June 19, 2007 — Competing against 12 other regional teams, the V.I. Culinary Team used its mystery basket of ingredients to creatively present an appetizer, entree and dessert, receiving multiple honors at the annual Taste of the Caribbean Competition.
For the second consecutive year, bartender Steve Potter won the most creative vodka drink for his Tingtini creation at the event, sponsored by the Caribbean Hotel Association, according to a news release from the V.I. Hotel and Tourism Association.
The drink includes Ting, ginger simple syrup, fresh lemon juice and vodka infused with pineapple and cilantro. “It feels great to win this award again with a completely different kind of drink,” said Potter, who bar tends at Yacht Haven’s Grand Cru restaurant. Last year’s winner was a white chocolate espresso martini.
Pastry chef Dennis Gribben of the Cultured Pelican on St. Croix received the award for most creative use of Angostura bitters in his dessert of creme brule with mango gelee and ginger beer with ginger-beer foam. This is also the second consecutive win in this category. Chef Leslie Gumbs’ Angostura tomato jam won this award last year.
“It’s evident that our team has great camaraderie and endless creative talent, said Rik Blyth, president of the Hotel and Tourism Association. "We are extremely proud of the team’s success and thank all of our sponsors for supporting this quest.”
The team also received a silver medal at the competition. This year’s menu included snapper ceviche sweet to sour on yucca chips, a duo of sweet potato and plantain mash with spice rubbed tri-tip of beef, red Thai curry sauce, basil oil and cucumber fennel salad. In addition to Potter and Gribbin, the winning team includes team manager Gumbs of Theo’s Personal Catering on St. Thomas; Duane Caines of the Ritz Carlton St. Thomas; Rodney Rightenburg, formerly of Caneel Bay St. John; and Brian Wisbauer of Salud Bistro on St. Croix. Students Kerish Robles of Charlotte Amalie High School and Jamal Miranda of the St. Croix Educational Complex shadowed this year’s team.
“We are gradually raising the bar and taking pointers from the seasoned teams," Gumbs said. "The chemistry of this year’s team was great. We’ve achieved the taste and now we need to work on adding texture, height and dimension to our dishes.”
This year’s sponsors included American Airlines, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort, Caneel Bay Resort, Coral World, the Department of Tourism, the Hotel and Tourism Association, Quality Foods, the Ritz Carlton and the West Indian Company Limited.
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