fp Turks and Caicos

With celebrity chefs and winemakers, noted cook book authors and an expanded schedule of events, this year’s Gourmet Safari is expected to be better than ever.

The Gourmet Safari will celebrate its fifth year by expanding the culinary extravaganza into a full-blown weekend festival.

The Caribbean Food & Wine Festival will not only bring back past talents, but also introduce a brand new lineup of culinary masters and esteemed properties.

The festival will welcome Divya Gugnani, CEO and founder of Behind the Burner, a culinary media brand focusing on tips, tricks and techniques for everything related to food, wine and mixology. Behind the Burner combines Divya’s long-term passion for culinary arts with her expertise in business ventures and partnerships.

“We are so thrilled to present the First Annual Caribbean Food & Wine Festival this year,” said Nikheel Advani, festival co-chairman. “It has always been our goal to expand on the tremendous success of previous Gourmet Safari events.

“By far, this is the most impressive and exciting array of talent and resources that TCI has to offer, and we know that the growing success of the Caribbean Food & Wine Festival each year will help us achieve our goal of making Turks and Caicos the Caribbean’s premier culinary platform for the development of young chefs and Food and Beverage.”

“We cannot wait to host the Gourmet Safari event again in 2011 and enhance the overall experience for those traveling to Turks and Caicos Islands,” says Anthony Garland, festival co-chairman. “With the inception of the Caribbean Food & Wine Festival, we are announcing to the world that the festival is now a fixture for the island, and hope we can build upon its success year after year.”

Weekend festivities will commence Friday, Nov. 4, with a book signing event featuring Divya Gugnani and cocktails from the esteemed Infiniti Bar at Grace Bay Club. Following the reception, guests will enjoy a five-course meal complete with wine pairings at the resort, prepared by Guest Chef Beau MacMillan — an Iron Chef winner who proudly beat out celebrity chef Bobby Flay for the title. A cigar and rum tasting will follow for those who wish to opt for a nightcap and late night dancing.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, guests are invited to attend a Tasting Seminar from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at The Veranda Resort and Residences, a luxury fully inclusive property managed by Grace Bay Resorts. The tasting event will feature a selection of the participating islands’ best chocolates, cheeses, seafood and meats accompanied by fine wines in 45-minute sessions.

The 5th Annual Gourmet Safari will take place on Saturday evening from 5 p.m.-12 a.m. The evening will commence with welcome drinks hosted by Krave at The Estate at Grace Bay Club. Guests will then proceed to enjoy appetizers at Coyaba restaurant created by Chefs Paul Newman and Martin Davies, who recently won the acclaimed Iron Chef title in Toronto. Coyaba is an elegantly appointed gazebo-style restaurant in a lush tropical garden that offers fine contemporary Caribbean cuisine.

Afterward guests will head over to the Seven restaurant at Seven Stars, which takes globally-influenced cuisine to an entirely new level. Diners will then be escorted to Parallel 23 at The Regent Palms for a tropically-inspired meat course.

The Gourmet Safari will close with dessert and cigars at The Gansevoort’s Bagatelle restaurant — island sophistication at its best!

This festival will also showcase the best in wine from around the world, featuring carefully curated pairings from renowned wine experts and sommeliers. This year the Caribbean Food & Wine Festival welcomes Tuck Beckstoffer of Napa Valley, the owners of Duck Pond and Desert Winds wines — operated by the Fries and Jenkins families — and Geoff Kruth from The Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant in Forestville, California.

Master Sommelier Kruth was a driving force in the restaurant’s Michelin star and was named “Rising Star of the Year” by the committee of the Star Wine International Wine Competition in 2006. Prior to moving back west, Kruth was sommelier at Balthazar Restaurant and assistant wine director for the Balthazar group in Manhattan.

“The people of Turks and Caicos are thrilled to be a part of such a successful endeavor, and we are excited that our island will be the venue uniting these world-renowned chefs again in 2011,” said Ralph Higgs, director of the TCI Tourist Board.. “We have no doubt the Caribbean Food & Wine Festival will continue to draw guests from around the globe by offering them the best that the Caribbean has to offer.”

Space for the event is limited. For pricing and detailed information, call 232-5151 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Caribbeanfoodandwinefestivaltci.com.

Schedule of Events
Friday, Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m.
Welcome Dinner featuring guest Chef Beau MacMillan & Linda and Scott Jenkins from Duckpond Cellars

Saturday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Food & Wine Tasting Experience at the Veranda Resort

Saturday, Nov. 5, 5:15 p.m.-12 a.m.
Gourmet Safari dinner featuring wines from Tuck Beckstoffer

Safari will travel to Krave at Grace Bay Club, Coyaba, Seven at Seven Stars, Parallel 23 at the Regent Palms and Bagatelle at Gansevoort

Photo: Chefs from the island’s top restaurants including Bagatelle, Marin, Coyaba, Seven, Parallel 23 and Krave at the Grace Bay Club will showcase their culinary talents at this year’s Gourmet Safari and inaugural Caribbean Food and Wine Festival.