The Saint Lucia Food and Rum Festival will, from Jan. 12 – 14, present exciting collaborations between the island’s national culinary team and award-winning chef, restaurateur, and television personality, Marcus Samuelsson. One such collaboration is the recreation of the Obama administration’s first state dinner at the celebrity chef dinner on Saturday, Jan. 13, taking place at Ti Bannane at Coco Palm Resort.

The five-course menu will feature local ingredients, herbs and spices including callaloo, tomatoes, yams, banana, passion fruit, coconut, conch and other seafood. The evening will be a fusion of island chic and fine dining with a cocktail hour, live entertainment, rum tasting and chocolate pairing.

Chef Samuelsson is the acclaimed chef behind many restaurants worldwide including, Red Rooster, Streetbird Rotisserie, and Marcus B&P. Samuelsson was the youngest person to ever receive a three-star review from The New York Times, Samuelsson has won multiple James Beard Foundation Awards including Best Chef: New York City. Samuelsson was also crowned champion of television shows "Top Chef Masters" and "Chopped All -Stars," and served as a mentor on ABC's "The Taste." A committed philanthropist, Samuelsson co-produces the annual food and culture festival Harlem EatUp!, which supports Harlem Park to Park and Citymeals-on-Wheels.

Assisting Chef Samuelsson will be the award-winning, Saint Lucia National Culinary team who won eight medals at the 2017 Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) culinary competition “Taste of the Caribbean”. The team consists of Sandals Halcyon Beach Resort’s Chef Niguel Gerald, pastry chef Robert McDonald, Kisha Prosper Chocolate competition winner; Windjammer Landing Resort and Spa’s Nissa Paul, Beef competition winner; Cap Maison Resort’s Billy Mauricette, Junior Chef of the Year; Capella Marigot Bay & Marina’s Klent Abel – Seafood competition winner; and The Body Holiday, Le Sport’s Germain Sydney – bartender competition winner. The team will also be supported by bartender Steve Peter of The Body Holiday, Le Sport and the Executive Chef of Coco Resorts Richardson Skinner.

“We see this collaboration as an experience where our outstanding chefs have an opportunity to learn from one of the world’s great culinary masters and as a culinary delight for all to experience something uniquely Saint Lucia,” said SLHTA CEO, Noorani Azeez.

The Celebrity Chef Dinner presented by Marcus Samuelsson will be an exclusive night of fine dining and entertainment. Tickets for the Gala event are EC$300/USD$120 with limited seating. For more information visit: http://www.stlucia.org/food-rum-festival/