St. Maarten Returns to Taste of the Caribbean With a Binational Team
After nine years away from Taste of the Caribbean, St. Maarten and St. Martin will return to the regional culinary competition in November 2026. Four food and beverage professionals will represent the island at the event in Barbados, with culinary instructor and 2017 competitor Renata de Weever serving as their coach.
The team was announced during a mixer hosted by the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) at Kooyman. It consists of senior chef Jewel Daal, pastry chef Djaya Coupey, junior chef Jamal Dormoy and bartender Erion Peterson.
Preparing for the Barbados Competition
The team had begun training before its official announcement. Initial sessions took place at Daal’s restaurant, TJ Cassava Coal Pot, where the participants worked on recipe ideas and cocktail preparations.
The SHTA mixer also provided an opportunity to test Peterson’s three planned cocktail entries. Attendees sampled the drinks and offered feedback that he could use to refine them ahead of the competition.
The 2026 edition follows changes to the event’s format since its return after the pandemic. Participating teams are now smaller and bring together professionals from different culinary disciplines.
A Coach With Previous Competition Experience
De Weever competed at Taste of the Caribbean in 2017 and now leads the team in preparation for its return. She also teaches at the National Institute of Professional Advancement (NIPA), where her work includes mentoring culinary students.
She described the upcoming competition as an opportunity for the participants to learn from one another while representing the island.
“This journey is about more than competition. It is an opportunity for us to exchange knowledge, challenge ourselves, learn from one another, and grow together as culinary professionals. Throughout our training, I have been especially proud of the dedication, collaboration, and island pride that unite us. Together, we are committed to showcasing the vibrant flavors, creativity, culture, and culinary talent of St. Maarten / St, Martin while representing our island with pride and excellence.”
The team’s preparations will continue ahead of the mid November event at Sam Lord’s Castle in Barbados. Winair is expected to transport the competitors to the venue.
Bringing St. Maarten and St. Martin Together Through Food
The announcement brought together representatives from both sides of the island. Aida Weinum of the Office de Tourisme and May-Ling Chun of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau attended the gathering as representatives of the organizations supporting the team.
Mireille Dropvat of PDG Supplies, which supports the St. Maarten Flavors and Festival de la Gastronomie culinary events, also attended the mixer. She highlighted the value of presenting the island’s culinary talent through a joint team.
“Our island is the undisputed culinary capital of the Caribbean, seeing both sides of the island coming together as a team to show the world our talent, taste and island flair, is a wonderful way to promote the island as a destination for fun, friendliness and dining”.
Taste of the Caribbean has been held since 1993, bringing culinary professionals from across the region together to compete and present their work. For St. Maarten, the 2026 participation offers a chance to showcase local expertise in cooking, pastry and bartending while reconnecting with a regional event it last entered in 2017.
The team will represent both St. Maarten and St. Martin at the November competition in Barbados.
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