem Brooks, Ashanta Daniel, and Angéla Marcenat, and the winner of the Lycée competition last year, Sheaquan Liburd-Davis.
In her remarks, Tourism Office President Valérie Damaseau said: “Gastronomy here is Caribbean, Creole, French, Indian, African. It is blended, generous, vibrant. Every dish tells a story, every spice echoes a tradition, every recipe bridges generations.
“This is the richness we have celebrated for the past five years. It is why this festival is much more than a gourmet gathering, it is a tangible economic engine and a source of pride.”
Other words of support for the festival came from Sous-Préfète Marie-Hildegard Chauveau, representing Préfet Cyrille Le Vély, and Collectivité Third Vice President, Dominique Louisy.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/tourism-office-promises-to-take-5th-gastronomy-festival-to-next-level
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