Bahamas News

BAHAMAS: Junior chefs infuse locally grown ingredients in dishes to impress judges

Published

5 years ago

March 22, 2019

#Nassau, March 22, 2019 – Bahamas – Junior chefs from around the country, participating in the 2019 Bahamas Young Chef Culinary Competition, wooed the judges with their interesting creations.

The five chefs, local and international, who judged the competition gave intense constructive critique, and agreed the recipes and colourful presentations of the eleven junior high school students represented the theme, ‘Creatively Embracing Indigenous Foods Through Innovation for Sustainable Development.’

Kicking Beef Rice Kabob (donkey meat), Creamy Papaya Coconut Soup, Mahatma Jasmine Seafood Fried Rice, Crusted Island Grown Vegetable Rice on Watermelon Salsa, Mini Rosemary Trifle, Arawak Cay Pigeon Peas n Rice, Honey Conch and Cassava Pie, Mini Tropical Rice Cheesecake with Coco Plum Topping, Onion Thyme Infused Waffles n Fried Grouper, Tamarind Syrup and Pineapple Salsa were just some of the myriad dishes the students prepared for the competition now in its 27^th year.

“Overall, you achieved the goal of infusion,” said Chef Edwin Johnson, Executive Chef and General Manager, Sapodilla Fine Dining. He explained to them: “The infusion theme – some of you missed the finesse and finishing of product because you focused so much on ‘fusion’ which is good – taking the local indigenous stuff from the various islands and fusing!”

Chef Gus Griffith, Culinary Classroom Presenter, Johnson and Wales University, said he was impressed and commended the students on a job well done. He encouraged them to show pride, not just with plating presentations but also by selling their dishes — “The critique across the board is ‘show us your pride.’ All that work that you do for those dishes — show us as if you’re recommending [to] a customer.”

The students impressed Chef Jeremy Haughton, Department Chair and Senior Chef Instructor, Johnson and Wales University, with the flavour profiles they showcased in their recipes. He noted, for example, “People used vinegar, it’s not just sweet. You balanced it on a plate, which is very hard to teach some students…. It’s not just to look pretty.” And he encouraged tasting before submission for critique, sampling before presenting to the judges: “Did you take your dish and try the rice before you put it on the plate? If you didn’t, then maybe we would have told you a pinch more salt, little more sugar in that whipped cream. Give it a little taste before you put it on a plate, and make sure everything is the way you want it.”

Chef Debbie Wheeler, Test Kitchen Manager, Mahatma Rice/Riviana Foods Inc., mirrored all of the comments and recommendations of the other judges. She was pleased with the variety of rice used this year, the overall flavor infusion, the many wonderful dishes – sweet and savoury, and the pigeon peas used in a dessert recipe too.

Chef Johnson, as one of the top in his profession in The Bahamas, advised the young students that the job of a chef is very rewarding, if indeed there is a passion for it.

This year’s participants were Ciara Kessaint – Patrick J. Bethel High School, Abaco; Lynique Saunders – Mangrove Cay High School, Andros; Kristen Ingraham, Preston H. Albury High School, Eleuthera; Johnathan Brown, L.N. Coakley High School, Exuma; Sarah Braynen, East End Junior High School, Grand Bahama; Sierra Turnquest, N.G.M. Major High School, Long Island; Romyah Ingraham, Inagua All Age School, Inagua; D’Asia King, San Salvador High School, San Salvador; Gabrielle Ferguson, Old Bight High School, Cat Island; Anyah Coke, A. F. Adderley High School and Kendra Estil, D.W. Davis Jr. High School.

Emerging 2019 winners were: Kristen Ingraham, winner; Kendra Estil, 2^nd; Sierra Turnquest, 3^rd and Sarah Braynen, 4^th.

The contest is organized by the Department of Education in collaboration with participating sponsors, J.M. Smucker Company and Riviana Foods, Inc., sponsors of Mahatma Rice and Robin Hood Flour.

