Page 64 - Travel Leisure - USA (February 2020)

C A R I B B E A N S P E C I A L

sustainability—are creating a new Bajan cuisine.
TALENT TAKES ROOT
Cobblers Cove is one of the few hotels of its
In Barbados, SARAH GREAVES-GABBADON finds young chefs caliber with a restaurant, Camelot (entrées
bucking Eurocentric trends to create a cuisine that is $37–$60), helmed by a local.
authentically, unapologetically Bajan. “Visitors like to know that they’re eating
something fresh and traditional to the island,”
continued Joseph, whose kitchen is steps from the
water. Under his watch, Camelot no longer serves
From left: Chef HEN I WAS A KID, my cousin and I imported items like smoked salmon or berries.
Javon Cummins; W taught ourselves to cook,” Jason Joseph Instead, Joseph chooses smoked barracuda and
dishes at told me during my recent trip to the a bounty of island fruits, and his breakfast buffet
Tapestry, where
Cummins is British Commonwealth nation of Barbados. “We includes yogurt flavored with mauby, a bittersweet
executive chef. didn’t have money to dine out, so we would fend beverage made from tree bark that’s common in
for ourselves.” Their hard work paid off: the chef, Barbados. He invited me to try his interpretation
who hails from Lower Carlton, now leads the of souse—boiled pork belly, trotters, ears, and
kitchen at Cobblers Cove (cobblers cove.com; snout marinated in lime and typically served at
doubles from $400), a Relais & Châteaux resort room temperature. Joseph’s version was an elegant
on the western coast. I had come to check out update, prepared with curled purple “sea cat” (as
the property’s recent renovation, and to meet locals call octopus) and tender chunks of fresh-
one of a new wave of chefs who—inspired by the caught conch. Served in a sculptural white bowl,
food they grew up with and with an eye toward it was flecked with bits of scarlet Scotch bonnet

T+L A-LIST INTEL COURTESY OF TREASURE BEACH BY ELEGANT HOTELS

“I’m excited about Dominica’s new Cabrits Resort & Spa Kempinski, near Cabrits
National Park. Guests can horseback-ride to the hot springs in the park for a dip.”

— CARIBBEAN SPECIALIST MARGIE HAND (MARGIE.HAND@ANDAVOTRAVEL.COM)

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