Barbados Takes Home 1st Place at DC Embassy Chef Challenge

Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) took home top honors last night winning 1st place for the People’s Choice Award during the DC Embassy Chef Challenge held at Union Station in Washington D.C. on Thursday, March 7. This marks the third time that Barbados has been a winner in the competition.

Representing Barbados were Chefs Damian Leach of Cocktail Kitchen and Ann-Marie Leach, a vegan chef and wellness coach at Yummy Mummies, along with Dameain Williams, one of the island’s leading mixologists. The Embassy Chef Challenge is a distinguished international culinary competition where embassy chefs from across the globe come together for one night to showcase their country’s cuisine and cooking techniques in a friendly and flavorful showdown.

“We remain proud of our island’s incredible culinary talent.”

Tenisha Holder, Senior Business Development Officer with BTMI USA, who accompanied the group, leading the destination marketing efforts, added: “Our talented chefs and mixologist did an excellent job highlighting all the elements that make Barbados such a special place and reinforcing why we are the culinary capital of the Caribbean. We share this win with Barbadians everywhere, whose talent and passion for food and drink shines through at the annual Barbados Food and Rum Festival. Mark your calendars for October 24th to 27th for the 2024 festival, celebrating our island’s outstanding culinary scene.

The Embassy Chef Challenge lends itself well to cultivating partnerships and enhancing connections for the BTMI team, especially within the culinary and hospitality communities where a foundation for future collaborations and partnerships is rooted. The event also provides a platform to showcase Bajan food and drink, especially rum-based drinks, which Barbados serves as the birthplace of this centuries-old spirit. Taking part in the Embassy Chef Challenge and other similar food-focused events helps to solidify the island as a top destination for culinary travel.

Strategically, BTMI has focused its efforts on the DMV area, making it one of its key target markets for attracting visitors. The BTMI team travels to the U.S. capital city and surrounding areas throughout the year to host media events, meet with tour operators, and promote Bajan culture through various initiatives and events, such as the DC Embassy Chef Challenge resulting in continued airlift and visitation out of this market.

“The DMV is an important market for us,” added Holder. “We are continuing to forge relationships with air carriers and tour operators to ensure travel to Barbados is as effortless as possible.”

United Airlines offers a year-round, non-stop weekly flight from Dulles Airport with several other carriers providing service to the island with short layovers at Charlotte, North Carolina, and Miami.

For more information about travel to Barbados go to visitbarbados.org.