Against the sunlit backdrop of Barbados’ vibrant culinary scene, leading mixologist Jamaal Bowen has built anticipation for this November’s Barbados Food and Rum Festival, where he is spearheading a one-of-a-kind mixology program designed to spark curiosity and celebrate the island’s homegrown produce.
Bowen, a veteran educator and founder of the TopShelf Bartending Academy, has built his career around nurturing emerging talent and pushing the boundaries of rum-based cocktail craft. For this year’s festival, he designed a creative challenge that pushes participating mixologists outside their familiar comfort zones: a random algorithm-assigned mystery ingredient challenge, where each creator receives one core ingredient to build an original cocktail around for their scheduled event. Organizers and participants alike have no advance knowledge of pairings, turning the challenge into an exercise in spontaneous creativity.
The list of possible ingredients ranges from widely recognizable staples like moringa, tamarind, grapefruit and rosemary to unexpected selections like linseed, soursop and mauby bark. When two emerging mixology talents, Rohan Broomes and Orwin Findlay, both drew linseed as their core ingredient, their wildly different interpretations highlight how personal creativity can transform a single starting point. Broomes, set to present his work at the *Rise and Rum* breakfast beach party on November 7, has crafted a fruit-forward cocktail layered with warm spice and subtle vanilla notes. Findlay, appearing at the November 8 *Liquid Gold Feast*, is leaning into sophisticated savory flavors accented with soft sweet spice. One ingredient, two distinct visions – giving festival-goers double the reason to explore both events.
Held starting at 4 a.m. at Copacabana on Bay Street, *Rise and Rum* centers on the charm of early Saturday mornings in Bridgetown, blending classic Bajan breakfast traditions with inventive rum cocktails to welcome the rising sun. The following evening, *Liquid Gold Feast* will open its doors at CARIFESTA House in Waterford, under the theme “These Fields and Hills,” which shines a spotlight on Barbados’ local agricultural producers and the native ingredients they cultivate.
One of the most anticipated creations of the night is Natasha Jules’ *A Lil Thing*, which pairs Mount Gay Silver Rum with locally produced Kaiso Carambola Liqueur, green mango, cinnamon, Claytons Kola Tonic and lime juice. Bowen breaks down the balanced flavor profile: the bright sweetness of carambola (known locally as five finger fruit) contrasts with the tart tang of unripe mango, while cinnamon adds a subtle warming depth. Bowen describes a delicate, aromatic nose, with the kola tonic and lime combination evoking the familiar flavor of Bajan ackee, and the rum contributing subtle fruit and cane undertones that build to a smooth, creamy finish without overpowering the native ingredients.
Across both events, a wide range of underused local ingredients are getting the spotlight, from hog plum and pumpkin to bell peppers and jamoon, reimagined as fresh juices, smooth purées, infused syrups and artisanal garnishes. Bowen’s core vision for the festival is to prove that even familiar local produce can yield surprising new flavor combinations when creators are willing to experiment.
This focus on expanding the use of native ingredients extends far beyond the week of the festival. Bowen has partnered with the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation and local farmer John Jones to build more reliable supply chains for bar-ready processed products, including cold-pressed juices and concentrated purees, that allow bars to access fresh local ingredients year-round, not just during harvest season. For Bowen, expanding access to a wider range of native ingredients creates more room for innovation, education, and memorable guest experiences long after the festival closes.
Tickets for *Rise and Rum* are priced at BBD $250, while entry to *Liquid Gold Feast* costs BBD $350. Both can be purchased in advance through ticketnation.bb and official festival box offices. For attendees, Bowen extends a simple invitation: come with an open mind and a sense of curiosity. You may arrive searching for your favorite rum, but you’ll leave with a new appreciation for the surprising potential of linseed and a whole host of other Bajan ingredients waiting to be explored.