News
7th Annual Food and Wine Festival Still on!
#TurksandCaicos, October 20, 2017 – Providenciales – Grace Bay Resorts, in partnership with the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board and The Wine Cellar, today announced the 7th Annual Caribbean Food & Wine Festival will take place as scheduled in Providenciales from November 2-4, 2017 after Hurricanes Irma and Maria impacted the island. The three-day festival is the Caribbean’s leading culinary event, pairing internationally renowned chefs and winemakers with Turks & Caicos’ diverse local talent for an authentic and avant-garde celebration of Caribbean cuisine.
This year’s headliners include:
- Tiffany Derry– Founder of Tiffany Derry Concepts (TDC) and cast member on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” and Spike TV’s “Hungry Investors.”
- Victor Yu– Executive Chef and joint owner at Yu Alderley Edge, known for infusing ingredients and spices from the Far East.
- Meherwan Irani– Executive Chef and co-owner of Chai Pani Restaurant Group, famous for his authentic Indian street food in Asheville, Georgia.
- Greg Stach– Winemaker at Landmark Vineyards, renowned for crafting elegant, world-class vintages.
- Tuck Beckstoffer– President of Tuck Beckstoffer Wines and pioneer of the Napa Valley grape growing industry, known for his highest rated Sonoma Coast wines.
- Neil Collins– Executive Winemaker and Vineyard Manager at Tablas Creek Vineyard. Voted by his peers in 2013 as “San Luis Obispo County Wine Maker of the Year”
“Turks & Caicos strong is a special kind of strong, and the resilience and passion of our nation to recover from these hurricanes has left no question that the festival will continue this year,” said Nikheel Advani, Caribbean Food & Wine Festival Co-Chair. “Following six successful years, this year’s Caribbean Food & Wine Festival will continue its stellar reputation of blending the world’s best chefs and winemakers together with our local community for a one-of-a-kind taste of local culture with inspiration from the latest global gastronomic trends. We’re still cooking!”
The not-for-profit festival, which has consistently sold out year after year, will this year raise funds for Turks & Caicos educational institutions damaged by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria with grants for rebuilding efforts. When possible, the grants will continue the festival’s legacy of supporting and encouraging young local chefs to develop skills that will assist them in pursuing careers in hospitality, a vital industry of Turks and Caicos.
“The Caribbean Food & Wine Festival has become both a key calendar event and a noteworthy island tradition—and this year serves as a special testament to the strength of the Turks & Caicos Islands people and government in our efforts to recover from recent Hurricanes” said Hon. Ralph Higgs, Minister of Tourism. “The festival showcases our nation’s exceptional culinary reputation with a taste of global culinary trends, and furthers the Turks & Caicos Islands place as leaders in the Caribbean food and beverage scene.”
Guest Chefs
The seventh annual event welcomes Tiffany Derry, an entrepreneur, restaurant consultant and television personality from Bravo’s Top Chef. A Texas native, Derry began her culinary career at the local International House of Pancakes, quickly working her way up to become the youngest person to hold a management position. Derry expanded her fan-base and gained international fame when she appeared on Season 7 of Bravo’s Top Chef where she achieved a place in the competition’s final four. Derry’s southern charm and culinary expertise made her a finalist on Bravo’s Top Chef. In 2011, she opened Private|Social in the heart of Uptown, Dallas, where she was named one of the best chefs in Dallas-Fort Worth. Additionally, she launched Tiffany Derry Concepts (TDC), a company established to support her business and culinary ventures, which includes television shows and partnerships with the world’s most recognized brands. Derry continues to find success on her Spike TV series, “Hungry Investors” alongside Jon Taffer and Chef John Besh.
Victor Yu is the executive chef and joint owner at Yu Alderley Edge, recognized as one the leading high-end Chinese restaurants in Aderly Edge, United Kingdom. Yu is passionate about taking Chinese cuisine to the next level, using the best ingredients to blend fine dining with both traditional and modern methods of cooking. Yu incorporates new techniques and skills he learned from his father, Charlie Yu, to create award-winning, distinctive dishes. Yu views Yu Alderley Edge as a restaurant that brings a new spirit of Chinese dining to the hospitality industry. Yu will add a nice flare to this year’s Caribbean Food & Wine Festival, bringing his Chinese heritage to the island as he continues to push the limits with cooking styles and trends.
