Annual Caribbean hospitality conference featured camaraderie, action-provoking information, and a shared spirit of determination.

Click on Program in the menu bar above to find speeches and presentations.  For news releases and articles on CHTC ripped from the headlines, got to News You Need to Know.  Under construction, a photo gallery of all happenings at CHTC 2007, from sessions and functions to award winners.

Kudos to the Winners of the 2007 Awards of Excellence  

2007 Hotelier of the Year - Josef Forstmayr, Jamaica

2007 Employee of the Year - Dorcas Alexander, USVI

2007 Supervisor of the Year - Cristina Guillén, Dominican Republic

2007 American Express Tourism Environmental Award - Sandals Grande Montego Bay

2007 Association Executive of the Year, Large Association - Arturo Villanueva, Dominican Republic

2007 Association Executive of the Year, Small Association - Bernadette Nathaniel, Trinidad

2007 Allied Member of the Year - Billy Jonckheer, Curaçao

2007 Journalist of the Year - Gabriel Parra, Caribbean Business, Puerto Rico

2007 Tourism Media Award, Print - Claudia Gardner, The Gleaner Hospitality Jamaica

2007 Tourism Media Award, Travel Feature - Els Kroon, freelance, Curaçao

Taste of the Caribbean™ shines
Thirteen teams strutted their stuff, highlighting their country's culinary tradition with a contemporary interpretation: Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Grenada, Puerto Rico, St. Martin / St. Maarten, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, United States Virgin Islands.

They cooked simultaneously before an enthusiastic audience, 200 of which had the privilege of dining on the three-course competing menus, based on a mystery box of ingredients.

Taste of the Caribbean Food and Beverage Awards of Excellence 2007

2007 National Team of the Year - Trinidad & Tobago

2007 Bartender of the Year - Raymond Bernard, Trinidad & Tobago

2007 Caribbean Chef of the Year - Fernando Parrilla, Puerto Rico

2007 Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year - René Olmeda, Puerto Rico

Special Bartender Awards

Mody Creative Vodka Drink - Steve Potter, USVI

Most Creative No-Alcoholic Drink - Harrison Williams, Bahamas

Most Creative Rum Drink - Derick Cuffie, Grenada

Most Creative Overall Drink - Adrian Bynoe, Barbados

Most Creative Use of Angostura Bitters - Catherine Niles, Anguilla

Special Culinary Awards

Most Innovative Dish - Sint Maarten / St. Martin

Hans Schenk Commemorative Award for the Most Innovative Menu - Bonaire

Spirit of the Competition - Suriname

Best Use of Certified Angus Beef - Bahamas

Best Use of Angostura Bitters - United States Virgin Islands

Team Medals

Bronze - British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname

Silver - Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Grenada, St. Maarten/St. Martin, US Virgin Islands

Gold - Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago

Team Managers Competition

First Place - Barbados

Second Place - British Virgin Islands

Third Place - Anguilla