June 26, 2006: After 3 days of competitive tension and excitement (and months of preparation and practice) the 2007 Taste of the Caribbean Competition in Miami is finally over and Anguilla’s National Team came home victorious. Spectators and supporters at the competition roared their approval when the home grown Anguillian team was given one of the coveted 4 spots in the final for the first time in 10 years. There were 13 teams competing in the competition and Anguilla beat islands like Barbados, USVI and St Martin – to win one of the coveted 4 places alongside 3 much bigger islands – Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas.

In the TEAM COMPETION Anguilla brought home an overall Silver medal and placed third behind Trinidad & Tobago and Puerto Rico. We also won 7 individual medals – including a special award for Bartender Catherine Niles – who’s non alcoholic cocktail ‘Irie Beet’ won best creative use of Angostura’s Bitters.   

Executive Director of the AHTA, Trudy Nixon said “we are so proud of our Chefs and Bartender who have worked really hard and been rewarded by bringing home lots of medals for Anguilla. They were a young Anguillian team who competed head to head with very experienced chefs from much bigger islands – and they came out in the top three”

Anguilla also did well in the Individual competitions. In Chef of the Year Anguillas top award was a Silver Medal for GLENDON CARTY of RIPPLES and we also received bronzes for DARREN CONNER of ZURRA and GUY GUMBS of CUISINART RESORT AND SPA.  DEAN SAMUELS delicious Coconut Mousse with Hibiscus Jelly won us a bronze in the Pastry Chef competition.

Young Bartender CATHERINE NILES of CUISINART RESORT AND SPA carried on Anguilla's excellent tradition in Bartending by picking up Silver in the Bartender of the Year Competition and the judges said “she was great for a first competition – we can’t wait to see her again”. Catherine, ably coached by previous medal winners ALEX BALLIN, LAVONE RICHARDSON and RON WEBSTER impressed the judges with her fantastic outfits – each one designed to complement her drinks. Our Team Manager DENISE CARR, Executive Chef at CUISINART RESORT AND SPA also won a bronze for her presentation on the National Dish of Anguilla – Stewed Crayfish and Conky Dumplings.

Attending the event and supporting the team were 3 junior team members, JORDEL GUMBS, LAUREEN PERKINS and COLIN YEARWOOD. Also members of the Anguilla Government – Hon Donna Banks – Special Advisor Tourism and Director of Tourism, Amelia Vanterpool Kubish as well as members of the Hotel and Tourism community. Anguilla was certainly one of the liveliest and most popular teams in the competition with lots of the other islands rooting for Anguilla – a David against the goliaths of T&T, Puerto Rico and Bahamas.

The AHTA will shortly be announcing details of a Gala Dinner – which will enable anyone interested to come along and sample some of the award winning dishes.