Taste of Vincy Competition Offers More Than EC$30,000 in Prizes 

By S.Browne. Updated 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

More than EC$30,000 in cash and prizes will be up for grabs as the St Vincent and the Grenadines Hotel and Tourism Association (SVGHTA) revives its Taste of Vincy culinary and beverage competition, with winners also getting the chance to represent the country at the regional level.

The competition was launched on Saturday, August 15, at Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and is designed to showcase Vincentian chefs, cooks, bartenders and mixologists while strengthening professional standards across the hospitality sector.

Registration for Taste of Vincy 2026 closes on August 29, 2026. Chefs, cooks, bartenders and mixologists interested in participating can register here: https://forms.gle/66pPprJZYL9gnAim8.

The initiative, first introduced in 2006, will feature two competition streams, “Hot Out the Kitchen” for culinary professionals and “Shake It UpVincy” for bartenders and mixologists.

The competition is scheduled to commence on August 29, 2026.

SVGHTA President Isola Giddings said the competition is intended to encourage greater use of local ingredients while giving hospitality professionals an opportunity to sharpen their skills.

“Let us continue to incorporate our local produce in our dishes and beverages, develop our talents, elevate our standards, and show the world what we can do,” Giddings said.

The culinary competition will use a mystery basket format, with participants required to produce four plates within two hours. Three plates will be judged and one will be for presentation.

Competitors will be assessed on creativity, technical execution, ingredient use, cost effectiveness, presentation and taste, with categories for senior chefs, junior chefs and pastry chefs.

The winning culinary team will receive further training and mentorship before representing St Vincent and the Grenadines at Taste of the Caribbean in Barbados.

The beverage competition will challenge individual bartenders and mixologists through a series of timed rounds, including an Island Signature Creation, Creative Expression and a final Mystery Basket Challenge.

Participants will be judged on taste and balance, creativity, technique, appearance, use of local ingredients, storytelling, speed and hygiene.

Taste and balance will carry the highest individual weighting in the 100 point judging system.

The beverage competition places particular emphasis on local character and ingredients, with organisers stressing that a drink should not simply decorate the glass but should also carry the story of the destination.

Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is also supporting the initiative through technical mentorship. Executive Chef Delroy Haye will lead the culinary development component, while Bars Manager Dario Browne will oversee the beverage element.

Tamon Allen, an SVGHTA director and General Manager of Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, described the competition as an investment in the people responsible for delivering the destination’s tourism experience.

Allen said the initiative would help strengthen service quality, expose participants to industry best practices and contribute to the professional development of food and beverage workers.

The prize package includes EC$2,500 for each of the four first place winners, creating a first place pool of EC$10,000.

Second place prizes total EC$4,000, while third place prizes total EC$2,000. Additional prizes include eight Sandals day passes, with each segment winner receiving passes for two people.

SVGHTA said the overall cash and prizes package is valued at more than EC$30,000.

Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development Dr Kishore Shallow welcomed the initiative, saying it gives local creatives opportunities to showcase their abilities and gain greater exposure.

He said programmes such as Taste of Vincy could help position local products for greater exposure “not only nationally, but also regionally and internationally”.

The competition is intended to provide hospitality professionals with an opportunity to test their skills, receive training and mentorship, gain national exposure and potentially represent St Vincent and the Grenadines on the regional stage.

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