Taste of the Caribbean is a yearly culinary competition for professional chefs and bartenders organized by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). Through BONHATA’s active participation in CHTA Bonaire participates in this competition with the Bonaire Culinary Team. This team consists of senior and junior chefs, a pastry chef and a bartender and a team manager.
The chefs and team manager for the 2016 competition are known:
Senior chefs Miguel Saragoza & Channethon Jansen, Junior Chef Max Maartense and Pastry Chef Maria Maestroni. Also senior chef Sherundly Bernabela will be travelling to Miami this year to assist the team. Team manager is Floris van Loo from Rum Runners. The winner of the local bartender competition scheduled for Sunday April 10 will join the team for the 2016 competition.
F & B professionals involved in the training include Han ten Winkel & Isidoor van Riemsdijk, along with other board members of the Bonaire Restaurant Association (BRA).
Participating at this event brings the chefs and bartender a lot of learning opportunities, introduction to the latest trends and techniques by participating in the workshops held around the competition schedule, an opportunity to meet their peers from the Caribbean region and a lot of fun. Team members take home energy and inspiration all in the benefit of the culinary arts on Bonaire.
Accomplishments in recent years include a Gold medal for National Team of the Year (2015) and Caribbean Chef of the Year (Rashindra Donge, 2014). A full overview of the results can be viewed via this link. More info on the Taste of the Caribbean competition can be found here.