Meherwan Irani, Executive Chef and co-owner of Chai Pani and a partner in Asheville’s hottest barbecue restaurant Buxton Hall, will also join this year’s all-star lineup. Buxton Hall, which Bon Appetit magazine lauded as “the best new BBQ joint in America,” aims to revitalize Carolina barbecue history and bring flavorful traditions to the present. Chai Pani, an authentic Indian street food operation in downtown Asheville, tells a story of spice markets, hawkers, rickshaws and streetside chefs smell, flavor, color and taste. A two-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef in the Southeast, Irani recently opened his fifth restaurant, a catering company. His self-taught talent and restaurant ventures have resulted in coverage in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, GQ, Food & Wine, Men’s Health, USA Today, and Bon Appetit, among others. He credits his business success to the people he works with each day, including his business partner and wife, Molly.
Guest Winemakers
Winemaker at Landmark Vineyards, Greg Stach is known for crafting the vineyard’s elegant, world-class vintages and creating some of the best single vineyard Pinot Noirs of the decade. For the past 10 years, Stach has brought his enthusiasm and expertise in Pinot Noir to Landmark’s winemaking team. He has helped establish Landmark’s distinguished Pinot Noir program, which is quickly gaining acclaim as one of the premier wine programs in California. His winemaking philosophy incorporates traditional winemaking techniques with a “less is more” attitude. Believing that great wine begins in the vineyard, Stach intervenes during the winemaking process to ensure consistency and quality, but relies heavily on the fruit’s intense, ripe flavors and distinct vineyard characteristics. Under his direction, Landmark’s wines have consistently earned exceptional reviews from top wine critics, including six honorable appearances on the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list. The vineyard’s wines are also a favorite of U.S. Presidents, and have been served regularly at White House functions since the Reagan administration.
Tuck Beckstoffer, President of Tuck Beckstoffer Wines, produces a dozen of Napa Valley’s most sought-after wines. Pioneers of the Napa Valley grape growing industry, the Beckstoffer family made the vineyards both their lives and their livelihood. Beckstoffer’s extensive viticultural knowledge drove a desire to learn more about the winemaking process. Studies with winemaking legends in wineries both at home and abroad only whetted his appetite to create a wine of his own. After making Tuck Beckstoffer Cabernet Sauvignon in 1997 to critical acclaim, collectors and connoisseurs asked for more. His Semper Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays are among the highest rated and most critically acclaimed Sonoma Coast wines produced today.
Born and raised in Bristol, England Neil Collins trained as a chef, he moved into winemaking with stints with John Munch at Adelaida Cellars and Ken Volk at Wild Horse. At Adelaida, Neil met Robert Haas and the Perrins of Château de Beaucastel when they were just beginning the search for Tablas Creek. Neil was so intrigued by the project that he offered his services, and spent a year working and learning at Château de Beaucastel. Before the year was finished, Neil was offered the winemaker position at Tablas Creek, and he has overseen both the organic vineyard and the winery since 1998. His philosophy is that great wines can only come from great grapes, and that the art of winemaking is founded on starting out with the very best grapes and bringing their juice through fermentation as naturally as possible.
Schedule of Events
Thursday, November 2 – Grace Bay Club
Welcome Dinner
The kick-off dinner for the weekend-long events, features exceptional creations by Chef Victor Yu and wines by Tuck Beckstoffer Wines.
Friday, November 3
Women of Wine Luncheon – Solana Restaurant
This event caters to the adage “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” by offering an extended lunch break in a relaxed environment for women who love wine with headliner Chef Tiffany Derry.
Gourmet Safari – Progressive gourmet dining experience
This interactive ‘dine around’ gives festival-goers an opportunity to discover the Island’s incredible restaurants, this year with wines by Landmark Vineyards. Now in its tenth year, the Gourmet Safari was the original event that served as a catalyst for the festival and continues to be a guest favorite today.