The aim of the competition is to showcase the knowledge and craftsmanship of Family & Consumer Science Education students throughout the country, to expose students to innovative methods of food preparation & presentation by chefs in the tourism and hospitality industry, and to assist students in obtaining scholarships funding toward higher education at technical schools or universities.

During the competition event, coaches received praise for their dedication.

By Kathryn Campbell

Release: BIS

Photo Captions: Scenes from the 27^th Bahamas Young Chef Junior High School Culinary Competition at A.F. Adderley High School. The Hon. Peter Turnquest, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, gave the students a surprise visit during the competition, and is pictured chatting with the young chefs and judges.

(BIS Photos/Raymond A. Bethel, Sr.)

Bahamas News

Sister Province/Island Relationship Agreement Signed between Grand Bahama Island and Hunan Province

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

By LLONELLA GILBERT
Bahamas Information Services

NASSAU, The Bahamas — A significant milestone was made in the development of bilateral relations between the Governments of The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China by the signing of the Sister Province/Island Relationship Agreement between Grand Bahama Island and Hunan Province.

The signing took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. The Hon. Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama; the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness; Kingsley Smith, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama and Joel Lewis, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama represented The Bahamas at the signing.

His Excellency Mao Weiming, Governor of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; Qu Hai, Secretary General of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; Cui Wei, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; and Yang Peiran, Interpreter represented the People’s Republic of China.

Minister Moxey explained that in February 2022, she and the former Chinese Ambassador to The Bahamas, Her Excellency Dai Qingli began discussion on the establishment of a province-island relationship between Hunan Province and Grand Bahama Island because of their “immense synergy”.

“Hunan has a vibrant creative industry and its capital city, Changsha is known as the entertainment capital of China, whilst Grand Bahama is poised to become the home of entertainment in ‘Our Bluepoint for Change’.”

She said Hunan Province boasts 11 industrial sectors and Grand Bahama is the industrial capital of The Bahamas. Further, innovation driven development has been a new driving force for Hunan, while Grand Bahama is poised to become the home of innovation for The Bahamas.

Minister Moxey said she is confident that an exchange of knowledge, ideas and culture will happen between the residents of Hunan Province and Grand Bahama.

“There is potential for robust trade in various sectors, opportunities for tourism promotion and intercultural appreciation, exchanges to support performing arts programs on our island, foster growth within the Orange Economy, and tap into China’s innovation, technology and vast expertise.”

She said that the formal signing aligns with the mission of Sister Cities International, which is to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation, one community at a time.

The Minister said, “Through collaborative programs and initiatives, this connection will support the government’s vision to diversity Grand Bahama’s economy to become the Home of Maritime and Logistics, Home of Events and Entertainment and Home of Innovation.”

She noted that in addition to signing the agreement, she looks forward to Grand Bahama residents benefitting from the signing of the Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding between Central South University and University of The Bahamas (UB), which will expand educational and technical cooperation between the two universities. The northern campus of UB is located in Grand Bahama.

His Excellency Mao Weiming said although geographically far apart, China and The Bahamas are friends with mutual respect and understanding as well as sincerity.

He explained that 27 years ago, both countries established diplomatic relations and China and The Bahamas have deepened their cooperation, strengthened their friendship and carried out many activities in the field of economy, trade and people-to-people exchange.

His Excellency recalled that in August 2022, he and Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis had a video conference where they both reached a consensus to cooperate in order to usher a new chapter in the relationship between Hunan and The Bahamas.

“Today, we are here to sign a sister-to-sister relationship between Hunan and Grand Bahama. It is [a] concrete move to implement our consensus reached before and also to embark on a new journey of friendly exchanges.”

He added, “By establishing the relationship of sister cities, I believe the two sides will develop further in terms of economic and trade cooperation, people to people exchange, as well as friendship, and we will embrace new opportunities and deliver concrete benefits for the two peoples.”

He explained that Hunan, which is the home town of Chairman Mao, the founder of the People’s Republic of China, has developed very advanced industries of manufacturing, agriculture, education, culture as well as tourism.

