The Taste of Belize

The countdown to the annual Taste of Belize is underway. The event attracts participants from all over the jewel to compete in all that is culinary.  It takes place at the ITVET next Saturday so mark that date on your calendar and save space to savor the numerous samples of cuisine that will be available. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.

Isani Cayetano Reporting

The annual food festival which sees chefs and bartenders across the country vie for coveted titles in the culinary field is a week away and preparations are being finalized for what should be one of the more memorable Taste of Belize since its inception in 2001.  This year’s competition will be held at a new location and while it is being scaled down in attendance it promises nonetheless the complete experience for food and beverage aficionados.

Laura Esquivel-Frampton, Director of Product Development, BTB

laura esquivel-frampton

“This is the ninth year that the BTB is hosting the Taste of Belize Competition.  We have our signature competitions this year.  We have the professional chef competition, bartending competition and we also have the cake decorating competition.  In addition to that we’re always trying to do something new with our events and so this year we’ve introduced a new competition which the entire public that goes to the event will be able to participate in.  It’s called the Best of Belize Competition and what this is is that we’ve turned the buffet of the night into a competition itself so we have eight destinations who have come up with teams and each of those teams will be presenting plates for the general public to be able to taste.”

Like the commercial expo which returned to its original venue in September the Taste of Belize will be held on the ITVET compound.  The reason, says Esquivel-Frampton, is that the Belize Tourism Board has over the years worked closely with the institution in developing its hospitality curriculum.

Laura Esquivel-Frampton

“We do a lot of tourism training at ITVET.  We know that they have a lot of new programs that are rolling out that are catering for the tourism services and so we want to, you know, highlight the services also that ITVET has and give back to that school for all that they do in turn for tourism.  As you know it’s brandly remodeled and they have the kind of facilities that we think we need and we can use to really bring the Taste of Belize to a bigger event.”

Along with securing a bigger venue however is a downsizing in attendance.  According to the Director of Product Development the decision was taken to discount ticket prices and reduce the numbers in order for guests to fully enjoy what is being offered.

Laura Esquivel-Frampton

“We’ve actually reduced the cost of the ticket this year.  Tickets are on sale right now for only ten dollars a person but we’re capping it off at about five hundred tickets.  The reason for that is because of this new option that we’re putting in, the new competition.  I don’t want to overwhelm the destinations.  We have told them that they need to provide at least five hundred sample plates so that everybody in attendance gets to taste a sample plate from each destination.”

The Taste of Belize Competition is scheduled for Saturday October 16^th.  Guests of the event will be given an opportunity to participate in the judging of various categories.  Last year’s winner for professional chef is Ernest Bradley while Mariano Coc took home the Bartender of the Year Award. Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.