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By Robert Andre Emmanuel
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Antigua and Barbuda has been officially nominated by the World Culinary Awards organization as the Caribbean’s best emerging culinary destination, Minister of Tourism Charles Fernandez announced.
The tourism minister made the revelation at the finale event marking the conclusion of the nation’s inaugural Culinary Month—the expansion of Restaurant Week—which ran throughout the month of May.
The minister credited the success of Culinary Month to the collaborative efforts between the tourism authority, visiting chefs, local restaurants, and various sponsors including ACB Caribbean, Red Stripe, and LIAT 2020.
“I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the members at the Tourism Authority who really spearheading this initiative,” Minister Fernandez said. “They [the chefs] have really done a great job bringing the taste of the Caribbean to us.”
Fernandez added, “This nomination is very important. It shows how far we have come and we’re going to intend to go even further.”
At the final event, Celebrity chefs Shorne Benjamin and Susanne Barr presented featured dishes such as Chicken Paella with English Peas and Spicy Mayo and Grilled Peppa Shrimp topped with Caviar and Scotch respectively during the finale event.
Executive Chef Amelin Raj from Salt Plage Restaurant also delivered a Salt Baked Whole Local Fish which was served with spiced breadfruit and grilled country carrots.
The meals, which were cooked live for attendees, capped off the month-long event, which has grown since its launch in 2023, evolving from a smaller annual culinary series to one now featuring 11 visiting chefs and participation from over 60 restaurants.
Culinary Month’s lead organizer Shermain Jeremy acknowledged the journey from initial discussions in New York in 2019 to achieving this international recognition.
Speaking on the nomination, Jeremy remarked that “I want to thank everyone, all the restaurants for participating because this programme wouldn’t be possible without their participation.”
“Let’s continue to work together to uplift our culinary culture and keep this momentum going into 2026 and beyond,” she added.
Antigua and Barbuda is competing against Barbados, St Lucia, St Barts and Anguilla for the prestigious award.
In addition to the national nomination, four local restaurants have been nominated for Antigua’s Best Hotel Restaurant 2025: East at Carlisle Bay Resort, Mario’s at Sandals Grande Antigua, Piccolo Mondo at the St James’s Club Antigua and The Palm Restaurant at Blue Waters Resort and Spa.
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