The Atlantic Ocean roars along the cliffs of Barbados’ southeastern coast. The wind presses against the stone wall. Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lords Castle ResortThe sound is transmitted through an outdoor corridor towards the restaurant and terrace facing the sea. Fishing boats pass over the horizon. A flying fish lands on the ice in a nearby market. Rum casks are stored in old houses across the island.
In 2026, that coastline will comprise a new one. That is, a quarterly chef residency designed to bring chefs from the Caribbean diaspora back to the region, providing five nights of tasting menus, market visits and a shared kitchen.
The program name is navigator’s table.
Exchange-based quarterly residencies
Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lord’s Castle Resort, launches The Navigator’s Table in partnership with: Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc and a cooking agency Best Dressing Plate.
Each edition lasts five days and centers on collaboration between internationally recognized Caribbean diaspora chefs and the resort’s culinary team. The structure goes beyond guest appearances. Visiting chefs cook alongside the lodge team, work with local ingredients and spend time in Barbados fish markets and farms. The purpose is as much to exchange technology as it is to eat with guests.
What represents the Barbados team? Rashid WickhamAn up-and-coming local chef who focuses on island ingredients. His role is to focus on what is grown, swam and fermented in Barbados, alongside chefs who have experience in New York, London, Miami and Toronto.
The name references the building’s maritime past. Each residency traces the path across the Caribbean from the Greater Antilles to the Lesser Antilles and Lucayan Islands through multi-course tasting menus, chef’s table dinners, live demonstrations and culinary storytelling.
Some editions include guided visits to fish markets and farms, giving guests a first-hand experience with the island’s agricultural and maritime traditions.
Luxury created through the touch of a culinary artist
Petra Roach, director of sales and marketing at Wyndham Grand Barbados at Sam Lord’s Castle resort, describes the program as an evolution of luxury hotel service, focusing on experience and professional development not only on the plate but also inside the kitchen.
The residency model creates structured time for knowledge transfer. Technology developed overseas is returning to Caribbean kitchens. Indigenous materials are reexamined in a contemporary way. The result, the resort says, is an imprint that remains after each visiting chef leaves.
Peter Mayers, BTMI’s U.S. director, points to the continued strength of culinary tourism among U.S. travelers. He points out that food drives destination choices, especially when linked to authenticity and storytelling. Programs like The Navigator’s Table further highlight Barbados’ place in Caribbean gastronomy.
Nneka Nurse, Best Dressed Plate’s Chief Taste Officer, organizes the series around migration and return. Chefs bring global experiences back to the Caribbean environment while reconnecting with the flavors that shaped their early lives.
2026 Lineup
The first calendar consists of five themed residencies.
April 16-20 | Caribbean Innovation: From the Antilles to the Archipelago
The opening edition explores technological developments in the Greater Antilles, Lesser Antilles, and Lucayan Islands.
Participating chefs are: Brian Lumley From Jamaica, renowned for his work in the field of cultural gastronomy; Gareth BoweMarcus’ Chef de Cuisine at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House in the Bahamas; and Darian BrianContestant on Next Level Chef.
The menu reflects local interpretations. This means placing Barbadian ingredients at the center of the table and providing modern plating using island techniques.
July 16-20 | Plant Based: Earth, Roots and Terroir
The summer residency transitions to plant-based Caribbean cuisine while emphasizing translocal hunting and agricultural knowledge.
The lineup includes: Nick Nichols and Mike Nicholsthe Brooklyn-based duo of Aunts et Uncles; Joachim Joseph Grenada, famous for its “farm-fresh” cuisine; and Nathan CollymoreExecutive Chef at Jam Delish in London.
Expect traditional island cuisine reinterpreted using open-fire techniques, root vegetables harvested from Barbados soil, breadfruit roasted over coals, and without animal proteins.
October 8-12 | Luxury Private Dining & Haute Couture
This edition focuses on presentations and private dining that combines Caribbean heritage with modern plating.
Chefs include: nick sales Miami; Renee BlackmanFamous for appearing on Pressure Cooker; and Max GuillaumeChef de Cuisine at Kabawa in New York City.
The format focuses on a chef’s table experience and small, high-touch dinners within the resort’s dining rooms.
November 5-9 | Food and Rum Edition
Barbados’ identity as the birthplace of rum underpins this residency.
Participating chefs are: Nathaniel MotleyNamed a ‘Notable Product to Watch’ at the 2025 Top New Restaurant Awards; Ronnie MurdochMiss Likklemores and founder of ISLA; and Omar WaltersCurator of Omar’s Rum Bar in New York City.
Discussions of rum pairings, tasting menus, distillation and culinary integration are expected to define the week.
December 3-7 | Holidays & Traditions: Legacy Series
The final residency of the year turned to holiday cuisine from across the Caribbean diaspora.
Lineup Features Raul Correa Puerto Rican origin recognized by the James Beard Foundation; bridget josephCulinary conservator based in Trinidad; and Alain LemaireKnown from Chopped.
The menu is built on recipes linked to family tables from across the region, interpreted within the framework of a five-day tasting experience.
five nights at the table
Guests can book The Navigator’s Table through select five-night packages starting from US$2,000 per person, based on double occupancy. Packages include luxury accommodations at Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lord’s Castle Resort, and access to residency programs and signature culinary events.
This structure takes you inside the exchange. Sit at the tasting counter, watch the chef plate, listen to conversations about techniques and origins, and travel to the market where the day’s fish is laid out on crushed ice.
Over five residencies in 2026, the program traces the path of migration through food from New York and London to the coastline of Barbados, where trade winds move through outdoor dining rooms and the Atlantic Ocean sets the tempo just beyond the terraces.
