Two weeks; 65 restaurants; The Antigua and Barbuda Restaurant Week returns

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Let me guess; you have found yourself caught up in a whirlwind of responsibilities and commitments.  Another day, another deadline. When was the last time you took a break? How do you even begin to take a break? There’s always something demanding your attention. You are making great money, but all it is for you is: work, work, work, work, work, work (a little Rihanna for you). You are going through what is titled, “Unplugged: The Entrepreneur’s Dilemma.”

Have you ever stopped to consider that maybe it’s time for a break? A chance to escape the routine and recharge your batteries?  If you are reading this and nodding along, then you’re in the right place, and if you’re open to exploring new destinations, we have something special in store for you. Something that will make choosing your next vacation destination an absolute breeze.

Picture yourself surrounded by breathtaking scenery, immersing yourself in new cultures, and creating memories that will last a lifetime. The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority will kick off May with the second annual Antigua and Barbuda Restaurant Week (ABRW). From Saturday, May 4^th, 2024, through Sunday, May 19^th, 2024, a total of 65 restaurants featuring diverse cuisines will offer prix fixe menus and special dining experiences to restaurant and food lovers. This year’s celebration also includes events with local and celebrity chefs as well as the “Eat Like A Local” campaign that encourages guests to support the country’s small, casual cookshops.

Back for a second year the “Eat Like A Local” experience highlights casual island cookshops from Antiguan and Barbudan restaurant owners and cooks. Throughout Restaurant Week, guests can explore these local eateries via an interactive map on the ABRW website. The Antigua & Barbuda Tourism Authority encourages visitors to sample pepperpot and fungee, national dishes that are beloved on the island. Fungee is a cornmeal-based dish, variations of which are found throughout the Caribbean and believed to have been brought to the region by enslaved Africans; it is similar to fufu or foofoo, popular in many West Africa nations. Other local dishes to be enjoyed include goat water, ducana and saltfish.

Prix Fixe lunch and dinner menus will range from $25-$75USD, with more affordable “Eat Like A Local” options available around the island. “The event was designed to encourage locals and tourists to enjoy old favorites and also explore new restaurants and cuisines,” said Shermain Jeremy of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority. “We look forward to celebrating great flavor with great value.”

This year, ABRW will feature a lineup of celebrity chef and beverage professionals exclusively of Caribbean heritage, including: Chef Angel Barreto, Chef Shorne Benjamin, Cookbook Author Althea Brown, Chef Kareem Roberts, Chef Digby Stridiron, and Sommelier Nadine Brown.

Coinciding with the run of ABRW is the Pepperpot Rum Shop, a 100-day pop-up destination created by The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, Treehouse Beach Club, and British chef, television and radio broadcaster, and former singer Andi Oliver. The concept came from Oliver’s successful recipe book, “The Pepperpot Diaries: Stories From My Caribbean Table.” From May through August, the pop-up will host curated experiences featuring Caribbean: food, music, art, and film.

Special event experiences open to all throughout the two-week-long celebration include:

Sunday, May 5^th, 2024: “The Food & Art Experience,” at Dow’s Hill Interpretation Centre

The historic site overlooking Nelson’s Dockyard will be transformed into a food and art village where guests can be the first to collect ABRW Food passports, sample fare from participating restaurants and local food brands, and explore art from local artists and makers.

Tuesday, May 7^th, 2024: “Destination Food Forum: Nourishing the Future” at the John E. St. Luce Finance & Conference Centre

The Food Forum, presented by Grace Foods, is a one-day immersive event designed to gather: chefs, food enthusiasts, tourism experts, hospitality leaders, and sustainability advocates. Experts will lead insightful panel discussions on issues such as sustainability in food, supporting local producers, innovation, food trends and more.

Wednesday, May 8^th, 2024: Caribbean night and bonfire on the beach at Wild Tamarind

Guests will: enjoy steelpan music, live entertainment, sundowner cocktails, passed appetizers, and a casual cookout prepared by two guest chefs: Shorne Benjamin of Fat Fowl, who’s based in Brooklyn, New York and originally from St. Lucia, and Chef Angel Barreto of Anju in Washington, DC, who is of Puerto Rican heritage.

Thursday, May 9^th, 2024: Roti master class at Loose Cannon beach bar’s School of Cooking

Cookbook author Althea Brown, based in Aurora, Colorado and originally from Guyana, will host an intimate cooking class that covers the history of roti, how it came to the Caribbean, and differences in preparation throughout the region.

Thursday, May 9^th, and Saturday, May 18^th, 2024: Seven-course Antiguan tasting menu from Chef Kareem Roberts and Head Chef of Weatherills Hotel Omar Nicholas

Antiguan chefs Omar Nicholas and Kareem Roberts, who are visiting from Cambridge, United Kingdom, will use local bullfoot, tamarind, black pineapple, lionfish and more in a meal that reimagines national cuisine at the historic estate house-turned-hotel. The collaborative six-course tasting menu will be available on two nights, with optional cocktail pairings.

Friday, May 10^th, 2024: Four-course collaboration dinner with wine pairings at Bar None

In collaboration with visiting chef Digby Stridiron, originally from St. Croix and currently chef at Latha in Phoenix, Arizona, Chef Thaddeus Sealy of Bar None will host dinner at the newly opened wine bar and restaurant, featuring four courses expertly paired with wines selected by and sommelier Nadine Brown.

Friday, May 10^th, 2024: Six-course tasting menu experience at Cove Restaurant at Blue Waters Resort

Guests will enjoy a six-course tasting menu featuring dishes from visiting Chef Kareem Roberts alongside Blue Waters Chef de Cuisine Ronald Wilson and Pastry Chef Tameka Hamilton.

Saturday, May 11^th: Multicourse Korean dinner with wine pairings presented by Carlisle Bay and Premiere Beverages.

This dining experience will feature dishes from Angel Barreto, acclaimed chef behind Anju, a Washington D.C. based restaurant renowned for its contemporary Korean cuisine. Angel, recognized as a Food & Wine Best New Chef and a James Beard Award finalist and semifinalist, will curate a four-course Korean dinner at East, the premier restaurant of Carlisle Bay Antigua. Enhancing the experience further, D.C.-based Sommelier Nadine Brown will pair complementary wines with each course. As a special treat, Angel will also introduce a signature dish to East’s menu, available for guests to savor throughout the month of May.

Wednesday, May 15^th, 2024: The Bay House Modern Caribbean Sunset Cocktail experience

This experience introduces and celebrates Bay House’s innovative approach to Caribbean cuisine and mixology, with a fusion of tradition and creativity. The early evening affair guarantees a selection of enticing new Modern Caribbean dishes curated by Chef Dominique James of Bay House, in collaboration with Chef Kareem Roberts. These dishes will be served tapas-style and expertly paired with refreshing Modern Caribbean cocktails.

Time to get off that hamster wheel and curate an experience for yourself that you will never forget; remember, it is all about experiences.