Chef Ronald Wilson and Chef Jean-Pierre Tuitt to Represent Antigua and Barbuda at Nevis Mango Festival

Antigua and Barbuda, July 3, 2024: The Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association is thrilled to announce that two of its culinary elite will be competing this weekend at the 10th annual Nevis Mango Festival. At the invitation of the Nevis Tourism Authority and in partnership with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, the team competing this weekend includes:

  • Chef Ronald Wilson, who will lead the team as Head Chef. Chef Wilson was named Chef of the Year 2023 at the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Awards Gala and is the Chef de Cuisine/Head Chef at Blue Waters Resort & Spa.

  • Chef Jean-Pierre Tuitt, who will function as Sous Chef for the competition. Chef Tuitt earned the distinction of Young Chef of the Year 2023 at the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Awards Gala and is the Junior Sous Chef at Jumby Bay Island.

Chef Olvanah Richardson-Burnette, Executive Sous Chef at Blue Waters Resort & Spa, will serve as the team’s Manager and has been preparing the chefs for the competition over the past three weeks alongside Jesse Thomas, The Director of Agri-Tourism in the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment.

The Nevis Mango Festival is a vibrant celebration of the island’s most beloved fruit, the mango. Celebrating 10 years, this event invites attendees to indulge in the sweet and juicy flavors of Nevis mangoes. From July 4th to 7th, 2024, immerse yourself in a variety of events that showcase all things mango, from tantalizing mango tastings to thrilling culinary and mixologist competitions. Talented chefs will showcase their creativity by infusing mangoes into every dish and cocktail, offering a unique experience that celebrates the versatility of mangoes.

Craig Marshall, Chairman of the Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association, remarked, “The current mission of the ABHTA is to ensure that we are supporting the development of the culinary arts here in Antigua and Barbuda. We are pleased with the support being offered by the Nevis Tourism Authority to have our chefs compete and with the continued partnership with the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority in seeing the growth of our sector and supporting initiatives like these. We wish our team the absolute best as they compete to represent Antigua and Barbuda.”

Colin James, CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, expressed his excitement about the competition, stating, “We are always excited to showcase Antigua and Barbuda, and what better way than through the culinary arts. We love mangoes, and they are a part of our culture and way of life. I am looking forward to seeing the delicacies that our competing chefs will produce, and we wish them the best of luck as they represent our twin islands.”

Chefs Wilson and Tuitt will be competing in a culinary showcase on Sunday, July 7, where mango will be the star ingredient in a two-round competition. The opening round of the competition is a plant-based round where, in 30 minutes, the team must prepare a dish with mango as the main ingredient, featuring plantain, avocado, and beet in their creation. In the second round, the team will compete in a mystery basket round where they will have 45 minutes to prepare a dish, with mango being the star ingredient.

Team Antigua & Barbuda will compete head-to-head with Team Nevis in this culinary event.

Antiguans and Barbudans can follow the chefs’ competition on the digital platforms for the Antigua & Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association @antiguahotels (Facebook and Instagram) and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority @antiguaandbarbudatourismlive (Facebook) and @abta_live (Instagram).