With judges calling it ‘the stiffest competition in the history of the Taste of the Caribbean’ culinary classic, the Bahamas team managed to capture two key distinctions and an overall team bronze in the regional faceoff last week in Miami.
Once again this year Executive Pastry Chef Sally Gaskins from the Sheraton and Westin at Our Lucaya excelled capturing the honor for Most Outstanding Desert. ﾠShe impressed the judges and the audience during the opening round of competition with her assortment of guava cheesecake, chocolate-spiced island cake filled with banana cream and served with homemade avocado-mint ice cream, papaya stew and mano coulis. ﾠGaskins was unable to defend her title as Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year when the overall team failed to qualify for the final round of competition.
Lyford Cay Club Bartender Wilfred Sands, in his first competition, landed a bronze medal, coming in third place overall. ﾠThis was the best showing in this category ever for the Bahamas team. ﾠHis signature drink, the ‘Rum Dum’, has been a Lyford Cay Club mainstay since he invented it in 1971. ﾠIt’s mix of Light Bacardi Rum, lemon juice, simple syrup, water, raw egg white and dark rum delighted the judges and the audience taste testers.
The Bahamas team members, all from the Sheraton and Westin at Our Lucaya, included team leader Dwain Clare, Chef Neil Rolle, Chef George Williams, Chef Devin Johnson, Executive Pastry Chef Sally Gaskins and Bartender Wilfred Sands.. ﾠ
Four days of intense competition matched the Bahamas team with the best throughout the region as they vied for top honors in the team, menu, pastry and bartender categories. ﾠThe competition is a highlight of CHIC 2005, a Caribbean Hotel Association annual event.
The Bahamas team was organized by the Bahamas Hotel Association, with support from the Bahamas Culinary Association, the Ministry of Tourism, and the College of The Bahamas School of Hospitality and Tourism Studies. ﾠThe team’s participation was made possible thanks to the generous support of Continental Connection Airlines, Bacardi and Company, Grand Bahama Food Company Limited, the Ministry of Tourism, the Lyford Cay Club and Sheraton & Westin at Our Lucaya.
