Over $30,000 in Cash, Prizes as SVGHTA Launches Taste of Vincy 2026
The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Hotel and Tourism Association (SVGHTA) launched Taste of Vincy 2026 on Saturday, August 15, 2026 at Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Taste of Vincy is a national culinary and beverage competition aimed at showcasing Vincentian talent, strengthening hospitality standards and creating a pathway for local professionals to compete on the regional stage.
The competition marks the rebirth of an initiative first introduced in 2006 and is being positioned as more than a competition. It is designed as a platform for professional development, creativity, training and national pride, while helping to further strengthen the quality of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ hospitality and tourism product.
Speaking at the launch, President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Hotel and Tourism Association, Isola Giddings, underscored the importance of celebrating local food, flavours and culture while creating opportunities for hospitality professionals to develop and showcase their skills.
Giddings encouraged chefs, cooks, bartenders and mixologists to embrace local produce, experiment creatively and use the competition to demonstrate the possibilities of Vincentian cuisine and beverages.
“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,” she said.
The SVGHTA President also called for support from Government, statutory bodies, private sector partners, the Vincentian diaspora and other stakeholders as the Association seeks to develop the initiative both locally and regionally.
Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Sustainable Development, Dr. the Honourable Kishore Shallow, said initiatives such as Taste of Vincy provide creatives with valuable opportunities to showcase their talent, build confidence and help position local products for greater exposure, not only nationally, but also regionally and internationally.
He called on stakeholders to continue working collaboratively to ensure that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines realizes its full potential as the country continues to advance and strengthen its tourism product.
Dr. Shallow also reaffirmed the support of the Ministry of Tourism and the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority for the initiative, noting that they look forward to supporting similar programmes that contribute to the continued development of the tourism sector.
Tamon Allen, Director of the SVGHTA and General Manager of Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, described Taste of Vincy as an important investment in the people who help bring the destination’s tourism product to life.
Allen said Sandals Saint Vincent and the Grenadines sees the competition as an opportunity to strengthen service quality, expose participants to industry best practices and contribute to the continued professionalization of food and beverage service across the hospitality sector.
As part of that commitment, Sandals Saint Vincent Executive Chef Delroy Haye will lead and support the culinary development component of the programme, while Bars Manager Dario Browne will lead the beverage element. Their involvement will provide participants with practical mentorship, technical guidance and preparation for competition at both the local and regional levels.
The culinary component, themed “Hot Out the Kitchen,” is designed to ignite culinary passion, showcase Vincentian talent and establish a pathway to Taste of the Caribbean.
The two day competition will challenge participants to demonstrate both Caribbean and international culinary techniques through a mystery basket format. Competitors will be given two hours to produce four plates, three for judging and one for presentation.
The competition will focus on creativity, technical execution, effective use of ingredients, cost-effectiveness, presentation and taste.
Categories include opportunities for Senior Chefs, Junior Chefs and Pastry Chefs, with eligibility requirements including relevant professional experience, employment within the food and beverage sector and employment with an SVGHTA member establishment.
At the conclusion of the local competition, the winning team will undergo further training and mentorship in preparation to represent Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at Taste of the Caribbean in Barbados.
The beverage component, themed “Shake It UpVincy,” is designed to celebrate creativity, culture and craftsmanship while challenging bartenders and mixologists to demonstrate balance, innovation, technique and storytelling in every glass.
Competitors will participate individually and will be required to work with sponsored spirits selected by the judging panel. The competition will be conducted through time bound rounds using standardized judging sheets, with each creation expected to comply with the requirements attached to the selected sponsored spirit.
Round One, the Island Signature Creation, will require competitors to create a cocktail using the selected sponsored spirit and at least one local fruit, herb, spice, syrup or infusion. Competitors will be assessed on professional execution and communication, with the top five advancing to the second round.
Round Two, Creative Expression, will focus on originality, unique flavour combinations, the integration of local ideas and ingredients, and the creative use of the highlighted spirit.
The final will feature a Mystery Basket Challenge in which competitors will have 15 minutes to review the basket ingredients before developing their concept, recording the cocktail name and precise measurements, selecting ingredients and glassware, preparing one signature cocktail and presenting it to the judges. Final scores will determine first, second and third place.
Judging will be based on a 100 point scoring system covering taste and balance, creativity, technique, appearance, use of local ingredients, storytelling, speed and hygiene. Taste and balance will carry the highest individual weighting.
A key emphasis of the beverage competition is the use of local character and ingredients to create a memorable guest experience, reinforcing the idea that a drink should not simply decorate the glass, but should also carry the story of the destination.
Taste of Vincy 2026 will feature an attractive prize package recognising outstanding performances across the competition’s four segments.
First-place winners in each of the four segments will receive EC$2,500 each, representing a total first-place prize pool of EC$10,000.
The second-place prize pool totals EC$4,000, to be divided equally among the four segments, while the third-place prize pool totals EC$2,000, also to be divided equally among the four segments.
Additional prizes include eight Sandals day passes, which means each segment winner will receive day passes for two persons.
The overall announced cash and prizes package therefore represents more than EC$30,000 in value.
Registration for both the culinary and beverage competitions closes on August 29, 2026.
Hospitality professionals who meet the competition requirements are being encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to test their skills, receive training and mentorship, gain national exposure and potentially represent Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on the regional stage.
