Chef Hippolyte earned a gold medal and was the overall winner in the cheesecake category of the 2015 Taste of the Caribbean competition.

Saint Lucia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Her Excellency, Menissa Rambally, on Aug. 13welcomed Saint Lucian Sous Chef Martha Hippolyte to the Permanent Mission of Saint Lucia to the United Nations, and the Consulate General of Saint Lucia in New York.

Chef Hippolyte earned a gold medal and was the overall winner in the 2015 Taste of the Caribbean competition (cheesecake category), held in Miami in June.

Congratulating Chef Hippolyte on her outstanding performance in the international competition, Ambassador Rambally noted that she was proud to celebrate this latest milestone in the life of such an artistic young Saint Lucian.

Chef Hippolyte presented Ambassador Rambally with her signature Bay Leaf cheesecake, infused with Chef Hippolyte’s indigenous flavors coupled with local ingredients, including the Saint Lucian biscuit “Lababad” as the cheesecake crust and a local apricot puree.

Ambassador Rambally opined that Chef Hippolyte’s creation should be promoted locally, regionally, and internationally, adding that she eagerly looks forward to hosting other inspiring and talented Saint Lucians who excel in their various fields.

In her remarks, Chef Hippolyte said she was profoundly honored to present her winning cheesecake to the Saint Lucian ambassador. She was also pleased that Ambassador Rambally found her dish to be appealing and worthy of the international market.

As a Sous Chef at Saint Lucia’s Coconut Bay Resort for the past seven years, Hippolyte also invented the Chairman’s Spiced Watermelon—fresh watermelon cubes marinated in distilled Chairman's Spice Rum.

The Taste of the Caribbean is an annual culinary competition hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association focused on discovering and developing hidden talents in the region while giving chefs an opportunity to showcase their culinary skills.