- Grace Bay Club – Innovative cocktails
- Coyaba – First course
- Seven Stars – Fish course
- The Regent Palms – Meat course
- Gansevoort – Dessert
Saturday, November 4
Dinner with the Stars – The Shore Club Turks & Caicos
Headlining Chef Meherwan Irani pairs his signature recipes with the Tablas Creek Vineyard wines for a lavish dinner experience, allowing guests to dine under the beautiful Long Bay stars alongside the festival’s featured stars.
For tickets and additional event information, please visit www.caribbeanfoodandwinefestivaltci.com or contact info@caribbeanfoodandwinefestivaltci.com
By Deandrea Hamilton
The Cassandra I remember never backed down from a fight.
She had an effervescent personality and was fiercely committed to her family—and that included her church and her friends. She deeply
appreciated the people God had given her, drawing on their love and support to push through circumstances no child, no teenager, should have to face.
Today, voters in a country far from where she grew up have trusted her to champion more accessible communities and better responses to people facing mental health and developmental challenges.
It speaks volumes about what happens when we believe in our children. When we refuse to set limits on who they can become, regardless of how they started. When we recognize God’s hand on their lives and support their ability to contribute and make an impact, wherever He places them.
Cassandra Toussaint is now councilwoman-elect for Ward 1 in Avon, Indiana, after defeating Republican Doug Elmore in the November 3 election. She ran as a Democrat. (youarecurrent.com)
Of Haitian heritage, she grew up in Turks and Caicos, attending Oseta Jolly, briefly Maranatha, and then TCIPS.
Her connections remain strong: friends, family and Lady Turks Gift Shop, a boutique venture she created with her best friend, Novie, from an idea they shared as teenagers.
Her family includes her father, Eliezer Toussaint, and her brother, Stoycov Toussaint, who graduated from Indiana University. Stephane Ambroise is playing basketball in Canada. Her mother, Ertha Etienne, died when Cassandra and her siblings were children.
In Turks and Caicos, her cousins Brenda, Steven, Lendcy and Sarah Cenary are, she says, successful and passionate about helping young
people and giving back to their community. Their mother, her aunt Rose Philomene Cenary, has worked in the Islands’ hotel industry for years and holds a special place in Cassandra’s heart.
“My aunt is the glue of my family,” Cassandra said, describing her love for the family and how she has always done her best to support them all.
A registered behavior technician, Toussaint says her childhood experiences inspired her to advocate for children who feel misunderstood.
Her campaign priorities included improved roads, accessible parks and facilities, and police training to better recognize and respond to autism and intellectual disabilities.
With limited money and little preparation time, she took her campaign directly to residents, knocking on doors and connecting at community events.
“Every resident deserves to be met with understanding,” she wrote.
The young woman I remember is preparing to bring that conviction into public office.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (November 6th, 2026) – The Turks and Caicos Islands welcomes Porter Airlines as it begins its service to the destination with its inaugural Toronto (YYZ) to Providenciales (PLS) route on Friday, November 6th. The airline will service the route five times weekly from the Toronto Pearson International Airport.
On December 17th, Porter will launch its Ottawa to PLS flight, a new route for the Turks and Caicos Islands. That route will be serviced twice weekly from Ottawa International Airport (YOW).
Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly said the expansion of air service from Canada reflects the growing strength of that market to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“Canada is showing strong and growing interest in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and we are pleased to see that reflected in the expansion of air service from the market. Porter Airlines’ new nonstop flights from Toronto and Ottawa strengthen our connectivity with Canada and give travellers more convenient options for reaching our islands. Canadians have always shown a genuine appreciation for the culture, heritage, natural beauty and, of course, the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Perhaps it is that shared warmth and friendliness that keeps bringing them back, and our partnership with Porter will simply make it easier for Canadians to continue showing their love for our Beautiful by Nature islands. Toronto builds on an important existing market for us, while Ottawa opens an entirely new gateway to the Turks and Caicos Islands. This increased access will make it easier for more Canadians to discover and enjoy our destination, while supporting the continued growth of this important market.”
Hon. Arlington Musgrove, minister responsible for aviation, Turks and Caicos commended his team at the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) for developing this relationship with Porter.
