If you didn’t know, Barbados is frequently referred to as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean.
As such, it’s been 10 years of the biggest Caribbean food festival, i.e., “The Barbados Food & Rum festival”! Initially, the festival name was the Barbados Food & Wine festival but was quickly altered to reflect the robust Bajan rum culture. Thanks to my friend Tammy O’Hara from the Million Miles Travel Agency, The Buppie Foodie (that’s me) together with my crew attended this year’s festival.
The 2019 theme of the festival was “The Story of Rum…from then to now.”
Barbados Food And Rum Festival 2019 – Event Schedule
Thursday, October 24, 2019
The festival began with the free fish fry event called a “Night Out in Oistins.”
Event description: Savor the taste of the South as the Festival curtain opens at the historic Oistins fishing village. Be there to witness local chefs preparing fresh, grilled treats under the stars, and relish in one of the island’s most talked-about experiences of cultural and culinary fusion. – Via Visit Barbados
Friday, October 25, 2019
On Friday night, those who are seeking a sit-down dining experience were able to explore the restaurants throughout Barbados during the Gourmet Safari dinner series.
Event Description: Feel free to dine around Barbados on Friday night. Whether it on the North, South, East, and West coast, you can be treated to the best that Barbados Culinary champions have. This year we have added more restaurants to the Gourmet Safari, and patrons have a wide list to choose from to suit any budget. – Via Visit Barbados
Saturday, October 26, 2019
After 10 years, the festival is introducing a new event, the Food Truck Mash-Up.
Event Description: “Barbados food trucks have been around for many years and have traditionally taken the form of small passenger vehicles with locals plying their own home-cooked meals. Locals often refer to them “food-vans” and can be found today on every corner of the island. Join us this October for our very first Food Truck Mashup, where we bring the very best of Bajan mobile culinary experiences into one location. Join us for this amazing event.” – Via Visit Barbados
Sunday, October 27, 2019
The festival ended with the grand finale on Sunday at the Ilaro Court.
“Sweet, tropical notes with a smooth finish, or dark, full-bodied and spiced? Taste and discover the rich origins of Barbados’ beloved spirit over a refreshing blend of flavourful music. Be pampered at this all-inclusive event as award-winning local chefs prepare unique hors d’oeuvres to complement the delicious aperitifs and hand-crafted rum cocktails.” – Via Visit Barbados
At the grand finale event, I was able to meet the Queen of Soca, Alison Hinds, and Barbadian artist Peter Ram.
Overall, I really enjoyed my first experience at the Food & Rum festival. The Bajan cuisine is absolutely delicious (especially if you’re a seafood lover), and the rum is fantastic. The only downside is that I found the Food Truck Mash-up event to be a bit unorganized, (because they ran out of everything!). However, given that it was the first year of the event, I’m sure things will be better for next year.
So the big question: Will I go back again? Absolutely!! Barbados is a beautiful island that everyone should visit and if you’re a foodie, you absolutely have to go!
Get inspired and check out some photos (and videos) from the event below:
