Some of the best chefs in the world came to Washington, D.C. on April 3rd and you’ll be sorry you missed it. Chefs from Barbados and Haiti won top prizes.
Sponsor TMCA brought out the heavyweights at the 11th Annual Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge. Embassy chefs from around the world came prepared with the most delicious and creative recipes of the year. The mouth watering winners were a guava brûlée pork belly from Barbadian Chef John Cummings, and a surf and turf pumpkin soup from Haitian Chef Dimitri Liliavois. Chef Cummings won the coveted first place “Golden Pineapple” in the Judges’ Choice category presented by TCMA. Chef Lilavois took home first place in the People’s Choice Award presented by Events DC. In addition to the food, there was live music, dancing, priceless networking, and even a best beverage challenge. C
| Judges’ Choice Podium | People’s Choice Podium |
| Chef Javon Cummings, Barbados, Guava Brûlée Pork Belly | Chef Javon Cummings, Haiti, Surf and Turf Pumpkin Soup |
| Chef Anuradha Wijesinghe, Sri Lanka, Milk Rice with Onion Paste and Chicken Curry | Chef Faycal Zahraoui, Morocco, Seafood Pastila with Smoked Potatoes |
| Chef Ron Johnson, Bahamas, Lobster and Coconut Soup with a Curry Cracker and Red Pepper Gel | Chef Dries Molkens, Belgium, 70% Cocoa Chocolate Desserts |
For a second year in a row, two additional award categories were spotlighted. The Best Beverage Award presented by PepsiCo was awarded to Chef Francis Otoo of Ghana for his Ashantie Mule Cocktail and Tebabu Assefa was named the Macy’s Best Dressed for their cultural display.
Led my emcee Ed Henry, Anchor & Chief National Correspondent for FOX News Channel, guests ate their way through an abundant array of foods and drinks prepared by the embassy chefs representing The Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bolivia, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Haiti, Kenya, Morocco, Peru, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The judging panel consisted of:
- Executive Chef Xavier Deshayes, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
- Maria Godoy, Senior Editor, NPR Science Desk, and Host, The Salt
- Rose Previte, Owner, Maydan and Compass Rose
- Ashley Rose Young, Food Historian, Smithsonian National Museum of American History
“Every year the Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge grows bigger, better and even more delicious! Barbados and Haiti may have gone home with the Golden Pineapples, but with amazing food, drinks, music, dancing, and such celebration of diplomacy everyone can go home feeling like a winner said Events DC president and CEO, Gregory A O’Dell. “We had exceptionally talented embassy chefs representing their country’s native cuisines. Congratulations to all of our participants and thank you for helping to celebrating all the culinary treasures right here in our nation’s capital.”
