Top chefs compete in culinary gala

Approximately four hundred fans of food and drink flocked to the Radisson Fort George Saturday night for the annual Taste of Belize culinary gala, presented by the Belize Hotel Association and the Belize Tourism Board. During the day, twelve of the country’s best chefs took part in the kitchen Olympics, but by nightfall only six were left cooking. When it was all over, Aimee Knox of Victoria House in San Pedro emerged as the top chef in Belize with her creation of chilli seared fish with grilled eggplant and a papaya conch ceviche. Jason de O’Campo from Harbour View Restaurant in Belize City came in second, and Colleen Schwendinger of Rendezvous Restaurant, San Pedro rounded out the top three. Meanwhile Mariano Coc of The Lodge at Chaa Creek was crowned Belize’s best barman, beating five other mixologists during three rounds of inebriating competition. His winning signature drink is called “Belizean Creole Gal” a concoction of coffee liqueur, amaretto, chocolate syrup, chocolate ice cream, and topped off with Blue Hole rum.