B.T.B. Breaks Down the Open Call for Food Vendors for B.I.M.F.F.

Tonight, the Belize Tourism Board is sharing additional details on the open call for food vendors for the first annual Belize International Music and Food Festival. The festival takes place at the end of July in San Pedro, at the Saca Chispas Field. The idea is that for the two days of activities, those in attendance will be exposed to the diversity of Belizean cuisine – from street food, to the best tacos, panades, barbecue, rice and beans and everything in between. There are eighteen booths and applicants will go through a selection process to get a spot. B.T.B.’s Investment and Innovation Specialist, Simone Bell, says that a free family food festival will also be included.

Simone Bell

Simone Bell, Investment and Innovation Specialist, B.T.B.

“We are looking for the best barbecue people, the best street food, the best panades, the best pupusas. I want my nice cow foot soup. So we are basically looking for the entire gamut. We want to be able to showcase all that’s Belize. So if it is a Miss Whooley in Belmopan, if it is a chicken dread – we want to be able to showcase that. And then at the same time we have several executive chefs who deliver exceptional catering; we want to put that on display. I mean if you have an original idea as a business and you want to showcase your range of products by serving food, we are open to that as an idea as well. We’ve set up a panel that includes an executive chef, a member of the B.T.B. staff and of course a very loved media representative to be able to judge that so there is no bias in the selection process. However, there are things that we need to take into consideration. One, it is an event that is in San Pedro and what we’ve also done and this is very exciting is that we have expanded the concert to include a free family food festival. So from eleven a.m. to four p.m., the entire family is welcomed to come in, enjoy all of the patrons at the food festival and then what we will do is roll over into the concert which takes place from six p.m. to two a.m. each night. So it is very fantastic so the family can come out and enjoy all of the food that is going to be on display and then afterwards we transition into the night time where you have your Koffee and Patrice Roberts. It’s important for each food vendor that is applying to be able to have food and don’t run out for the entire period. So we are talking about from eleven a.m. to two a.m., you need to be able to cater and we are expecting about six thousand people to be at this event. So yo can’t come with yo one pot; yo have to have yo whole ammunition ready to deliver some of the best foods Belize has to offer

Interested vendors are being asked to submit applications by June twenty-second.  They must possess a valid food handler’s permit, trade license or peddler’s permit in order to qualify.”