Dove Productions, in cooperation with Island Ripple, conducted the formal Prize Giving Ceremony for the Independence Gold Cuisine Challenge on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at Kafetye Café, Pointe Seraphine Castries.
The Independence Gold Cuisine Challenge is a culinary competition that follows the successful Island Ripple Food Truck Competition, which took place in 2024 and included four prominent food trucks competing for first place in the local food truck kingdom.
This time, seven of St. Lucia’s finest chefs competed to see who could be the most imaginative with the island’s national dish, Green Fig and Saltfish, all in honour of the island’s 46th anniversary of independence.
The chefs were from Sandals Grande St. Lucian Beach Resort and Spa, Calabash Cove Beach Resort and Spa, Body Holiday St. Lucia, Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort and Spa, Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort and Spa, Windjammer Landing Resorts and Residences, and the Youth Economy Agency.
The competition consisted of seven episodes in which each Chef was videotaped preparing their creation at their home resort/agency and judged by guest judges, the Chief Judge being Chef Orlando Satchell. These episodes were posted on Island Ripple’s social media platforms and published to its YouTube channel, CUTTV.
In the episodes, the Chefs also discussed their favorite memories of eating or making Green Fig and Saltfish, as well as their own culinary path, complete with inspiration to be the best they could be. Entrepreneurial Mixologists from the Youth Economy organization were also featured, creating a signature drink for each dish presented.
The participating chefs were:
Kurtizia Preville, Windjammer Landing Resorts and Residences.
Nigel Gould’s sandals Halcyon Beach Resort & Spa
Bert Jules, Calabash Cove Beach Resort and Spa.
Victroy Arthur’s Sandals Grande St. Lucian Beach Resort & Spa
Davidson Henry, The Body Holiday St Lucia
Riad James, Youth Economy Agency
Vernetta Darius — Sandals Regency La Toc Golf Resort & Spa
The Prize Giving Ceremony, held at Kafetye Café in Pointe Seraphine, featured several guests, sponsors, a guest mixologist from the Youth Economy Agency who treated the crowd to trademark drinks and mixes, and the Dove Productions crew.
Following a few quick statements from Dove Productions CEO Colin Weekes, Chef Orlando Satchell, and the challenge’s sponsors, each Chef was summoned to receive their individually created medal, branded apron, and presents from Harry Edwards Jewelers, one of the challenge’s sponsors.
Soon after, Chef Orlando Satchell was called upon to name the winner of the Independence Gold Cuisine Challenge, which was none other than Davidson Henry, also known as Chef Nassis of the Body Holiday St. Lucia, with his one-of-a-kind creation, Iyanola Rolls. He was then given a one-of-a-kind Champion Chef’s Jacket and a gift bundle from St. Lucia Distillers.
Guests were treated to light refreshments as well as samples of trademark cuisine from Windjammer Resorts and Residences and Body Holiday St Lucia.