July 3, 2011
Annual Barbados Food, Wine, and Rum Festival to Feature Colicchio and Samuelsson
Robert Doyle READ TIME: 3 MIN.
NEW YORK, NY - In partnership with the Travel + Leisure, FOOD & WINE, Departures and Executive Travel brands, the Barbados Tourism Authority announced November 18-21, 2011 as the dates for the second annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival.
The four-day epicurean festival will feature, for the second year running, culinary masters Tom Colicchio, Marcus Samuelsson and Ming Tsai who will travel to the island of Barbados to provide first-hand cooking demonstrations for visitors and locals alike. Full festival details including ticket purchasing information and travel packages to be announced in early July. For more information visit www.foodwinerum.com
Deemed the culinary capital of the Caribbean, Barbados provides an ideal epicurean landscape for the coveted Food & Wine festival which will be hosted by Travel + Leisure's Features Director & Special Correspondent Nilou Motamed.
In addition, celebrity chef and head judge on Bravo's hit reality cooking series "Top Chef" Tom Colicchio will be joined by culinary superstars Marcus Samuelsson and Ming Tsai, as well as Barbadian culinary sensation, "The Rhum Chef" Paul Yellin, and FOOD & WINE wine expert Anthony Giglio to bring their collective expertise to the masses through chef demonstrations, tasting events and interactive sessions.
The second annual festival has developed into an international culinary blowout with legendary guest chefs hailing from around the world including Mark McEwan and Tom Brodi of Canada, Bruno Loubet from the United Kingdom and Brazilian chef Vitor Gomes.
"The Barbados Tourism Authority is thrilled to announce the line up for the second annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival in partnership with American Express Publishing," said David M. Rice, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Tourism Authority. "Building off the success of last year's inaugural festival, the Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival has proven itself as one of the major world culinary festivals bringing the finest international culinary talent to our beautiful island to celebrate the very best in food, wine and rum."
The eastern-most of the Caribbean islands, Barbados offers varying landscapes from serene Caribbean waters and coral beaches for sunbathers and swimmers to an Atlantic coastline ideal for surfers and sailors. A truly authentic Caribbean destination, mixing European sophistication and culture with nature and heritage sites, culinary excellence, and romance, offering small and affordable guest houses, luxurious villas, all-inclusive resorts, family-friendly hotels, and boutique escapes - there is definitely something for everyone in Barbados.
The island of Barbados offers the most authentic Caribbean experience with its exceptionally rich culture and history rooted in remarkable landscapes. Rated as one of the world's sexiest beaches in 2008 by Concierge.com; Barbados' Crane Beach in St. Philip stands as a premier destination for travelers.
Barbados is also the first Zagat-rated Caribbean island with numerous internationally renowned chefs who masterfully put signature spins on local delicacies and traditions. Barbados is an ideal stage for world-class events and in collaboration with American Express Publishing Corporation, Barbados has hosted its first annual Barbados Food & Wine and Rum Festival in November 2010.
The country has also hosted numerous athletic championships, including the 2006 PGA World Golf Championships-Barbados World Cup, the ICC Cricket World Cup Finals in 2007, the Sentebale Charity Polo match with Prince Harry of Wales in 2010, and the ICC Twenty20 Cricket Finals for 2010. Accommodations range from picturesque plantation houses and villas, to quaint bed and breakfasts and award-winning, five-star resorts.
Grantley Adams International Airport offers even more non-stop and direct service from a growing number of U.S. cities via Jet Blue, American Airlines and US Airways, making Barbados the true gateway to the Eastern Caribbean. Barbados was voted eighth in the World by Trip Advisor's '2008 Travelers Choice Destination Awards' in its Top 100 Destinations category.
Follow the Barbados beat and catch up on the latest news via the Barbados Facebook page at www.tinyurl.com/VisitBarbados
For more information on travel to Barbados, visit www.visitbarbados.org
Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.
