2ND CULINARY EVENT OF 2012
St. George -- The second of the GHTA's fund raising/training 'Gourmet Evenings' took place at Grenada's newest wine bar 'Yolo' at the Port Louis Marine, last Sunday. Netherlands Insurance, always a keen supporter of the GHTA's culinary events, was the titled sponsor of the evening.
AT 3 pm, the chefs, pastry chefs, student chefs, and bartenders, gathered to begin the evening's proceedings. The chefs were handed a mystery basket containing locally produced food items, along with two proteins, from which to put together a three course dinner to be plated and ready to be served by 8 pm. Thirty minutes later they handed their menus over and began to turn everyday ingredients into a mouth watering three course meal.
At 7 pm guests began arriving for the cocktail hour; they were greeted by the sight of the chefs cooking in the open air before them and wonderful aromas emitting from their pots and pans.
Cristel Richardson bartender of Spice Island Beach Resort impressed the diners with three superb cocktails, one vodka based, one rum based and one non-alcoholic. The bartender is an important member of the team at the Taste of the on the Caribbean Competition, for which the chefs and bartenders were training, as all scores are added together for the overall result.
At 8 pm the chefs, Mervin Browne of Spice Island Beach Resort, Desmond Lewis and Dwight Frank of Flamboyant Hotel & Villas, Dwight Ackee of the St. George's University Club, Dominic Charles of Victory & Grill, Ingram Moses of Coyaba Garden Beach Resort, and TAMCC student Kenisha Williams, all ably managed by Randy Daysant, Executive Chef at the Victory Bar, unveiled their creations of an appetizer of Rum Cured King Fish with a Tomato Mint Salad, Golden Apple Shot and Beet Root Foam OR Nutmeg Glazed King Fish with Sweet Potato Gnocchi and Roasted Tomato Compote.
An Entrée of Confit Chicken Legs, Breadfruit Galette, Ribbon Vegetables, Seared Pumpkin served with Red Wine and Chocolate Jus OR Coconut Crusted Chicken Breast, Plantain Ravioli, Turmeric Christophene, Ribbon Vegetables served with a Guava Jus.
Pastry chefs Lucian Walters of True Blue Bay Resort, and Bernard Gilbert of the Flamboyant Hotel & Villas, surpassed expectation by producing a choice of Bavarian Coconut Mousse or Chocolate Avocado and Mango Layer and Avocado Cheesecake.
On the whole, the guest showed great appreciation for the dishes presented to them and entered into the spirit of the evening by completing critique sheets giving their opinion of the taste and presentation of each. Executive chefs Mark Banthorpe, consultant at various restaurants, Gary Birkett of True Blue Bay Resort, and Dylan -- Executive Chef off mega yacht Stop the Press berthed at Port Louis, were on hand for the entire afternoon to judge all aspects of the evening, from the preparation of the menus and dishes, to the management of the work spaces, and the important presentation and taste of the dishes. They all agreed that the chefs are already gaining in confidence and working well as part of a new team and turned out well thought out creative dishes.
The GHTA thanks its titled sponsor of the evening, Netherland Insurance Grenada, along with sponsor of the fish, Spice Isle Fish House, and wine sponsor South African Wines. Thanks were also extended to the TAMCC students and the staff of the Yolo Wine Bar and Victory Bar Restaurant who gave their time to assist with the serving of food and drinks. Special thanks also went to Peter Rodd of the Flamboyant Hotel & Villas for his excellent support in the form of supervising the waiting staff and students.
The GHTA offered thanks to the owner and management of the Yolo Wine Bar for allowing their facilities to be used for the evening – it is a well appointed bar in a great setting staffed by experienced and friendly bartenders.
The next GHTA Gourmet Evening will take place on Sunday, September 2nd, 2012 at a venue to be decided. Persons interested in attending may purchase tickets by contacting the GHTA office on 444-1353.
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