Taste of Cayman Food & Drink Festival has announced the inclusion of two celebrity chefs to its extensive line-up of local culinary talent.

Food Network’s Emmy-nominated show Sandwich King host Chef Jeff Mauro and Food Network Canada’s Top Chef Canada Season 10 winner Chef Tre Sanderson will participate in this year’s festival as part of the sponsorship agreement with Visit Cayman Islands – the globally-recognised brand for the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism.

Mr. Jay Ehrhart, Director of Cayman Islands Tourism Association Executive said the addition of the well renowned overseas chefs would round-out the already talent-packed festival which takes place 13 May on the Festival Green at Camana Bay.

“Chef Jeff will host an exciting demonstration in the Experience Room and Chef Tre will be at the Bon Vivant Demo Stage cooking against his friend, turned festival rival, the Fire Master himself, Dylan Benoit,” he said. 

“We’ve had overwhelming interest and positive responses from our restaurant community and local talent whose presence will further elevate our designation as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.” 

Local culinary stars such as Young Cayman Chef 2022 winner Chef Brittney Bodden, Chef Jessica Moore of Taste This Life, in-house Chef at the Governor’s residence Chef Mark Lea, Director at Bestlife & Zest Chef Maureen Cubbon, owner of Smokies BBQ Chef Sara Mair-Doak and Mixologist Maya Grant of Fusion Mixology, will participate in the festival’s Experience Room and Bon Vivant Demo Stage.

Over 30 food and drink vendors will showcase at Taste of Cayman 2023, from veteran participants Cimboco and The Beach House at The Westin, to first-timers The Edgy Vedge and Pane & Pasta. Cayman beverage brands Tortuga, Cayman Spirits and Jacques Scott will provide drinks through various outlets.

In addition to food stalls, restaurants are taking their talents to other areas of the festival, such as Saint June at The Ritz-Carton, Grand Cayman – this year’s caterer for the AI Rentals VIP Section, and Anchor & Den at The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort – offering a cooking demonstration in the Experience Room.

Jay Ehrhart said he was thrilled to see the restaurant sector rally together with the Tourism Association to showcase Cayman’s unique culinary scene and world-class talent.

“The absence of events like Taste in recent years has been felt throughout the tourism industry and particularly the restaurant sector, which is in part what makes this year’s return so incredible,” he said. 

Ehrhart welcomed the sponsorship of Visit Cayman Islands as it signified a commitment to showcase Cayman on a global stage and allowed for opportunities to bring new experiences to Cayman’s shores.

“We are thrilled to have Visit Cayman Islands as this year’s official presenter of Taste as it demonstrates the strength of our partnership locally and globally. More importantly, it allows for an increase in impactful opportunities to remind the world of the wonderful talent and experiences found in the Cayman Islands and opens the door to have the calibre of international chefs like Tre and Jeff participate in the festival,” he said.

For the complete list of the 2023 participants, visit https://tasteofcayman.org/the-festival/food-and-drink.

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Taste of Cayman 2023 Presented by Visit Cayman Islands, returns bigger and better than ever on Saturday, 13 May, from 5-11:45pm at the Festival Green in Camana Bay. The community is invited to participate in this momentous occasion as we celebrate and support Cayman’s local restaurants and culinary talent.

General admission and VIP tickets are available at www.tasteofcayman.org.

Follow Taste of Cayman’s social media pages and website for updates and announcements.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]

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About Taste of Cayman

Taste of Cayman Food & Drink Festival is an annual initiative of the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) which promotes the culinary excellence of the Cayman Islands food and drink sector. In 2023, Cayman’s largest and longest running food and drink festival celebrates 35 years since it first began with a small number of restaurants from the Cayman Islands Restaurant Association meeting in a field to compete in a Chili Cook-off. Today, the event has grown to attract thousands of festival goers to celebrate and experience the food and drink scene in the culinary capital of the Caribbean, and enjoy the music and party atmosphere that it has become known for.

Visit www.tasteofcayman.org to buy tickets, find out more about participating restaurants, music artists and discover unique experiences for 2023.

