Almost 40 restaurants, caterers and beverage distributors gathered on Queen Cross Street Thursday night for the 19th annual A Taste of St. Croix. Eight judges visited the vendors, sampled their wares and then voted for their favorites.
The judges were St. Croix native Jamal Lake of the Food Network; Mathayom Vacharat, St. John restaurateur, food blogger Yvette Ali; Jessica Cuyler, host of Best Bites; Viya vice president Jennifer Matarangas – King; Troy Millington with 30 years of food and beverage experience; Norman Edwards Jr., treasurer for the Agriculture and Food Fair; and, Arthur Petersen, assistant commissioner of the Department of Agriculture.
Sara James, Imani Heath, Lizbeth Carrasquillo, and Tiffany Rose celebrate their friendship and enjoy the food and beverages. (Susan Ellis photo)
Traditionally, a Taste of St. Croix is anticipated each spring by food lovers who look forward to flocking to the Divi Carina Bay Hotel for food, drinks, music and friends.
This year, the movable feast focuses on women in the culinary world.
In 2018, after storms damaged it’s original location at the beachfront Divi Resort, the event moved to downtown Christiansted. Taste of St. Croix has donated more than $350,000 to community programs and local organizations since its inception. The organization has supported the USVI Culinary Team’s participation in Caribbean Hotel Association’s annual Taste of the Caribbean competition and has supported other non-profit organizations, including the St. Croix Foundation. For more information visit www.tasteofstcroix.com.
This years winners were:
Soup and Stew
1 – Dashi
2 – Kallaloo Man
3 – Eat @ Cane Bay
Local Fare
1 – Braata
2 – DDE Cuisine
3 – Sorbetiere
Appetizer
1 – The Fred
2 – Cloud 9 Ultra Lounge
3 – Sugar Apple B&B
Vegetarian
1 – The Sweet Fairy
2 – Ridge to Reef Farm
3 – Sugar Apple B&B
Beverage
1 – Lucian Lemonade
2 – Just Desserts
3 – The Sweet Fairy
Dessert
1 – Just Desserts
2 – Sorbetiere
3 – Caravelle Market (tie)
3 – Ama at Cane Bay (tie)
3 – In the Mix (tie)