Food and Culture Festival in the Turks and Caicos Islands
Inaugural Event Promises the Best of Turks and Caicos Cuisine and Culture
It’s a massive Caribbean event but the entertainment line up includes a Canadian fire spinner and a Memphis Tennessee storyteller and musician. It’s a cooking contest featuring four chefs whose talents are well known on the islands, but who hail from as far away as India.
It’s an event celebrating the strength of diversity and the joy of unity, and it’s the first of its kind.
July 1st and 2nd mark the first annual Food and Culture Festival in the Turks and Caicos Islands, featuring a culinary competition, food vendors, musical entertainment and other cultural events. The event highlights the deep cultural roots of the islands but also showcases the other nationalities of islanders.
Event Host – Chef Nikita Skippings
“I saw the need to really gather and create a festival which would shine light on the real Turks and Caicos culture,” says event host and TCI culinary ambassador Nikita Skippings and chef and owner of Crackpot Kitchen in Regent Village in the March 2016 interview with Todeline Defralien, SUNtv News Report for the Turks & Caicos Sun, adding that the festival is “also designed and structured to advertise and promote the culture and cuisines of other ethnic groups in this country.”
Festival Cook-Off Challenge
The festival opens on July 1st with four professional island chefs competing in the Chopped Challenge Cook-Off at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex. Sous Chef Derrick Carter from Beaches, Executive Chef Charles Joseph from West Bay Club, Suresh Jaganathan from Grace Bay Club and Executive Chef Eversley Rowe from Kalooki’s will all be vying for culinary bragging rights. The chefs must prepare an appetizer, main entree and dessert. After each round one participant will be eliminated until there is a winner. Doors open at 7:00 pm. Tickets to the event are available at Crackpot Kitchen. For more information call: 649-231-3336.
Food, Culture and Performances
Saturday, July 2nd features over 35 vendors showcasing food, arts and culture and a dazzling entertainment schedule of musical performances by local and international individuals and groups. All the festivities take place at the Salt Mills Parking Complex area, about a three minute drive from Villa del Mar.
Bianca Harvey, Obrien Forbes, and David Bowen will host this mix of music genres and styles and remarkable talent. Performers include well known Turks and Caicos artists Full Force ripsaw band, DJ Shakes, We Funk Junkanoo, Keno & Kaz, Elroy & Daz, Lee & the Island Boys, Lovey Forbes, Grand Land Band, Tess the Performer, and Choice. The festival also features international reggae artist Half Pint from Jamaica, jazz, rock and blues artist Memphis Jones from Memphis Tennessee, fire spinner John Tsavalas, Ray Junior and band from the Dominican Republic, Haitian band Melody Compas, as well as a surprise Grammy Award winning international artist.
The face of Turks and Caicos Islands represents residents who come from all over the world. The Food and Culture Festival is an opportunity to enjoy the island traditions, but also to discover new flavours, expressions and sounds of other national identities.
Says former Director of Culture, David Bowen in this video titled, Where You From, “We are now multi cultural. We are now a country of different nations. This event shows unity.”
Grace Bay Beach Accommodations
For last minute deals contact Villa del Mar at 877.345.4890.
It’s a weekend of food, music, and culture in all its diversity and different colours. If you’re visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands in July, don’t miss the cuisine, the culture and the community of the first annual TCI Food and Culture Festival.
