TT, Caribbean culinary champs for 7th time

Trini food is the best, right?

That statement has been given even further truth by the TT 2018 culinary team winning Caribbean National Culinary Team of the Year title for a 7th time at the Taste of the Caribbean competition.

A release to media said, "The 2018 TT national culinary team had another record-breaking performance at the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association’s (CHTA) 25th installment of the annual Taste of the Caribbean Competition in Miami, Florida from June 22 to 26. Team TT captured the titles of best non-alcoholic cocktail, Caribbean bartender of the year, Caribbean chef of the year (beef category) and the coveted Caribbean national team of the year, earned for an unprecedented 7th time."

Captain Jeremy Lovell (Courtyard by Marriott, Port of Spain) led the team. The release added that the team was an "immediate hit" at the event's Caribbean305 with its "mouth-watering offerings of geera pork, curried chicken, eggplant and tomato pholourie (with a range of sauces), and a sorrel swizzle rum cocktail" on June 23 at Jungle Island.

Its offerings were "all in high demand by patrons from both the Caribbean and southern Florida, and TT’s booth was cleared out within the first hour," the release added.

The team, it said, executed a "scrumptious, well-executed three-course dinner offering that creatively infused many of TT’s local flavours and spices, much to the delight and appreciation of the judges and diners alike. TT won a gold medal for this dinner offering" at the Team of the Year competition on June 24.

Its team members also participated in several individual competitions and got six additional medals, including a gold, a silver and four bronze, which they received at the competition's award ceremony held last evening.

The Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Association (THRTA), it added, "has been fielding national culinary teams to Taste of the Caribbean competition since 1997 and through the support from its key partners in the public and private sectors, TT has achieved culinary leadership in the Caribbean with over 87 medals and numerous titles earned over the past 14 prior appearances."

"The THRTA recognises the pivotal role that its hospitality training institute, the Trinidad and Tobago Hospitality and Tourism Institute (TTHTI) continues to play in achieving these successes, given that five of the six members of the 2018 TT National Culinary team are either past or present students of the TTHTI. The THRTA and the TTHTI remain committed to the development of Trinidad & Tobago’s youth by providing them with a regional platform and relevant training to expand their culinary and bartending skills," it said.