ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA MANGO FESTIVAL

2014 Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition Winner, 26 year old Head Chef at Castaways Restaurant, Lemuel Dubarry will be going for his third win in this year’s Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition

Over 18 professional chefs from some of Antigua and Barbuda’s best hotels will face the heat when the Antigua and Barbuda Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition gets underway at The Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute on July 11 and July 12.

The competition, an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture, starts at 8:30 am and chefs will need to work quickly and skillfully to impress a panel of nationally acclaimed judges and New York based chef and Guest Judge Jeffrey Rotz, a Certified Executive Chef, Certified Culinary Educator, and a member of the American Academy of Chefs the honor society of the American Culinary Federation, Inc.

Among the strew of accomplished chefs taking part in the 8th edition of the competition is first runner-up in the recently held Young Masters of Culinary Cook-Off, 24 year old Jason Richards, Kitchen Supervisor at Sandals Grande Antigua Resort.

He will have his work cut out for him, as 26 year old Castaways Head Chef Lemuel Dubarry, winner of the 2014 Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition will be going for his third win, having also won the competition in 2012.  He will be joined by Sugar Ridge Resort Top Chefs, and 2014 finalists Gregory Williams and Michael Anthony who are determined to better their positions in 2015.

Also taking on the Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition next week will be the initiator of the Young Masters of Culinary Competition, David Browne Sous Chef at Galley Bay Resort and Spa, Rochelle Anthony a Sandals Grande Sous Chef known on the regional culinary competition circuit, Sugar Ridge’s Stephen Hylton fresh off of competing in the Young Masters of Culinary competition and new hopefuls such as Naomi Thomas from one of Antigua and Barbuda’s newest restaurants, Ana’s on the Beach.

The competing chefs are representing: Sandals Grande Antigua, Galley Bay Resort, St. James’s Club, Nonsuch Bay, The Verandah Resort & Spa, Curtain Bluff Hotel, Grand Pineapple Beach Resort, Sugar Ridge, and Ana’s on the Beach Restaurant.

Chefs will compete in a Pastry Chefs competition, and a Savoury Chefs competition.
The Pastry Chefs will be hoping to take home the prestigious “Madeleine Mc Comas Award” for Best Pastry Chef, and the special “Most Innovative Chef Award from students of ABHTI” in this category. Savoury Chefs will compete for the prestigious “Dame Gwendolyn Tonge Award” for Best Chef, as well as a special “Most Innovative Chef Award from students of ABHTI” in this category.

Chefs will only face one challenge in this year’s competition which means they will need to get innovative if they wish to wow the judges.
Former Acorn Award winner, Andrew "Stan" Baxter, Executive Chef and Food and Beverage Manager at the Galley Bay Resort & Spa, and Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition committee member said:

While great cooking skills and hygiene will be key in this competition, imagination is also being considered as very important and chefs will have to use their creativity to capture the attention of the judges. Baxter said: “In the past we have seen some interesting ingredients, one of the more unusual was curried iguana.”

The Mango Pineapple Culinary Competition precedes the Antigua and Barbuda Mango Festival which takes place on new dates, Sunday July 26th and on Monday July 27th.  Summer campers and families are invited to come out for the event.

Food and Craft Vendors wishing to participate in the Mango Festival should contact The Ministry of Tourism’s Mango Festival Committee at telephone 462-0480 / 725-3254.  An Agro-processors competition is also scheduled to take place.  Registration forms for this competition are also available at the Ministry of Tourism.