BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER of Tourism the Hon. Lindsay F. Grant said a chef swap is being considered as part of the upcoming Restaurant Week which would not only promote culinary fusion but also help the Federation’s tourism product.
The Second Annual Restaurant Week is slated to take place from July 13 to July 24, 2016 and promises to be bigger, better and tastier than the previous year.
Although gastronomy is the Week’s main focal point, it has untapped potential in attracting tourists to our shores who appreciate a marriage of culture and cuisine.
In an effort to stimulate conversation to that end, Minister Grant indicated to SKNVibes that consideration is being given to have a renowned chef visit our shores during that week.
“We are thinking about bringing one of the renowned chefs to be here for the week. I don’t know how that is going to come off but we have begun to engage one or two persons to see if we can get a well-known chef here so that we can infuse his own culinary skills with the local talent that we have.”
The Minister further informed that a local chef – the identity of whom remains concealed – would travel to New York for a stint at one of the restaurants there.
“Also for the week, we are going to get one of our local chefs – I wouldn’t announce the person as yet because I don’t think it has been made public – who would go up to New York to one of the top restaurants in New York to do a stint with them. So this has come about part and parcel out of Restaurant Week from last year to this year. So every year we are going to try to get an individual from here, who is in that area, up to one of the top restaurants in New York.”
Grant said Restaurant Week is in its embryonic stage and while all that could be done is not yet achieved, the foundation has been laid and steps are being taken to improve on the product annually.
