The annual Caribbean Baking Awards, a prestigious event that celebrates excellence across the regional baking industry and highlights emerging talent in culinary arts, has named Cheni Greene as the 2024 recipient of its Best Learning Experience Award. The award recognizes Greene’s transformative journey through the Caribbean baking sector, where she turned a lifelong passion for traditional Caribbean baked goods into a structured, community-centered learning experience that has resonated with aspiring bakers across the region.
Unlike technical awards that focus on final product quality, the Best Learning Experience Award honors individuals who have turned their personal baking journey into an educational resource for others. Greene, who launched her popular online and in-person workshop series three years ago, has centered her curriculum on preserving centuries-old Caribbean baking techniques, from making traditional jerk-spiced sourdough to classic coconut bread and festive black cake. What set her submission apart was her focus on inclusive learning: she offers sliding-scale tuition for low-income aspiring bakers and provides free digital recipe kits and tutorial videos to community centers across 12 Caribbean island nations.
At the awards ceremony held in Kingston, Jamaica, judges praised Greene for creating a learning environment that prioritizes cultural preservation alongside skill development. “Cheni hasn’t just learned to bake incredible Caribbean food—she’s created a pathway for hundreds of young people to connect with their culinary heritage while building marketable skills,” said lead judge Maria Hernandez in her presentation of the award. Greene, in her acceptance speech, shared that she plans to use the award’s cash prize to expand her workshop program to include apprenticeships for youth in rural communities, where access to culinary training has long been limited.
Industry analysts note that the award highlights a growing trend in the Caribbean food sector: increasing investment in educational initiatives that preserve culinary tradition while creating economic opportunities for small-scale producers. Greene’s win draws attention to the critical role that accessible, community-focused learning plays in sustaining the region’s unique baking heritage for future generations.