© Taste of Cayman, 2023. ‘Taste of Cayman’ is a registered trademark wholly owned and operated by the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA).

About CITA

Cayman Islands Tourism Association is a non-profit association which represents its membership of just over 250 tourism related private businesses in the Cayman Islands. The various sectors within the Tourism Association include: Hotels, Condo/Villas, Watersports, Restaurants, Transportation, Attractions, Cruise and Allied (all other businesses associated with our tourism product).

It was formed in March 2001 through an amalgamation of the Cayman Tourism Alliance and the Cayman Islands Hotel and Condominium Association. The association is wholly funded by membership subscriptions and fundraising. CITA actively promotes the continuing improvement and development of Cayman’s tourism Industry through the exchange of information, government relations, training and education, marketing, and events.

About Visit Cayman Islands / CIDOT

The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism (CIDOT) was established in 1974 and falls under the mandate of the Ministry of Tourism and Transport. This Ministry organises and directs the activities for many departments all of which have similar goals; to protect the environment, support the economy, promote the islands as a premier destination for visitors and to support local businesses and business people.

CIDOT is the public sector agency charged with responsibility for short and medium term strategic planning and general destination management for the Cayman Islands’ tourism industry. To be successful, the Department must maintain a global perspective and a parallel local sensitivity in order to meet its broadest objectives as outlined in the National Tourism Management Policy (NTMP). The nature of the activities executed by the Department include research and policy development and implementation, international marketing and sales, industry training programmes, and the development of environmentally responsible programmes for the tourism industry. At all times, the Department seeks to advance the heritage, culture and values of the Cayman Islands and promote the advancement of sustainable tourism policies for the benefit of future generations.

Chef Tre Sanderson

With nearly a dozen years of experience in the culinary industry, Scarborough, Ontario native Tre Sanderson has made a name for himself as one of the most talented chefs in Canada. In 2023, he emerged as the winner of Food Network Canada’s Top Chef Canada Season X, showcasing his impressive culinary skills and passion for food.

A first-generation Canadian with Jamaican roots, Chef Tre is inspired by his Caribbean heritage and infuses it into every dish he creates. He believes that food is not just about taste, but it is also a cultural experience that brings people together. His dishes are a reflection of his unique culinary perspective, artful plating, and explosive flavours that have earned him numerous accolades and recognition in the industry.

Chef Tre has worked in some of Toronto’s best kitchens throughout his career, where he has been fascinated by other amazing cuisines. He has been able to incorporate diverse culinary influences into his own creations, making him a dynamic and innovative chef. In 2023, he was awarded the Restaurants Canada Culinary Award of Excellence.

Chef Tre is proud to be recognized as the first black chef to win Top Chef Canada and is honoured to be inspiring the next generation of young diverse chefs. He is a firm believer in the power of food to unite people from all walks of life and is passionate about promoting diversity in the culinary world. Through his cooking, he hopes to break down barriers and bring people together.

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Chef Jeff Mauro Bio

Emmy-Nominated Celebrity Chef, Jeff Mauro was born and raised in Chicago where he was determined from an early age to become the funniest chef in the world. After years spent cooking in restaurants, graduating with honors from Culinary School and performing on stage, he landed himself on Season 7 of the hit show Food Network Star. He ultimately won the competition by combining his passion for cooking with comedy and landed his own series, the Emmy-nominated Sandwich King. He is also a co-host of the 3-time Emmy-nominated The Kitchen, now in its 34th season. Jeff is also a recurring co-host on Food Network’s Prime Time show Worst Cooks in America.

Jeff is also the proud founder and CEO of Mauro Provision, a premium retail & direct-to-consumer line of steaks, the world’s best craft giardiniera (jar-din-air-ah), craft rubs & legendary sandwich kits. 

He still lives “in the same neighborhood he grew up in” with his wife Sarah, his son Lorenzo & their two dogs JoJo & Pinot G. Jeff spends his free time playing lead guitar and singing in his neighborhood dad-band called The Jewel Bags. He releases steam by boxing, playing disc golf and tossin’ bags in the frunchyard with a cold-one his hand.

His favorite color is Pastrami and his favorite smell is charred pepperoni.