A taste of Barbados in Toronto
June 3, 2025
Beyond the sea, there’s another “c” that representatives from Barbados are showcasing in Toronto this week — and that’s the Caribbean destination’s culinary scene.
“I think so often, people loop the Caribbean all into one. Oh, you’re going to the Caribbean? It’s sun, sea and sand. Yes, Barbados has sun, we have sea and, of course, we have sand, but there’s so much more that really encapsulates what Barbados has to offer as a destination,” shared Eusi Skeete, director for Canada at Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), last night at Summerhill Event Boutique highlighting a range of offerings from romance to adventure. “We want Torontonians and Canadians in general to elevate their vacation experiences. We want them to think about more than just sun, sea and sand… and I think Barbados offers that experience. We’re not a one dimensional destination.”
Kicking off a week of initiatives in the city for Barbados Week Toronto, culinary ambassadors chef Javon Cummins and mixologist Philip Antoine were on hand to deliver a five-course menu paired with cocktails, described as a love letter to Barbados through food and drink.
“A table is a place in Barbados where we come together, where we celebrate each other,” Skeete noted. “We do a lot around the table and around food.”
While the Caribbean region is known for its all-inclusive resorts, he shared that resorts in Barbados want travellers to get out and taste the local food scene.
“When people think about going on vacation, the first thing they think of is going to an all inclusive, but we want to dispel the myth that to have a unique and quintessential vacation experience you have to have an all inclusive resort,” he shared. “Actually, we want to turn that on its head because Barbados is the culinary capital of the Caribbean, more restaurants per capita than any other destination in the Western hemisphere. That is something we’re very proud of and our culinary talent is second to none.”
Notably, the destination celebrated 75 years of service with Air Canada earlier this year.
“We’re a destination that offers something for everyone. If you want to be immersed into the local culture, that is something that Barbados offers because we’re such a safe island, you’re not confined to the walls of your resort,” Skeete said. “When you’re in Barbados you get out, you meet the people, you learn the way we speak, you learn to dance the way that we do and you quite quickly become a Barbadian.”
Over the course of the night, attendees tasted a variety of cocktails made from Mount Gay rum, as Barbados is considered the birthplace of rum, and Mount Gay distillery — founded in 1703 — is believed to produce the oldest rum found anywhere in the world with the oldest surviving deed backing up this claim.
“Barbados is just known for its culinary expertise and from the first course to the last course, we hope it was something immersive,” added Ukweli Wilson, senior business development officer, BTMI.
Tags: Barbados, BTMI, Eusi Skeete, Javon Cummins, Philip Antoine