ANTIGUA & BARBUDA TOURISM AUTHORITY

Antigua and Barbuda’s lauded culinary fruit carver, Chef Melvin Myers (third from right)  was one of 40 select chefs featured at the annual Chefs and Champagne event hosted by the James Beard Foundation and honoring TV personality and celebrity chef Carla Hall on the Wolffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons.  Photos credited to: Franz DeFreitas.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s North America Office, was one of the main sponsors of the annual Chefs and Champagne event held this past Saturday at the grand Wolffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons, Long Island.

Antiguan Chef, Melvin Myers of Success Catering was one of over 40 select chefs from across the globe featured at the culinary show. The exclusive event, which celebrated its 25th anniversary is considered the ultimate summer tasting party to over 1000 elite wine and food connoisseurs.

This year, the foundation honoured Emmy Award-Winning celebrity TV personality, chef and cookbook author Carla Hall. Flowing champagne from French Champagne House Taittinger, Stella Artois and the wines of the Wolffer Estate were the featured aperitifs. Culinary offerings and tastings from the award-winning and celebrated group of chefs and restaurants were carefully displayed on tiny wooden cocktail plates and served to guests throughout the festive evening.

Chef Melvin Myers who prides himself on presenting local Antiguan and Barbudan concepts with an international flare and whose culinary fruit artistry recently gained him features on WPIX11 and CBS News was the highlight of the astute affair garnering an exclusive feature on The Hamptons TV network where host Zoe Pennebaker Breen indulged in Chef Myers’ signature coconut curried chicken in a tomato phylo garnished with berries in a passion fruit ginger sauce and splashed with award-winning English Harbour Rum from Antigua and Barbuda.  The evening’s honoree Ms. Carla Hall paid the Antigua and Barbuda booth a visit and congratulated Chef Melvin on his stellar display.

Vice President of Sales and Marketing for North America, Marie Walker who also attended the event was extremely pleased with the response that the destination received. “Antigua and Barbuda’s partnership with the James Beard Foundation allowed the destination to be a part of and celebrate a very diverse culinary culture and heritage here in New York. Through Chef Myers’ exceptional Antiguan infused food display and tasting, I am certain that we left our culinary mark on a very high end, niche group of savvy consumers many of whom had already travelled to Antigua and Barbuda. I am very pleased that we had the opportunity to engage them within a very elevated experience that is synonymous with the Chefs and Champagne event.”

The Sugar Ridge Resort donated an all-expense paid 2-night trip to Antigua in honour of the foundation’s annual online auction which raises funds for culinary education. Guests also received signature Antigua and Barbuda beach totes, brochures and other paraphernalia. Other notable sponsors included Audi, The Hamptons Magazine, Evian, Veterra Dinnerware and Celebrity Cruises to name a few.

The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority - North America Office’s sponsorship of Chefs and Champagne, is one of the target specific consumer events on the marketing calendar of the office, as the Tourism Authority continues to capitalize on opportunities to promote the destination to a very targeted niche market of savvy travellers and consumers.