Resorts and hotels across the Caribbean are starting to promote attractions beyond their powdered sugar beaches and clear turquoise waters. These days, culinary festivals and gastronomic experiences are popping up from Dominica to Trinidad, boasting a mix of local cuisine and internationally recognized chefs. But there’s one island property that began hosting food and wine festivals long before the others.
This November, Grace Bay Club, a luxury property in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, will host its 14th annual Caribbean Food & Wine Festival. This signature event features local and international talent, including award-winning chefs and winemakers, for a culinary celebration held in and around one of the world’s most stunning beaches. The event takes place November 7 – 10, 2024, and tickets are currently available for purchase on their website.
Every year, a portion of the festival’s proceeds benefits Turks & Caicos Islands Community College. Last year’s festival raised enough funds to send a group of students to South America for training and a cultural experience.
“As proud community partners, Grace Bay Resorts is honored to contribute to the local Turks & Caicos Islands Community College with a portion of event proceeds,” said Nikheel Advani, COO and principal of Grace Bay Resorts, and co-chairman of the Caribbean Food & Wine Festival committee, in a press release.
“With more award-winning chef and beverage partners than ever before, this year’s Caribbean Food & Wine Festival promises an extraordinary celebration to showcase the world’s best cuisine with a Caribbean twist.”
This year’s event will feature Phillip Frankland Lee + Margarita Kallas-Lee of Scratch Restaurants (best known for their signature Sushi by Scratch omakase experience) and chef Adrianne Calvo of Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Bar. They will participate, alongside chefs from the Grace Bay Resorts properties, in wine pairing events, special dinners and the now famous Sunday Brunch. As in previous years, a complimentary Culinary Trends Symposium will be held at South Bank Ocean Estate, which will also be streamed online for those who can’t make it to Turks & Caicos.
The festival attracts a wide variety of attendees, including visitors from the U.S. and Canada, as well as regular participants from nearby Caribbean islands who have been attending throughout the years, adding an atmosphere that’s different from most food and wine festivals held in North America. It’s elegant and high-end, but at the same time feels like you’re attending a party at a friend’s home – albeit, a stunning beachfront home with food prepared by world-renowned chefs.
“The Caribbean Food & Wine Festival is a unique celebration of our rich culinary heritage here in the Caribbean,” says Olivier Hilton, executive chef of Point Grace. “While we are thrilled to showcase international flavors in our tropical paradise, the true heart of the festival lies in highlighting the vibrant and diverse traditions of Caribbean cuisine. From fresh, locally sourced seafood to our bold spices and centuries-old cooking techniques, this festival allows us to honor the flavors that make the Caribbean so special and bring them to the forefront for our guests.”
Last year, chef Nikita Skippings hosted a lively walkabout event at Crackpot Kitchen, his restaurant, bar and grill that specializes in Caribbean cuisine and culture. The chef is the culinary ambassador of Turks & Caicos, and the host and producer of the Crackpot Kitchen Cooking Show, the first televised cooking show in the country. Guests were treated to local specialties like fresh conch salad, crack conch fritters, curry goat, chicken souse and more, with a side of carnival vibes and traditional music and dance performances.
A highlight of this year’s festival will be the Gourmet Safari, a progressive dining experience across five locations around Turks & Caicos, starting with the first course at Coyaba, second course at Grace’s Cottage, main course at The Palms, dessert at Wymara and cocktails at Rock House.
The festival will feature wines from Oregon’s Ken Wright Cellars, as well as Veuve Clicquot Champagne and cocktails from The Macallan for the kickoff cocktail party. While at the festival, be sure to try the local Turks Head beers and Bambarra Rum, available at the newly redesigned Infinity Bar – the longest bar in the Caribbean.
In addition to the Caribbean Food & Wine Festival programming, guests will be among the first to experience expansion updates within the Grace Bay Resorts portfolio, including a new beach club concept called Offshore, and the opening of South Bank, the island’s newest residential resort.
“Caribbean Food & Wine Festival also allows us to inspire future generations in the industry,” says chef Hilton. “The CFWF grabs attention and gives us chefs another opportunity to not only expose and train our junior chefs on some of the best of what the Caribbean has to offer, but also the chance to reach the entire island and the rest of the world through all the positive media it creates.”
Every year, the festival attracts more talent from overseas, but most importantly, gives the local culinary students an opportunity to hone their skills, preparing and serving dishes created by local and visiting chefs.
“I see the event becoming bigger and better with time, and I am always excited about creating something new or putting my twist on a classic dish whenever the CFWF comes around,” says Hilton.
The Caribbean Food & Wine festival takes place November 7 – 10, 2024, in Providenciales, Turks & Caicos. Individual tickets and packages are available now, check the schedule for details.
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