The Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA) is to host an awards ceremony at Hyatt Regency at 10 am, to announce the Trinidad & Tobago National Culinary Team 2016. CEO of the THRTA, Brian Frontin, said the team will consist of a team captain, two chefs, one junior chef, one pastry chef and one bartender.
From March to May, 12 practice dinners will be held as the team prepares for the Taste of the Caribbean competition to be held in the US in June. Frontin said the practice dinners will be open to the public to allow for direct interaction and feedback opportunities with the culinary team members.
The competition, designed to be a premier culinary event, had showcased the best chefs and bartenders from around the region since 1993. It has been held annually in Miami, Florida, in the US, under the auspices of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association.
Since assuming the position of CEO in November last year, Frontin said he felt it was important to re-launch the competition after three years.
“We have a history of success although we have not competed since 2013.” He said the response had been overwhelming.
“We have 42 applicants which is the highest number of registrants we have ever had.”
He said in addition to the pride and satisfaction derived from the team’s remarkable achievements over the years, the THRTA regards the competition as a training and development opportunity for local chefs, pastry chefs and bartenders.
SUCCESSES
T&T's culinary successes
The first T&T national team entered in 1997 and won a gold medal in the centre piece competition and a bronze medal for kitchen standards. Several national teams were subsequently sent for an additional 11 appearances over a 16-year period and won 52 medals in total—23 gold, 20 silver and nine bronze.
In 2013, the national team won the following titles:
• Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year (Gold)
• Taste of the Island—Best Team Presentation (Gold)
• Seafood Mystery Basket Competition (Silver)
• Beef Mystery Basket Competition (Silver)
• Pastry Chef of the Year (Silver)
• Bartender Competition—Vodka category (1st place)
• Bartender Competition—(Gold)
• Chef of the Year—(Bronze)