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TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands - As part of the third annual BVI Food Fete, the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board is announcing the addition of several highly regarded visiting chefs to appear throughout the festival. Of note, Chef Kerry Heffernan, a Top Chef Masters Season Four Finalist, the former executive chef of Eleven Madison Park, and the current impresario of the new Manhattan restaurant Grand Banks have joined the lineup.
Food Fete, a month-long celebration of the culinary offerings of the BVI, will feature oceanside dining, special tasting menus, bar crawls, dessert showcases, unique property offerings, and more.
The BVI Tourist Board previously announced that NYC-based Chefs Michael Ferraro and Christopher Faulkner would be in attendance, and now, just a few weeks before Food Fete kicks off on October 30, the stellar lineup of chefs continues to grow:
o Chef George is accomplished in the style of Caribbean Fusion and is the chef at Tree House on Virgin Gorda.
o Chef Heffernan has lent his skills to a number of top restaurants, including founding the iconic Eleven Madison Park. He is also a seafood expert and an accomplished sport fisherman.
o Chef Dupree-Cline has taken her passion for pastry all the way to Bravo’s Top Chef competition. She is a talented chocolatier and founder of Culinary Wonders USA, which helps minorities experience the culinary arts.
o A New York City restaurateur with a heavy Caribbean influence, Chef Faulkner will host a live demonstration as part of the Barefoot Gourmet Soirée.
o Chef Ferraro has a diverse culinary background inspired by his travels around the world, and has appeared on multiple Food Network competition series including Iron Chef America, Chopped, and Beat Bobby Flay.
o An acclaimed Puerto Rican chef, TV personality, entrepreneur, professor and restauranteur with a passion for gastronomy, Chef McQueeny operates the first ice creamery in Puerto Rico that uses liquid nitrogen.
o Chef Hindi is also devoted to the art of gastronomy, participating in street events and appearing on YouTube to conduct demonstrations. He participated in the first edition of Master Chef Brazil.
o Chef Williams is one of the most highly acclaimed chefs in the BVI. He is currently serving Jamaican and Mediterranean inspired cuisine at The Club on Norman Island.
Additionally, the island of Jost Van Dyke will be hosting a Pork Festival starting November 13, a brand new event to Food Fete.
Participating restaurants will offer $5.00-$7.00 samples of pork prepared in their signature way, including corned, doved, roasted, stewed, and more. The Jost Van Dyke community has held a long tradition of preparing pork dishes, especially roasted pork, which is featured at pig roasts held by some of Jost Van Dyke’s most famous eateries.
Please see the full Food Fete event lineup below.
o This luxurious oceanside evening will be one to remember. Seven chefs are scheduled to prepare their signature dishes at a live demonstration along the beach. Reservations are encouraged for this event, as space is limited. Tickets are available for $150 each.
o Many top restaurants are participating in this year’s Taste of Tortola, and participants will have a chance to sample food of the highest quality while experiencing other highlights such as a new demonstration kitchen, live musical performances, dancing, and a fireworks display. A judging panel will be on hand to officiate the annual Fish & Fungi Competition, a Mixologist Competition, and announce the coveted “Best Of†awards.
o This event will bring together chefs from all over the Caribbean to celebrate Caribbean food and cooking techniques. Popular chefs including Nina Compton, Ron Duprat, and more will gather for a weekend of elegant meals and fun competition.
o This newly added tour features some of Jost Van Dyke’s most iconic bars, where visitors can pop in for a cocktail before heading to the next stop.
o This is a brand new event that will highlight samples of many different signature pork dishes, a tradition that is carried throughout Jost Van Dyke’s top restaurants.
o Held on the grounds of the Nail Bay Sugar Ruins, this event caters to a more intimate crowd. Attendees will be able to sample an array of dishes from notable Virgin Gorda restaurants while
being entertained by renowned saxophonist Arturo Tappin of Barbados. Secret judges will make their way around in search of the best food, best booth, best drink, and more. Plus, festival attendees will
each have a chance to cast a vote for Virgin Gorda’s Favorite Restaurant.
o This bar crawl around Virgin Gorda will take participants from bar to bar, sampling some of the island’s best spirits.
o This event serves as the perfect prequel to the famous Anegada Lobster Festival! On the night before the festival begins, participants can enjoy this bar crawl around Anegada, prior to sampling the island’s best lobster dishes the following day.
o The BVI is a true lobster haven, as visitors will learn while they explore its many culinary variations during this two-day festival. Local chefs will prepare, cook and serve samplers at a number of local restaurants at a cost of $5.00-$7.00 per plate.
In addition to its recognition as an exciting culinary destination, the BVI has received several recent accolades in the travel industry. BVI’s Virgin Gorda was named The Best Island in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas in Travel + Leisure’s annual “World’s Best Awards.†Additionally, the BVI was named the #1 Best Place to Visit in the Caribbean by US News & World Report.
About the British Virgin Islands
An archipelago comprised of 60 islands and cays, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) are located 80 kilometers east of Puerto Rico, in the northwestern region of the Caribbean Sea. The main islands are Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke. Road Town, located in Tortola, is the British Virgin Island’s capital.
The BVI is renowned as a destination for sailing, diving and snorkeling. The destination’s vast topography provides unique opportunities for hiking, outdoor adventure and sustainable tourism.
The BVI is home to many famous attractions that include The Baths on Virgin Gorda, the Wreck of the Rhone off the coast of Salt Island, The Caves off the coast of Norman Island, the flamingos on Anegada, White Bay Beach on Jost Van Dyke, and Sage Mountain on Tortola.
Despite its status as a United Kingdom territory, the BVI uses the U.S. dollar as its official currency.
