Grace Bay Resorts Announces Sixth Annual Caribbean Food & Wine Festival Lineup

White Wine
Photo by Freeimages.com/Roger Kirby

Grace Bay Resorts, in partnership with the Turks and Caicos Tourism Board and The Wine Cellar, has announced the lineup of scheduled attendees for the Sixth Annual Caribbean Food & Wine Festival.

The event will take place on the island of Providenciales from November 3-6, 2016. This year’s lineup will include: 

- Shawn McClainJames Beard Award-winning chef and executive chef/partner of Sage in Las Vegas, Green Zebra in Chicago and Custom House, a classic steakhouse located in a boutique hotel on Chicago’s Printer’s Row.

- Elizabeth Blau – Restaurateur, James Beard Award nominee, founder and CEO of Blau + Associates and judge on CNBC’s “Restaurant Startup”. She has also appeared on the Travel Channel and the “Martha Stewart Show.” Currently, Blau and her group operate three restaurants in Las Vegas, including Honey Salt, Andiron Steak and Sea, and Buddy V’s Ristorante.

- Kim Canteenwalla – Co-owner of Honey Salt in Las Vegas, and former executive chef of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and the Beau Rivage in Biloxi, Mississippi. She has also managed restaurants and resorts around the world, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Dubai, and Thailand.

- Robin Daniel Lail – Founder and winemaker at Lail Vineyards, vintner and co-founder of Dominus Winery, Maryville Vineyards and Auction Napa Valley. Lail began creating her own wines during the 1990s with her two daughters, Erin and Shannon, and founded Lail Vineyards in 1995. 

- Ken Fredrickson – Master Sommelier, founder of Tenzing, a wine and spirits importer, and partner at Brewer Clifton Winery. Fredrickson is a member of the Court of Master Sommeliers and reached his current position in 2000 following the creation of his wine programs alongside chefs Charlie Trotter at Charlie Trotter's in Chicago and Wolfgang Puck in Las Vegas, at Spago and Chinois

The festival is a not-for-profit event, and aims to raise funds for The Department of Youth Affairs, Lit’l Chefs mentor program, an organization that supports and encourages young local chefs to develop skills that will assist them in pursuing careers in hospitality.  

The festival will kick off on Thursday, November 3 at Amanyara with a welcome dinner which will include dishes by chef Shawn McClain. On Friday, November 4, a "Women of Wine Luncheon" will include a presentation by Elizabeth Blau, and later a "Gourmet Safari" will provide guests with an interactive dine around opportunity with meal courses provided by Gansevoort, Coyaba, Seven Stars, The Regent Palms and Grace Bay Club

A "Food & Wine Pairing" event on November 5 will be hosted by The Palms, and include pairing seminars as well as tasting rooms highlighting guest chefs and winemakers with support from the aspiring local talent of the ‘Lit’l Chefs’ mentor program. There will also be an "Island Street Food Fair" at Salt at Blue Haven, offering expert grilling and barbeque demonstrations, and a "Dinner Under the Stars" experience at Grace Bay Club, where chef Kim Canteenwalla will pair signature dishes with rare vintages. The festival will conclude with a casual brunch event on Sunday November 6. 

Visit www.caribbeanfoodandwinefestivaltci.com or contact [email protected]