Lashaunda Davis
On Sunday evening, April 28, the spacious pool side at Aleta Restaurant at Viceroy Anguilla was the scene of a large crowd at various food stalls as the National Culinary Team showcased a variety of dishes in the run-up to its participation in the 2013 Taste of the Caribbean Culinary Competition in Miami next month.
The event was organised by the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association (AHTA). “This year we are happy to have on board a fabulous line-up of Anguilla’s best restaurants – Veya, Italia, Sand Bar, DaVida’s, Ripples, Sandy Island, Prickly Pear and Viceroy’s – along with our signature Margarita Bar,” an earlier announcement by the AHTA stated. “This is the chefs’ first event as they make their way to Miami and to bring back gold [awards].”
The culinary team was introduced by Mrs. Gilda Gumbs-Samuels, Executive Director of the AHTA, as follows:
Team Manager Dean Samuel, CapJuluca
Team Senior Chef Lester Gumbs, CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa – and Competing for the Chef of the year award Team chef Jonathan Hughes, CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa Team Pastry Chef Lashaunda Davis-Viceory Anguilla and competing for the Pastry Chef of the year competion
Team Jr. Chef Mtima Daniels, -Viceory Anguilla, and competing for the Jr. Chef of the year completion
Team Bartender Lavon Richardson,-Cove Castles Resort and competing for the Bartender of the year completion
Team chef cooking individual in the Seafood competition Anique Laureen Perkins,-Black Orhard/Anique Catering and Villa Services Team Chef cooking Beef competition individual Claudio Gumbs
Glendon Carty, past Caribbean chef of the year and mentor.
Mrs.Gumbs-Samuel was grateful to Viceroy Anguilla for hosting the event, the sponsors for their support and the many persons who attended and enjoyed the function.
She took the opportunity to make two presentations. The first was a plaque to Ethel Gumbs, mother of the late outstanding chef, JordelGumbs, who lost his life last year, about a week before the departure of the culinary team for Miami to participate in the competition. “There was one thing we knew. Jordel would want us to compete so less than six days before the competition, we girded our loins. We got strong, swallowed the bitter pill and headed to Miami – and we brought back gold,” Mrs.Gumbs-Samuel said to the applause of her listeners. “We brought it back in Jordel’s memory [and] we are going to do so again.
“At this point, I would like to present a special award to Jordel’s mother. This woman is a tower of strength. She has never let us forget her son’s strength. We cannot forget him. He was the pillar of the culinary team.”
The plaque was presented to Ms. Gumbs by Glendon Carty, a chef at Ripples Restaurant and Cap Juluca who was voted Caribbean Chef of the Year 2009 at the Taste of the Caribbean Culinary Competition.
The second presentation was made to Ron Webster, a onetime Bar of the Year winner. He was awarded for his continuing support for the culinary team.
The Sous Chef at Viceroy, Jason Brian, joined the AHTA’s Executive Director in expressing thanks to all persons for their support, and wished the culinary team every success in the culinary competition next month.
