The Ministry of Tourism and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority are welcoming Antigua and Barbuda’s first ever Farm-to-Table Luncheon which will introduce visitors to the destination’s cuisine, prepared using authentic, locally sourced island ingredients.

The Farm-to-Table event, to be held, this Saturday, April 18 at the Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development Center (GARD Center) will bring national chefs and farmers together to highlight and celebrate locally produced food and cuisine.

The Ministry of Tourism and the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority congratulated the GARD Centre on the spearheading of the initiative, which highlights the linkages between the agriculture and tourism sectors.

The Farm-to-Table Luncheon has the potential to become a landmark event for the destination, and fits into the Tourism Offices plans for the development of agro and culinary tourism. Many of the finest local chefs who will be using their expertise to prepare the meals were past graduates of the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Institute. These chefs have gone on to attain key roles at their respective hotels. Shirlene Nibbs, Tourism Consultant within the Ministry of Tourism commented “This is a first for our destination and is a testimony to the quality of capacity building which exists in our local institution. Antigua and Barbuda’s culinary expertise and creativity will be demonstrated in a creative way by our local chefs at the Farm to Table Luncheon. It is an example of the renewed linkages between the various sectors that we seek to establish which will further improve our product offering”.

CEO of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority Colin James, said, “We are excited to be working with the GARD Centre, and the Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute on this culinary collaboration. It will help to position Antigua and Barbuda as a destination, which continually seeks to offer something new to our visitors in their quest for an authentic Antigua and Barbuda experience. We congratulate the GARD Center for their efforts in spearheading this initiative”.

The farm-to-table movement is quite popular, and Saturday’s event will present a great opportunity for our visitors and residents to be exposed to exciting innovations in Antigua and Barbuda dining. Some of our finest chefs will be using our island ingredients to create a wide range of dishes, to reflect Antigua and Barbuda’s cuisine and culture.

Farm-to-Table restaurants were first created in the United States of America, in the 1960s, when it had become trendy to eat local, organic, or natural foods. The GARD’s Farm to Table Luncheon being supported by the Ministry of Tourism, The Tourism Authority and Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute, is another one of GARD’s major efforts in achieving the national goal of increasing the consumption of locally produced food in Antigua and Barbuda.