Glendon Carty, Anguilla, Named 'Chef Of The Year' At CHTA's Taste Of The Caribbean; Trinidad & Tobago Take Team Honors

CHTA named Glendon Carty of Anguilla "Chef of the Year at Taste of the Caribbean, pictured (l-r) Peter Olsacher, Executive Chef, Bahama Breeze; Ada Esteves, Puerto Rico Tourism Company; Glendon Carty, Anguilla; Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, president of CHTA; and Rick Crossland, Head Judge

CORAL GABLES, FL - The entrées have been made, the drinks have been mixed, desserts have been sampled, the judges have cast their votes and Glendon Carty of Anguilla has been named "Chef of the Year" at the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) "Taste of the Caribbean" culinary competition, which took place June 12-14, 2009. The team from Trinidad and Tobago earned "Highest Scoring Team" honors. Awards were also given to Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin, who was named "Bartender of the Year" and Alberto Febo, Puerto Rico, who earned the title of "Pasty Chef of the Year."


In addition to the overall winners, CHTA provided honors to the competitors in each of the following categories:

Chef of the Year , sponsored by Bahama Breeze

Overall winner: Glendon Carty, Anguilla

Gold category: Glendon Carty, Anguilla, and Sabrina Rosales, Trinidad and Tobago
Silver category: Darren Conner, Anguilla; Keirha Forde, Trinidad and Tobago; Ruben Guzman, Puerto Rico; Justin Hughes, Anguilla; Ravi Anne Koran, Jamaica; Hedwill Martinez, Puerto Rico; Ernie Reyes, Puerto Rico; and Lennox Scott, Trinidad and Tobago
Bronze category: Brian Lumley and Martin Maguinley, both from Jamaica


Pastry Chef Competition, sponsored by Albert Uster Imports, Inc.

Overall winner: Alberto Febo, Puerto Rico
Gold category: Alberto Febo, Puerto Rico
Silver category: Collin Yearwood, Anguilla
Bronze category: Gilbert Mckenzie, Jamaica, and Avanelle James, Trinidad and Tobago

Bartender of the Year

Overall winner: Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Silver category: Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin, and Joshua King, U.S. Virgin Islands
Bronze category: Catherine Niles, Anguilla, and Jacqueline Proverbs, Barbados


Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin, was named "Bartender of the Year" at Taste of the Caribbean. Pictured (l-r) Peter Olsacher, Executive Chef, Bahama Breeze; Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin; Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, president of CHTA; and Rick Crossland, Head Judge



Individual Bartender Awards

Gold category: St. Maarten/St. Martin
Silver category: Barbados, St. Maarten/St. Martin and U.S. Virgin Islands
Bronze category: Anguilla, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Grenada, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago

Highest Scoring Team, sponsored by Bahama Breeze

Overall winner: Trinidad and Tobago team comprised of Bernard Long, Sabrina Rosales, Keirha Forde, Lennox Scott, Avanelle James and Ryan Newallo



Trinidad and Tobago took home "Highest Scoring Team" honors at Taste of the Caribbean. Pictured (l-r) Peter Olsacher, Executive Chef, Bahama Breeze; Enrique De Marchena Kaluche, president of CHTA; Team Trinidad and Tobago, and Rick Crossland, Head Judge

Team Competition Medals

Gold category: Anguilla, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and Trinidad and Tobago
Silver category: Antigua, Barbados, Curaçao, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Maarten/St. Martin, and U.S. Virgin Islands
Bronze category: British Virgin Islands and Suriname

Team Manager Competition Award

First Place Medal: Steven Sowa, Jamaica
Second Place Medal: Graham Licorish, Barbados
Third Place Medal: Dean Samuel, Anguilla

Other Awards

Most creative vodka award: Joshua King, U.S. Virgin Islands
Most creative non-alcoholic drink: Junior Lewis, Jamaica
Most creative rum award: Paul Peterson, St. Maarten/St. Martin
Most creative overall drinks - Catherine Niles, Anguilla


Best use of Certified Angus Beef® by a team, sponsored by Certified Angus Beef®: Trinidad and Tobago for the Roasted Chocolate Peppered Beef

Best use of cheese by a team, sponsored by U.S. Dairy Export Council: Jamaica for the Orange Scallion Cheesecake

Best use of Orchid Chocolate by a team, sponsored by Albert Uster Imports, Inc.: St. Maarten/St. Martin for the Chocolate Mousse stuffed with lemongrass, carrots and orange jam

Hans Schank Commemorative Award for the Most Innovative Menu: U.S. Virgin Islands

Most Innovative Dish: Jamaica for Carrot-Pineapple Pudding, Orange-Scallion Cheesecake, Sweet & Sour sauce, Chocolate Scotch Bonnet Mousse on Passion Fruit crepe with Mango ice cream

The Spirit of the Competition: Curaçao


Held June 12-14, 2009 at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in conjunction with the Puerto Rico Convention Bureau, Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association and Puerto Rico Tourism Company, Taste of the Caribbean was highlighted by two days of workshops, tasting, demonstrations and competition which culminated with the announcement of the winners at a final dinner celebration.

Teams from Anguilla, Antigua, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Grenada, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, St. Maarten/St. Martin, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and U.S. Virgin Islands competed in Taste of the Caribbean for the top honors.

Taste of the Caribbean was sponsored by Bahama Breeze, Albert Uster Imports, Inc., Certified Angus Beef®, Dowman Design, Fosters Wines, U.S. Dairy Export Council and U.S. Meat Export Federation.