Jamaicans dominated the 2025 Caribbean Culinary Impact Awards with 12 nationals from the island among honourees named by culinary authority Best Dressed Plate (BDP), the organisers of the event.

Now in its second year, the awards recognise regional excellence across four regions — the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean — and across six categories. Best Dressed Plate also introduced two special awards, the Sylvia Hunt Lifetime Achievement Award and the Best Culinary Destination Award.

BDP founder and Academy Chair for The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Nneka Nurse said the expansion of the awards was strategic.

“The introduction of regional honourees acknowledges the sheer volume and influence of the Caribbean diaspora in these key markets, demonstrating the strength in numbers and the undeniable global reach of the cuisine,” she said. “With the two special awards, the aim is to honour legacy and destination, putting our culinary history into the spotlight while simultaneously promoting gastronomic tourism in our islands.”

Jamaicans earned 12 recognitions across all regions, underscoring the island’s powerful culinary export, BDP said, adding that Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados also had a strong showing, cementing their status as culinary leaders in the region and diaspora.

“Best Dressed Plate is committed to elevating Caribbean cuisine and the men and women who are not just keeping history, legacy, and identity alive through their craft but also pushing the envelope every day to position our cuisine at a global level,” said Nurse. “These awards honour our hardworking, innovative and creative chefs and those who toil in kitchens across the Caribbean and diaspora. The time is now for Caribbean cuisine, and with these awards, we aim to inspire our people and guide the rest of the world when it comes to our cuisine.”

The honorees for the 2025 Caribbean Culinary Impact Awards are as follows:

Special Awards

• The Sylvia Hunt Lifetime Achievement Award: This inaugural honour is presented to Chris DeLarosa of Caribbean Pot. A Trinidadian-born pioneer based in Canada, DeLarosa has spent over a decade democratising Caribbean cooking for a global digital audience. This award is named for the legendary Sylvia Hunt, to ensure her foundational contributions to Caribbean culinary identity are never forgotten, by honoring a present-day leader who embodies her spirit of cultural preservation and education.
• Best Caribbean Culinary Destination: Awarded to the Grenada Tourism Authority, recognising the “Spice Isle” for its strategic and successful commitment to positioning culinary tourism at the forefront of its national identity, attracting global eyes to the region’s diverse flavours.

Regional Awards

UNITED STATES REGIONAL HONOREES
• Trailblazing Chef of the Year: Paul Carmichael (Barbados)
• Rising Star Chef: Max Guillaume (Haiti)
• Best Restaurant: Linden (Costa Rica & Barbuda)
• Excellence in Culinary Entrepreneurship: Caribe & Co (Jamaica)
• Outstanding Food Content Creator: Trini Cooking With Natasha (Trinidad & Tobago)
• Best Food Truck/Pop-Up Vendor: CMarty’s Jerk (Jamaica and Aruba)

CANADA REGIONAL HONOREES
• Trailblazing Chef of the Year: Lonnie Murdock (Jamaica)
• Rising Star Chef: Marc Kusitor (Haiti)
• Best Restaurant: Miss Likklemores (Jamaica)
• Excellence in Culinary Entrepreneurship: Nutmeg Spiced (Grenada)
• Outstanding Food Content Creator: Wendy Bridgemohan (Trinidad & Tobago)
• Best Food Truck/Pop-Up Vendor: Bim Streets Eats (Barbados)

CARIBBEAN REGIONAL HONOREES
• Trailblazing Chef of the Year: Brian Lumley (Jamaica)
• Rising Star Chef: Garette Bowe (Bahamas)
• Best Restaurant: Olive House (Trinidad and Tobago)
• Excellence in Culinary Entrepreneurship: Tooksie’s (Jamaica)
• Outstanding Food Content Creator: Radikal Rose Eats (Grenada)
• Best Food Truck/Pop-Up Vendor: Bulbie Soups (Jamaica)

UK REGIONAL HONOREES
• Trailblazing Chef of the Year: Kareem Roberts (Antigua/Jamaica)
• Rising Star Chef: Nathaniel Mortley (Guyana & Barbados)
• Best Restaurant: Jam Delish (Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica)
• Excellence in Culinary Entrepreneurship: Flake Bake Patties (Jamaica)
• Outstanding Food Content Creator: Black Eats London (Jamaica)
• Best Food Truck/Pop-Up Vendor: Bokit’la (Guadeloupe)