A memorable Caribbean culinary experience awaits scores of patrons as they pack the Ottawa Convention Centre and other venues in Toronto, Canada to mingle with and sample culinary creations exhibited by Saint Lucia’s revered culinary ambassador Chef Nina Compton.
Since emerging finalist and fan favourite on Bravo TV’s Top Chef, Chef Nina has left audiences in numerous U.S. cities and her homeland spellbound by her island-inspired delectable recipes.
Come this weekend Chef Nina will set her sights on Canada as she joins the Saint Lucia Tourist Board for a series of mega promotions in Ottawa and Toronto. The events kick off tomorrow at the Ottawa Wine and Food Festival, when the Saint Lucia Tourist Board presents, “An Exclusive Evening with Chef Nina”, one of the Festival’s signature featured dinners.
Tickets are selling quickly for this three-course tasting menu and wine pairings selected by Chef Nina. In addition, the dinner will feature a signature Chairman’s Reserve welcome cocktail along with musical entertainment from Ottawa based Saint Lucian led band, Hotter Than Ice. Patrons will also be afforded an opportunity to win a trip for two to the luxury resort The BodyHoliday, with airfare courtesy WestJet Vacations.
While in Ottawa, Chef Nina will also take time out on Saturday, to stop in as Guest Chef at Navarra, the restaurant owned by 2014 Top Chef Canada winner Chef Rene Rodriguez.
Billed as an intimate and exclusive event with a 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. seating, Chefs Nina and Rene have put together a fusion of their respective Saint Lucian and Mexican heritages to create a dazzling 5-course meal with wine pairings.
“Combining these two wonderfully talented and imaginative Top Chefs can only mean that patrons to this dinner are in for a fabulous treat,” noted Alison Theodore, SLTB’s regional manager for Canada.
Following activities in Ottawa, Chef Nina and SLTB officials will move on to Toronto for a series of media interviews, including a visit to CTV’s new nationally syndicated hip talk show ‘The Social’ where another daughter of Saint Lucian soil – one of the Social’s hosts: Traci Melchor will personally interview and showcase Chef Nina and the destination of Saint Lucia. Chef Nina will present local culinary delights live on Canadian national TV.
Additionally, Chef Nina will showcase her culinary expertise at a media and travel trade dinner, hosted by the SLTB. The final activity for Chef Nina will be a meet and greet with the Saint Lucian diaspora who are keen to meet the Saint Lucian celebrity chef.
“Working with Chef Nina has been a joy! She is very charismatic in an unassuming way and has succeeded in endearing herself to all who come into contact with her,” says Deputy Director of Tourism Tracey Warner-Arnold. “Her expertise in the kitchen has wowed numerous audiences and her notoriety has been extremely beneficial to Saint Lucia as a destination particularly when it comes to highlighting the authentic, fresh and varied food offerings from Saint Lucia.”