Port of Spain, Trinidad – At the recently concluded Taste of the Caribbean culinary competition, held June 22-26, 2011, the Trinidad & Tobago culinary team has once again proven they are the best in the region by taking home their fifth Caribbean Team of the Year title in six years, the most by any country. Lead by team-captain Raymond Joseph, Trinidad & Tobago also won gold in the Chef of the Year and Bartender competitions.
The competition, organized by the Caribbean Hotel Tourism Association and hosted at the Hyatt Regency Miami hotel, involved 16 regional teams that included Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia and United States Virgin Islands. Each team prepared and presented food and drink that were judged on taste, execution of skills and presentation.
Members of the 2011 National Culinary Team were Adrian Cumberbatch (Carlton Savannah Hotel), bartender Danyiel Jones (Martini Makers, Trinidad), alternate bartender Abiola Jules (Hyatt Regency Trinidad), Chef Ryan Bailey (Hyatt Regency Trinidad), Chef Jeremy Lovell (Courtyard Marriott Hotel), Chef Devon Joseph (Chaud Restaurant), Pastry Chef Cheryl Shorrt-Charles (Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute) and team captain Chef Raymond Joseph (Executive Chef at the Courtyard by Marriott ).
Other medals and awards achieved by the eight-member team include silver in the Pastry Chef of the Year and Junior Chef of the Year competitions; bronze in the Seafood and Beef Mystery Basket competitions and First Place honors in the bartender competition-Vodka, Rum and Best Cocktail categories.
Dual-island nation’s culinary team took top honors for Team of the Year and Chef of the Year at Taste of the Caribbean 2011
