2018 Nevis Mango & Food Festival Delivers A Culinary Extravaganza
Jul 17, 2018
Photo: Fanny Nisbet”s Mango Colada at the Nisbet Plantation, Credit: Tina Thuell Photography
Charlestown, Nevis, July 17, 2018 — Once again, the Nevis Mango & Food Festival delivered on its promise of a fully immersive and fantastic mango experience. The flavor of Nevisian mangoes – many of the 44 varieties on island – were deliciously incorporated into gazpachos and other soups, colorful salads, yogurts, ice creams, luscious sauces, glazes and marinades for freshly caught seafood, pork and chicken, and many other creations artfully delivered by master chefs.
UK Iron Chef Judy Joo, here for her third year at the festival, prepared a number of selections that featured her Korean flare, including some of her always eagerly awaited Korean barbecue. “I fell in love with Nevis years ago and always look forward to the festival,” she says. Her small bites tasting at the Four Seasons received rave reviews from attendees who included culinary experts and journalists from the US and UK.
Photo: Mango Cheesecake is a winner served the Mango Festival, Credit: Tina Thuell Photography
New York chef and restaurateur Seamus Mullen’s food was also a hit. He conducted a well-attended master cooking class in downtown Charlestown where participants learned to cook a pan seared mahi-mahi with a mango and fresh vegetable salsa that is a recipe they’re happy to take home. He also prepared a fabulous 5-course dinner at the elegant Great House at Nisbet Plantation Beach Club. And new to the event, Barbados chef, Michael Harrison was a treat for cooking class audiences in Charlestown and diners at Sunshine’s Beach Bar & Grill – known internationally for its signature rum punch “The Killer Bee.” Everyone appreciated his enthusiasm for the food as well as his delicious mango offerings. David Barker, mixologist from Barbados was on hand throughout the festival mixing up exciting mango cocktails.
Local chefs like Kelisha Roberts and Berecia Stapleton also presented their inspired cooking during an evening at the magnificent Nevis Botanical Gardens. Four Seasons’ Chef and Nevis native Llewellyn Clarke, well known for his hot pepper sauces, jams, salad dressings and other creations, also held court at various events during the festival with a cooking class at the culminating event.
Local chefs also took center stage on Sunday afternoon at the Nevisian Chefs Mango Feast on the beach, where the culinary team from Montpelier Plantation & Beach took top honors for their mango dishes for the second year in a row. The competition was judged by the team of celebrity chefs and Montpelier chef Halva Browne won for his dish: Mango marinated snapper and spinach roulade, with curry market vegetables and torch mango wedges in a sweet and spicy mango sauce. Other participants from Nisbet Plantation and Caribbean Flavorz also received accolades for their cooking. With music, dozens of food booths from local resorts and restaurants, a final master cooking class by Chef Joo, and all types of mango libations, the final day was a huge success drawing mango lovers and foodies from throughout Nevis and St. Kitts.
“Our goal each year is to elevate the Nevis Mango & Food Festival, maintaining the expertise of our US and UK chefs and infusing it with new talent from around the world,” says event organizer and CEO of the Nevis Tourism Authority Greg Phillip. “This fifth year brought new venues, new chefs, and an exciting array of new activities to the delight of locals and travelers alike. We will continue to build on the event for 2019 and court new successes with this exciting and delicious ingredient.”
For more information about the Nevis Mango & Food Festival, visit www.nevismangofestival.com.
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About Nevis: Nevis is part of the Federation of St. Kitts & Nevis and is located in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies. Conical in shape with a volcanic peak at its center known as Nevis Peak, the island is the birthplace of the founding father of the United States, Alexander Hamilton. The weather is typical of most of the year with temperatures in the low to mid-80s°F / mid 20-30s°C, cool breezes and low chances of precipitation. Air connections can be had via Puerto Rico, St. Maarten and Antigua. There are also direct service into its sister island St. Kitts from various USA, Canada and UK cities with water taxi service to Nevis.Air transportation is easily available with connections from Puerto Rico, St. Maarten and St. Kitts as well as direct flights from New York. For more information about Nevis, travel packages and accommodations, please contact the Nevis Tourism Authority, USA Tel 1.407.287.5204, Canada 1.403.770.6697 or our website www.nevisisland.com and on Facebook – Nevis Naturally.
