The Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority and its industry partners held the formal launch of Culinary Month, 2025, at a cocktail reception at Fox House Restaurant at Valley Church.
Head of the Planning Committee for Culinary Month, Shermain Jeremy said the idea is to expand the events of the highly successful, Restaurant Week and spread them over a month. She said this has been in response to public comments that Restaurant Week was too short.
“We listened and now with an entire month of events, we expect to see them all well-supported by the public. Theirs is no reason to complain now. It is for everyone to go out and enjoy all these culinary experiences!” she remarked.
While the launch took place on Thursday, May 1, the first major event takes place on Sunday at the Cedar Valley Golf Course where stalls will be operated by many local restaurants. “Sunday is Labour Day weekend and we have the best event ever, for everyone including families with small children. Anyone who has been to any of our food and arts events over the past two years will be familiar with what Sunday will be like. However, this year we are calling it something new; its Food, Arts and Beverage Festival, FAB FEST. All the things that you loved from our past events will be there so all is invited,” she declared.
ABTA CEO, Colin C. James describes the Culinary Month activities as ‘an explosion’ from what happened when the festival started three years ago. “It was only one week, but the buy-in from local restaurants and the local community has been tremendous,” he exclaimed.
He said close to sixty restaurants will participate this year and that the Passport, introduced when the festival started, returns completely revamped and rebranded. In addition, this year the activities of Culinary Month take place when Caribbean Market Place will be held in Antigua and Barbuda. This according to James provides a unique opportunity to promote the local cuisine to an international market.
This year the celebrity chef, is Chef Claude Lewis, of the United States but whose parents are from Antigua. He said he grew up in a household where the Antiguan culture was highlighted and preserved. His dream is to highlight different ways to prepare local dishes during the Festival, but he also has long-term plans to return to Antigua and to invest and perhaps teach.
