Barbados Food and Rum Festival Returning

Credit: Barbados Tourism Marketing

(PRESS RELEASE)_MIAMI, Fla. − (July 10, 2023) − Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) today announced the return of The Barbados Food and Rum Festival for 2023 as well as its partnership with 22 local chefs and mixologists to showcase the best of Barbados’ culinary talent and cuisine. The Festival will take place October 19 - 22, 2023 under the theme ‘Feed the Future’, once again showing the company’s commitment to developing the future of young, local talent. In addition to the local chef line-up, the BTMI has also partnered with three international chefs as they continue to elevate the Festival on the world stage.
 
Culinary Talent On Display
BTMI’s Director, Public Relations and Corporate Communications, Aprille Thomas said that this year’s group of chefs and mixologists highlighted the diversity of Barbados’ culinary talent. “This October the best in Barbadian culinary talent will be on display. From award winning mixologists to vegan chefs; we look forward to wowing patrons with new things in Caribbean and international cuisine,” said Thomas.
 
2023 Chefs Announcement
This October, the chefs were challenged to create dishes using 50 percent Barbadian ingredients, rum and a mystery ingredient which they selected from the Mystery Box.​

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​International Chefs
Thomas also announced the names of this year’s international chef line-up. “We welcome the opportunity to once again partner with Food Network’s Chef Anne Burrell from the US, who has been with us for multiple festivals and is a fan favourite. We have also partnered with UK MasterChef, Chef Shelina Permalloo and from Colombia Chef Juan Diego,” said Thomas.
 
She explained that the US and UK represent the largest percentage of visitors to Barbados and therefore, believed that this will be a great selling point as they marketed the Festival in these markets. In fact, the BTMI will be showcasing the Barbados Food and Rum Festival at the upcoming National Geographic Food Festival in London from July 15-17. Two Barbadian mixologists and one chef will be on display, accompanied by UK Chef for the Festival, Shelina Permalloo.
 
Furthermore, the Director explained that the partnership with Chef Juan Diego was integral as the BTMI continued to focus on further establishing Barbados’ presence in the Latin American market, which is considered a new and emerging market. For the BTMI, this partnership and setting up an office in Panama will help the organisation to further solidify its presence in Latin America.   
 
Tickets for this year’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival go on sale to the public July 14, 2023, on www.foodandrum.com.
 
For more information on travel to Barbados, visit www.visitbarbados.org, follow on Instagram @visitbarbados, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/VisitBarbados, and via Twitter @Barbados.