From November 3rd through 6th, 2016, lucky visitors to St. Barth will be able to enjoy the amazing experiences of the island’s third annual St Barth Gourmet Festival . What is this interesting and appealing event? The way it works is wonderful. For three evenings during the festival, specially chosen chefs offer a four or eight course menu that introduces guests to their signature take on island cuisine.
Every year, the festival has a patron chef along with several guest chefs – each offering diners a unique experience. The patron chef for 2016 is the talented Christian Le Squer who is chef at the Four Seasons George V Hotel in Paris. The winner of three Michelin stars, his cuisine and contributions are sure to delight.
Of course, this is not the only Michelin star recipient to appear on the roster, and of the eight guest chefs, six of them have received from one to three stars as well!
The Guest Chefs for St Barth Gourmet Festival 2016
Each of the chefs will be serving as a guest chef of a particular St. Barts hotel during the festival, and as the event planners have said, they will offer “exceptional dinners prepared in a duet with the executive heads of partners restaurants.” The hotels are the very finest and include Le Guanahani, Cheval Blanc, Le Sereno, Christopher, Eden Rock, Taiwana, Tom Beach Hotel and Le Barthelemy.
Christophe Saintagne, chef at Papillon in Paris, will be the guest chef at Hotel Tawaina
Gilles Marchal, pastry chef will be the guest chef at La Plage at the Tom Beach Hotel in St. Barts
Virginie Basselot of the Saint James Hotel in Paris, will be the guest chef at Eden Rock hotel
Fabien Lefebvre of Octopus in Beziers will be the guest chef of La Guanahani
Guy Martin the chef of Le Grand Vefor in Paris will be the guest chef of Le Barthe Lemy hotel
Jerome Banctel the chef of Le Gabriel and La Reserve of Paris will be the guest chef at le Sereno
Arnaud Donckele of La Vague d’Or in St. Tropez will be the guest chef at Hotel Cheval Blanc
Sylvestre Wahid, the chef of Sylvestre in Paris, will be the guest chef at Hotel Christopher
What to Expect
The program includes three evenings of gourmet meals. They will include a choice of a four course menu or the full eight courses, “allowing guests to discover their [the chefs’] individual culinary styles and their signature dishes”. The restaurants will serve the festival menus only on the evenings of Friday, November 4; Saturday, November 5; and Sunday, November 6. Reservations are essential in order to ensure a spot at the tables of your choice.
Additionally, there are many special events slated in locations around the island, and none of them require you to book in advance. Though the full roster of events has yet to be formalized, the current schedule includes an opening reception with a formal cocktail party. There is also a bartender competition, café waiters’ race, a young chefs contest, a beach picnic, barbecue competition, the “little toques” pastry and cake contest, a formal awards ceremony, a closing day brunch at gorgeous Nikki Beach, and more!
While visitors will find that several of the hotels are offering packages for visitors interested in enjoying their stay during the festival, many of the finest villas are also making special arrangements available too. Staying in the luxury of a villa, rather than in the bustling hotels during the festival is an especially fine way to enjoy this delicious taste of the island.
If you have been contemplating a Caribbean holiday and yet you also want something a bit different, booking during the St. Barth Gourmet Festival is a wonderful opportunity. It is like taking a culinary adventure around the globe without leaving the beautifully tranquil island. Meet some of the world’s best chefs and dine in some of the most beautiful settings imaginable, and while away your days at gourmet beach picnics or barbecues, sample delicious pastries and baked goods, and savor three wonderful days of the world’s finest dining in St. Barth.