Chef Jonathan Waxman will feature as a guest chef at the Anguilla Culinary Experience (ACE) from May 11 to 15. The 2016 James Beard Award winner for “Best Chef: New York City” and chef-owner of New York’s Barbuto joins a growing lineup of international and local chefs who will blend their creativity with Anguilla’s fresh ingredients during five days of parties, dinners, classes, tastings and tours at Anguilla’s resorts, villas and restaurants. Tickets can be purchased online, with a portion of proceeds to fund programming for the island’s next generation of chefs.
On May 12, Waxman will cook at the cliff-top ÀNI Private Resort Anguilla, together with their Caribbean Region Executive Chef Parash Chhetri, formerly the executive chef at the Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary with a strong background in modern organic and vegan cuisine. Chhetri and his team lead ÀNI’s culinary program, through which custom menus are designed for each visiting group of guests. The dinner at ÀNI will be a VIP experience hosted at select villas and resorts. Each dinner, complete with unforgettable food, wine and live music, will feature an intimate interaction with different chefs and will be limited to just 20 guests.
On May 13, Waxman will collaborate with Chef Marc Alvarez in the kitchen of Alvarez’s restaurant, Ember. There, the former New Yorker and past chef at Crispo uses live fire cooking to offer up seasonal dishes complemented by the smoke of the burning embers. The duo will combine their talents to present a bespoke prix menu for lucky diners during “Restaurant Night.”
Advance tickets are required, and guests should reserve early, as seats at each participating restaurant are limited. Waxman will also feature as a celebrity judge for a mystery basket cooking competition on May 14 during the festival’s final beach barbecue at the Anguilla Great House Beach Resort on Rendezvous Bay.
A native of California, Waxman grew up in a family that celebrated the culinary arts. After receiving the Grand Diplôme from La Varenne Cooking School in Paris, he moved back to California to work at Domaine Chandon and then with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse. In 1979, he became the executive chef of Michael’s in Santa Monica, where he developed his version of California cuisine. He made his mark on New York in 1984 with the now iconic Jams. Today, Waxman is the chef/owner of Barbuto in Manhattan’s West Village, Jams at 1 Hotel Central Park, and Baffi in Atlanta. Waxman is the author of three cookbooks including: “The Barbuto Cookbook,” “A Great American Cook” and “Italian, My Way.”
ACE will center around three signature events, including an opening night Ultimate Barefoot Luxury Party sponsored by Tradewind Aviation at Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel; an afternoon Rosé Soirée party at Malliouhana, an Auberge Resort; and a Caribbean Beach Barbeque at the Anguilla Great House Beach Resort on Rendezvous Bay. Ticket packages include entrance to all three signature events, besides a full or partial credit towards the Restaurant Night prix fixe meal at select restaurants. VIP ticketholders enjoy extra perks such as an intimate VIP dinner at one of the island’s resorts or villas and rum tasting at Zemi Beach’s Rhum Room. Packages are available for online purchase at an early bird rate until March 15, along with individual event and child tickets. A portion of ACE proceeds will go to support the Anguilla National Culinary Team and the island’s hospitality training programs. In between the main events, guests can explore Anguilla’s 33 beautiful beaches and enjoy small group activities where they can learn how to make traditional Caribbean Johnny cakes or search for the best rum punch as they tour beachside bars by chauffeured open-air Moke.
For more information, visit www.anguillaculinaryexperience.com.
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