“The launch of Porter Airlines’ new services from Toronto and Ottawa to the Turks and Caicos Islands is another important milestone in strengthening our connectivity with the Canadian market. Canada remains an important source market for our tourism industry, and these new routes will give Canadians more choice and easier access to the warmth, beauty, and hospitality of the Turks and Caicos Islands. I
commend the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority for leading this initiative and for its continued efforts to develop air service and build strong relationships with our airline partners. I also extend our sincere appreciation to Porter Airlines for its confidence in the Turks and Caicos Islands and for choosing our destination as part of its growing network of sun destinations. We warmly welcome Porter, its passengers and crew to our shores and look forward to a successful and lasting partnership,” he said.
To celebrate and promote the new flights, Experience Turks and Caicos hosted a reception in Ottawa for travel advisors and media. Organised by VoX International, our marketing agency in Canada, the event featured remarks by Market Intelligence Manager, Sharissa Lightbourne and Chairman of the TCIAA, Dwayne Gardiner. Nikeva Ariza, Director of Corporate Affairs, Communications and Public Engagement was also in attendance.
The new flights are operated by Porter’s 132-seat Embraer E195-E2. The aircraft features a two-by-two seating configuration, meaning no middle seats for any passenger. Porter’s elevated onboard experience includes complimentary beer and wine served in glassware, premium Canadian snacks, and free, fast WiFi for every passenger.
To book your flight, visit www.flyporter.com.
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (November 4th, 2026) – The Turks and Caicos Islands recorded its highest number of stayover arrivals for the third quarter of the year, with approximately 130,000 visitors welcomed between July and September, representing a three percent increase over the same period in 2025.
Preliminary figures from Experience Turks and Caicos show that the destination recorded 514,670 stayover arrivals for the first nine months of 2026, an increase of 25,048 visitors, or five percent, compared with the same period last year. Growth was recorded in every month from January through September, underscoring the destination’s continued appeal among travellers and the sustained demand for its tourism product.
Stay Over Arrivals by Quarter (2025/2026)
September closed the quarter on a positive note, with 20,204 stayover arrivals, seven percent more than the 18,795 recorded in September 2025. The year-to-date total of 514,670 is the highest number of stayover arrivals ever recorded for the January-to-September period.
Commenting on the record stayover arrivals, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly said: “These record arrivals are an encouraging achievement for the Turks and Caicos Islands and a reflection of the continued confidence visitors have in our destination. However, I’ve always maintained that the true measure of tourism’s success cannot simply be the number of visitors arriving on our shores. It must also be measured by the opportunities we create for our people.”
“Our vision is to build a stronger, higher-value tourism industry where Turks and Caicos Islanders are not simply employees, but entrepreneurs, business owners and active participants in the economic opportunities tourism creates. This is why our recent Community Connect meetings across the sister islands were so important. We want to engage directly with our communities, understand their challenges and ensure that as our tourism industry grows, the opportunities for our people grow alongside it. Ultimately, tourism must do more than bring people to our shores. It must improve the lives of the people who call these islands home.”
Cruise arrivals reflect return to regular itineraries
Cruise passenger arrivals at the Grand Turk Cruise Port followed a different trend during the first nine months of 2026, with figures reflecting a return to more typical cruise itineraries following an unusually strong period in 2025.
Last year, cruise lines added Grand Turk to their itineraries, resulting in exceptionally high passenger volumes and cruise calls. With itineraries returning to more regular patterns this year, cruise passenger arrivals declined year over year throughout the first nine months.
The destination received 62,095 cruise passengers in September, a 22 percent decrease from the 79,341 recorded in September 2025. From January through September, total cruise passenger arrivals stood at 838,533, compared with 1,016,532 during the same period last year, representing an 18 percent decline.
Cruise Arrivals by Quarter (2025/2026)
While the cruise figures reflect a normalisation from last year’s elevated numbers, the continued growth in stayover arrivals provides a positive indicator of the destination’s performance in its overnight visitor market.
It is projected that the month-on-month increases in stayover arrivals will continue into the upcoming winter season, especially with the additional airlift expected from new and existing gateways in Canada and the US.
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