His Excellency said he believes that Hunan and Grand Bahama enjoy very broad room for cooperation.

He said, “More efforts should be made to conduct cooperation in the fields of agriculture, tourism, culture, education and the film industry so as to realize a connectivity between our two sides in terms of logistics and the platform cooperation; so as to deliver concrete benefits for the people and to make our due contribution to the bilateral relationship between China and The Bahamas.”

PHOTO CAPTION

A significant milestone was made in the development of bilateral relations between the Governments of The Bahamas and the People’s Republic of China by the signing of the Sister Province/Island Relationship Agreement between Grand Bahama Island and Hunan Province. The signing took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. Shown from left: Qu Hai, Secretary General of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; Cui Wei, Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; Yang Peiran, Interpreter H.E. Mao Weiming, Governor of Hunan Provincial People’s Government; the Hon. Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama; the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville, Minister of Health and Wellness; Kingsley Smith, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama and Joel Lewis, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama.

(BIS Photos/Anthon Thompson)

Bahamas News

Nassau Cruise Port Donates Nearly $2 Million Towards Food Security

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Deandrea Hamilton

Nassau, Bahamas: The Nassau Cruise Port has donated $1.95 million towards projects that will assist the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in its aim to increase food security for The Bahamas.

The donation officially occurred at the Ministry’s offices recently, where Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources Hon. Jomo Campbell, Minister of Labour Hon. Pia Glover-Rolle, Permanent Secretary Neil Campbell and Nassau Cruise Port CEO Mike Maura listened to a number of presentations including one for a poultry programme for schools, a chicken broiler production programme, the redevelopment of the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market and an Authentic Bahamian Cultural Concept Store,

Mr. Maura said he was impressed by the presentations.

“I had the privilege to listen to the presentations and review presentations that touched on food security and the need for us to be self-sufficient, which as a Bahamian I support completely. At the Nassau Cruise Port, we get excited about the prospects of offering more authentic food to the millions of visitors that we have each year,” he said.

“And then, in addition to that, we had presentations around the further development of our artisans, which is so important to us as well. The guests visiting our shores are looking for something that really touches The Bahamas and can’t be found somewhere else. The Nassau Cruise Port has made a pledge to BAIC and its affiliates. We will be supporting the projects that were presented and we can’t wait to get started.”

Minister Glover-Rolle, who is also the Member of Parliament for Golden Gates, hailed Nassau Cruise Port as a “great community partner.”

“Thank you for the opportunity to not only present but agreeing to participate. Our Minister of Agriculture has a goal of reducing food imports by 25 percent by the year 2025 and our project in the Golden Gates Community speaks to that,” she said.

“We have a number of backyard farmers, farmers and fishers in our community in Golden Gates. Being able to use the Blue Hill Road Farmers Market, which is going to be dubbed the ‘Fish Fry of the South,’ as a hub for food security but also a hub where artisans and handicraft persons can come and sell their wares is wonderful. So, we are happy that you have agreed to partner with us and we look forward to a partnership and we hope to welcome some of your visitors when this amazing renovation is done.”

Minister Campbell also lauded the Nassau Cruise Port for its efforts.

“I would like to say thank you to the presenters for the presentations that are several steps in the right direction for our country, to Mr. Maura and his board at the Nassau Cruise Port and I would like to say thanks to God for this partnership and bringing us all together as we move forward, upward, together in building a better, brighter, future for The Bahamas,” he said.

Bahamas News

Royal Caribbean Club in The Bahamas started after delays

Published

22 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

#TheBahamas#RoyalCaribbean, April 23, 2024- After being delayed following its announcement in 2020, Royal Caribbean’s new 17 acre Royal Beach Club on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas, is now in the works and is scheduled to be ready for 2025, according to reports. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Monday April 22, signifying the start of construction in the next few months. This project is huge for The Bahamas as it’s a first of kind for the nation, with a unique public private partnership allowing Bahamians to hold up to 49 percent in equity.