Barbados – Culinary Tour

Disclaimer: This post was done in collaboration with Elegant Hotels and Visit Barbados. All opinions expressed are my own. All information, offerings, and prices are accurate as of time of posting. Please refer to Elegant Hotels and Visit Barbados for the most up to date information.

*All images are copyrighted Allons.Y Styling & Photography. Please do not use or re-post without written consent and provide credit where applicable*

A little while ago I was invited by Elegant Hotels to visit two of their properties and experience authentic Bajan cuisine in celebration of their new cookbook, Taste, which contains a collection of recipes from chefs and bartenders across their 9 properties on the island.

With all of their chefs and bartenders being local Bajan culinary powerhouses you are sure to get one of the most authentic experiences in terms of food. Below I give you the lowdown on some of the highlights, which can all be found in their cookbook.

Waves Hotel & Spa

The Waves Hotel & Spa is designed with a South Beach Miami feel and has a strong focus on health and wellness. As one of their all-inclusive resorts you have access to unlimited food & beverages, motorized water sports with lessons, and even complimentary water taxi to their other all-inclusive locations where you ‘stay at one, play at many’ and enjoy the offerings at their other select locations. There’s even daily sunset yoga offered and depending on select packages and length of stay you can get a complimentary spa treatment.

I really enjoyed the daily green juices that they made fresh every morning and that they had a wide variety of offerings on-site, from their breakfast buffet to their Asian inspired restaurant, Shiso, where I got to try the most amazing gluten free almond basil torte and green curry shrimp (both recipes can be found in the cookbook). The ultimate star for me though from this property though was their Basil Rum Fizz. A refreshing concoction containing Mount Gay Eclipse Rum, soda water, lemon juice, simple syrup, and a basil sprig you had better believe that page 179 will be on heavy rotation for me.

Basil Rum Fizz

Tamarind Hotel

Considered to be a national treasure of Barbados, Cou Cou is a dish that you will find every single Bajan person eating on a Saturday afternoon. Cou Cou consists of a cornmeal, okra, tomato, flying fish, and Bajan seasoning base that is served with a creole sauce and topped with pickled cucumber.

For a dish so highly revered it was only fitting that the Elegant Hotels held a competition amongst their staff at all properties to see who could cook up the best Cou Cou. In the end there were 2 winners crowned, one for traditional Cou Cou and one for a contemporary version. A third recipe, while it didn’t win, was a dessert Cou Cou and was also included for being so creative. Be sure to check out pages 224-229 for the Cou Cou recipes. My personal favourite was the winner of the traditional Cou Cou, which was done by Chef Donna of Tamarind Hotel.

Donna’s Cou Cou

Treasure Beach Hotel

Besides Cou Cou, Pudding and Souse is another very traditional and very local Bajan dish. You’ll typically find it being served in rum shops and is made of seasoned and boiled pork or pig parts and served with pickled cucumber, onions, lime, steamed sweet potato pudding and slices of breadfruit.

While there is a recipe included in the cookbook for a traditional pudding and souse it’s the deconstructed version done by Chef Javon Cummins of Tapestry Restaurant inside the Treasure Beach Hotel that you’ll want to try out if you’re looking to command some attention at your next dinner party. Chilled Sous Vide Pork with Beetroot Pudding, Pickled Gelée, Parsley Foam, and scotch bonnet mango gel anyone?

Deconstructed Souse

The House

The House is one of Elegant Hotels adult-only hotels that focuses on high end, yet approachable luxury. Each stay here comes complete with 24 hour ambassador service, so that the needs you never knew you needed are met, and complimentary massage upon arrival. There’s also motorized water sports, yoga classes, champagne breakfast, afternoon tea and canapés included as well.

Neroli Spritzer

It’s only fitting then that the signature cocktail for a place as elegant as The House would be the Neroli Spritzer, a Prosecco based mixture with honey, orange slices, and mint. Basically, some next level bubbly in a glass.

The Colony Club

Known for it’s colonial architecture The Colony Club is considered one of the most iconic resorts in Barbados. I even had one of my favourite meals of the trip here, the Bajan spiced barracuda and the macaroni pie – both Bajan staples and now one of my staples as well.

The Rum Vault

Inside The Colony Club lies The Rum Vault, the first and only rum vault in Barbados. With over 150 types of rum from all over the world it is only fitting that a space this enchanting would be found in Barbados, the birthplace of rum.

The rotating menus on offer feature rum infused dishes that are of course accompanied by rum pairings. As amazing as the food is the real showpiece of the night was the Rum Vault Flight of three carefully selected rums paired with in-house made artisanal chocolates crafted exclusively to pair with each of the rums. It’s the perfect way to cap off a night you’ll never forget.