Against the backdrop of Grenada’s annual Chocolate Festival, the Grenada Hotel & Tourism Association (GHTA) brought the island’s food and hospitality community together on May 26 for its much-anticipated *Cocoa and Spice Everything is Nice* fundraiser, held at the popular waterfront venue Chez Louis. The evening blended vibrant local flavor, live entertainment, and collective community momentum, featuring musical performances from Grenadian artists Sabrina Francis and Cardell Byam to set a warm, festive atmosphere for attendees.
Far more than a culinary celebration, the fundraiser served a critical purpose: rallying financial and public backing for the GHTA National Culinary Team, which is gearing up to compete for the top gold medal at the 2026 Taste of the Caribbean regional competition. Ahead of their big regional debut, the team used the event as an opportunity to showcase their competition-ready dishes and signature techniques to invited guests, highlighting the unique culinary identity the squad aims to bring to the international stage.
Under the overall leadership of GHTA CEO Arlene Friday, the team is led by Team Manager Chef Andre Church, with logistical backup and mentorship from accomplished local and international culinary figures including Chef Belinda Bishop, Chef Ramces, and Francesco Schmidt. Attendees got an up-close look at the work of the team’s core members: Senior Chef Elvis George, Junior Chef Rashid Cromwell, Pastry Chef Sasha Lessey, and Mixologist Antonio Bayne. Every creation served throughout the evening drew direct inspiration from Grenada’s world-famous native cocoa and spice exports, turning each bite and sip into a celebration of the island’s agricultural and culinary heritage.
In remarks during the event, Friday emphasized the unifying power of community-focused culinary gatherings like the fundraiser. “Events like Cocoa and Spice bring our culinary community together and build the momentum our team needs,” Friday said. “We are grateful to our partners and volunteers for their continued support as we prepare to represent Grenada on the regional stage.”
The fundraiser would not have been possible without robust support from a broad coalition of local and regional sponsors, including GHTA’s Tourism Enhancement Fund, Westerhall Rums, SIFH Group, Umbrellas Beach Bar, Huggins, Blue Light Gin, Crayfish Bay, North South Wines, RTA Services, Flavours of Grenada, and venue host Chez Louis. Additional hands-on support came from culinary students at TAMCC and award-winning mixologist Lyndon from Silversands, whose contributions helped the event run smoothly.
Team Manager Chef Andre Church echoed Friday’s gratitude, noting that every public demonstration and feedback session from the fundraiser helps the squad refine their craft ahead of competition. “Every tasting, critique and demonstration helps sharpen our performance,” Church said. “We’re proud to carry Grenada’s flavours with us and thankful to everyone who has supported our journey.”
Looking ahead, the national culinary team will enter a months-long period of intensive training and preparation to fine-tune their menu and performance for the 2026 competition. GHTA has opened the door for members of the public and potential new supporters who wish to follow the team’s progress or contribute to their campaign: interested parties can reach the association directly at [email protected] for more information.