Historic Team Represents Bahamas at Taste of the Caribbean

The Bahamas will send its largest national culinary team in history to compete at the Taste of the Caribbean competition in Miami, June 20-24.

The 12-member team includes the National Young Chef of the Year for the first time. While the core of last year's team remains, an ice sculptor has also been added to the team, said DeAnne Gibson, assistant manager in the Ministry of Tourism, who will be assisting in the team's travel to Miami.

Ms. Gibson said last year's team had memorable performances at Taste of the Caribbean, medaling in all five competition categories - overall team, seafood, beef, party and bartending."So this year we are looking forward to not just bronze medalling or silver medalling but gold medaling," she said.

Chef Devin Johnson, who recently posted impressive results at the Embassy Chef Challenge in Washington, DC, serves as the team's manager. After winning the People's Choice Award at the competition in DC, Chef Johnson was confident that the Bahamas' national team would do well in Miami.

"With the core of the team that I have this year, I think right now we are going for the highest gold, and we are going to try and make history for The Bahamas," he said.

Chefs and bartenders from throughout the Caribbean assemble for competitions and seminars every two years for Taste of the Caribbean.