Chairman of the Tourism Development Company (TDC) Dennise Demming is urging local chefs and bartenders to explore innovative ways of showcasing their products without using styrofoam or plastic.
Declaring that this country was “drowning in styrofoam and plastics,” Demming said it was crucial that people make more environmentally friendly and sustainable choices.
Delivering brief remarks at the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA) awards ceremony at the Hyatt Hotel, yesterday, Demming tossed out a challenge to the handful of chefs and bartenders present as she said it was up to them to redefine the palette of the average Trinidadian and revolutionise customer service in the country.
Describing these as complex challenges, Demming said the statistics were there to prove that Trinidadians were suffering from obesity, high blood pressure and other lifestyle diseases, due largely in part to their food choices which had changed over the years from authentic culinary cuisine to fast food.
Urging the chefs present to accept the task of transforming local produce into attractive and tasty dishes which would entice persons to change their eating habits, Demming also said it was time to change how people interacted with each other on a daily basis.
She said mutual respect, empathy and love were needed to transform the customer service sector.
To the bartenders, Demming urged them to incorporate more local rums and mixtures into their drink offerings, as she said the purchase of high-end scotch would only translate into more foreign exchange leaving the country.
Overall, Demming said, these factors could assist in improving the tourism industry which has always “been a second thought” in this country.
She said this was the perfect opportunity for this industry to contribute in a more meaningful way to the country’s Gross Domestic Product and thereby reduce the reliance on the energy sector.
Deputy permanent secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Samdaye Rampersad, echoed Demming’s call that the time to transform the Caribbean’s tourism sector was now.
She said in 2015, the Caribbean attracted the most foreign visitors with 28.7 million persons, who spent close to $30 billion.
Rampersad said this represented the sixth consecutive year of above average growth in this sector and it was an area of tremendous potential—one which T&T needed to capitalise on as persons searched for culinary delights indigenous to each country.
Prior to the announcement of the winners of the 2016 Making The Cutt culinary competition, chief executive officer of the THRTA, Brian Frontin, commended those who had participated in this latest instalment of the competition, as well as past winners and participants who had moved on to providing culinary advice at hotels and those who had even started their own businesses. Formed in 1999, the THRTA is the main private sector body representing the tourism industry.
In the mid-1990s, the THRTA developed the concept of a local culinary competition which identified talented chefs, pastry chefs and bartenders who would form part of a team to compete at Taste of the Caribbean, the premier culinary event showcasing the region's best talent, held in Miami annually, under the auspices of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association.
Over the past 16 years, local teams have amassed a total of 52 medals including 23 gold, 20 silver and nine bronze medals, for their efforts.
This year, the competition attracted a record number of participants including 15 chefs, nine pastry chefs, two junior chefs and 14 bartenders from top local hotels and restaurants, as well as established business owners.