Out of the Kitchen and Into the Gold!

Our Sous Chefs show their mettle – and medal – in a prestigious Cayman culinary competition

The Caymans have a well-deserved reputation as a culinary hotspot, and that reputation was very evident during the Cayman Culinary Society Culinary Awards of Excellence and Trade Show held on Grand Cayman from October 23 to 25, 2012. The Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa, renowned in our own right as a dining destination, was ably represented during the event by Executive Sous Chef Thinesh Madhavan and Junior Sous Chef Celso Ocampo. Chef Celso made us especially proud by medaling gold in the competition.

Cayman chefs competed over two days in seven categories: hot soup, cold soup, hot appetizer, cold appetizer, main course, dessert, showpiece, and bartender of the year. Entries were judged on presentation, Caribbean influence, practicality, cooking skills, balance, and taste. It was in the hot soup category that our Chef Celso earned his gold medal. The second day of the event included a trade show where many of Cayman’s best suppliers of food, wine, and kitchen gear got to show off their wares.

Chef Thinesh’s turn to shine arrived with the final event of the competition: “Out of the Kitchen,” a delicious re-visioning of the traditional awards banquet. Guests were seated in 22 groups of 14, each of which were served their own unique three-course dinner prepared on-the-spot by one of the Caymans’ leading chefs. Chef Thinesh masterfully produced a fabulous dinner for his 14 lucky diners.

This photo: Chef Thinesh at work during "Out of the Kitchen." Photo above: Chefs Celso (wearing his gold medal) and Thinesh.

The entire event was great fun for competitors as well as guests, and we are proud not only of our Chefs Thinesh and Celso, but of all the people who participated. We are all beneficiaries of the high standard of cuisine celebrated by the Cayman Culinary Society in this event, and the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa takes great pleasure in the opportunity to share our culinary excellence with the world.

 

Comments

[Robert Stack]

I have heard a lot about cayman culinary competition, I want to see this event, when does it take place, meanwhile for my trip I am preparing lots of things and I am also finding a list of budget grand cayman restaurants.