Taste Of Two Islands A Smashing Success

ST. THOMAS — WTJX’s Taste of Two Islands, this year being the 14th annual event, was yet another successful undertaking, as hundreds packed the Antilles School gym (Mark Marin Center) to taste the best food St. Thomas and St. John have to offer, with about 24 restaurants, caterers, spirit specialists and desert makers participating.

The affair, which ran from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., saw entertainment from Cool Sessions Brass and had no lack of eventgoers willing to dance as Cool Sessions cued one Soca hit after the next. Soon enough, a group of people formed lines in front of the auditorium’s stage and started America’s seemingly favorite dance, the Electric Slide.

Those who were not dancing were getting their money’s worth by making the rounds at the 24 participating taste providers, whose tables made a circle around the auditorium, saving room for the stage area and center, where eventgoers mingled and danced. The mood of the event was vibrant, too, as people appeared to have enjoyed most of what was provided by participating businesses.

Delly Deck chef celebrates win at Taste of Two Islands

“Almost 100 percent of what was provided tasted good,” said VI Consortium Founder Ernice Gilbert, who was a judge of last night’s event. He said though most of the tastes were good, some were great while others were exceptional. “The chefs really outdid themselves in this year’s competition,” he said. The judging criteria included aroma, appearance, texture, and flavor.

Last night’s winners:

• 1st Place: Delly Deck
• 2nd Place: Buddha Sushi
• 3rd Place: Mel’s
• Best Desert: My Brother’s Workshop
• People’s Choice: Delly Deck

Taste of Two Islands is one of the largest culinary events in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and in many ways is similar to the Taste of St. Croix, which has been for years the largest of its kind in the territory. WTJX hosts the tasting affair as a means to raise funds for its operations. The public broadcasting company was founded 47 years ago and can be watched on channel 12, and includes a sister radio station, 93.1 FM. Under the leadership of CEO Tanya Singh, the company has utilized an aggressive online strategy by covering live on its Facebook platform and website a number of local events as well as government-related press events, a realization of how much media consumption has changed over the years.