Grills firing, music across the sand, the sound of glasses clinking as plates are passed from the kitchen to the table. In Anguilla, food has always been linked to the island’s identity, shaped by its fishing culture, roadside kitchens and sophisticated restaurants along the coast. In May, all that energy comes together.
The Anguilla Culinary Experience returns for its fifth year from May 13 to May 17, bringing visiting chefs and local culinary talent to kitchens across the island. The five-day program is a mix of fine dining, casual gatherings and hands-on experiences, with a clear purpose behind it: to support culinary and hospitality training for young Anguilla residents, while also providing them with direct access to experienced chefs.
How Anguilla Became a Culinary Capital
Anguilla’s food culture didn’t start out as a destination game. I was born on a small island with a deep connection to the sea and a habit of cooking well with whatever I can get my hands on. Fishermen brought bream, crayfish and lobster. Beachside grills turn your catch into a simple, straightforward meal. Over time, that foundation began to develop and one place played a big role in driving it forward. Maliouhana will.
When Malliouhana opened in the 1980s, it brought dining to another level in Anguilla. The hotel features an experienced chef, formal service and a restaurant that treats Caribbean ingredients with the same attention to detail found in European kitchens. Guests don’t just come to the beach anymore. They were enjoying a multi-course dinner centered around local seafood, seasonal produce and sophisticated techniques. This created new expectations for what dining on the island would be like.
The influence spread. Chefs who trained or worked at Malliouhana went on to open their own restaurants. Hotels are starting to invest more seriously in their culinary programs. Independent venues along the coast have raised the bar while adhering to the straightforward, ingredient-driven cuisine that defined Anguilla in the first place.
Today, we see both sides of that history wherever we eat. You can order grilled lobster from a beach hut with your feet in the sand, or enjoy a tasting menu while sitting in a resort restaurant where the same ingredients are handled with precision and care.
Now there is a major culinary event to celebrate this culinary identity.
Festivals spread across the island
This is not a single site event. The Anguilla Culinary Experience takes place in villas, resorts and restaurants, where chefs work in real kitchens and create menus centered around local seafood, produce and Caribbean ingredients.
The format defines the state. You’re not walking through rows of booths. People are heading to places they already know – beachfront restaurants, private villas, hotel dining rooms – and chefs are collaborating at that very moment.
This year’s lineup includes Chicago chef Oliver Poilevey of Obélix and Le Bouchon, “Top Chef” alum and restaurateur Chef Timothy Dean, and wine expert Cyril Meuley. Returning hosts Janine Edwards and Trudy Nixon host this week’s program.
Opening night at Karaya
The festivities kick off on May 13 at Karaya, the new Shoal Bay West restaurant from the team behind Veya and Sandbar. The format is loose and sociable. It’s a strolling evening with several grill stations and a sizable selection of dishes.
Chefs Poilevey and Dean cook alongside local chefs including Joel Reyes, creating a Mediterranean-influenced menu with Caribbean ingredients. Cocktails include Anguillita Rum and Clifton Estate spirits and wines from Grands Vins de France Anguilla. Live performances by Jenique Javois and Dennis Warrington will run throughout the night.
Rum crawl and island exploration
Thursday May 14th focuses on getting out across the island. The returning Moke Tour and Rum Crawl takes guests on an open-air vehicle on a guided route between Anguilla’s best-known rum punch stops, including Funzone, Anguilla Sands and Salt and Tasty’s POV.
This year a boat stop was added at Scilly Cay, changing the setting midway through the trip. The experience includes a mix of transportation, tastings, and sightseeing, with a steady rhythm of stops along the way.
Dinner that evening was divided into several tracks. At Villa Alegria, chefs Poilevey and Carrie Bogar present communal dinners that combine French techniques with Veya’s Caribbean approach. At Karaya, Timothy Dean and Joel Reyes focus on seafood and freshly harvested ingredients in a multi-course format.
At Zemi Beach House, rum takes center stage with guided tastings in the Rhum Room, created around the finest spirits led by the property’s in-house experts.
Multi-sensory dinner at Malliouhana
Friday’s headline event takes place at Malliouhana. Chef Kerth Gumbs leads a multi-sensory, course-by-course dinner at Celeste, with the full menu revealed only at the end.
Gumbs is joined by Executive Chef Wilson Macedo and Leon’s Executive Chef Jomal McBean, combining local knowledge with extensive culinary skills. The resort is also offering exclusive packages tied to the event, including accommodations and access to cooking classes with its culinary team.
Earlier in the evening, Calypso Charters runs a sunset catamaran sail complete with champagne and light snacks, adding another option before dinner.
French Pairing and Chef’s Table at Four Seasons
Friday nights continue at various locations. At Jacala Beach Restaurant, Chef Alain Laurent presents a French menu with Caribbean influences paired with wines from Boisset La Famille des Grand Vins for each course, with tableside commentary throughout the meal.
Four Seasons Resort Anguilla’s 10-course Chef’s Table at Salt showcases Anguilla cuisine from one end of the island to the other. Executive Chef Manu Calderon and Sous Chef Aaron Gumbs construct the menu in a regional progression, with each course reflecting a different part of the island.
Beach BBQ and Cooking Showdown
Saturday had a more casual vibe. The annual beach barbecue at Anguilla Great House and Beach Resort brings together local chefs, Anguilla’s national culinary team and festival guests to spend an afternoon on the sand.
The format includes grill stations, cooking and bartending competitions, live music, raffles and family activities. Admission is free, and food and drinks are available for purchase.
Last night on the whole island
Saturday night was again divided into several experiences. At Zemi Beach House, a rum tasting led by bar manager Alfonso Di Lorito transitions into a multi-course dinner at Stone. At Stone, Executive Chef Emanuele Sabatini draws on Roman culinary traditions.
Meads Bay’s Savi Beach Club will feature an interactive dinner featuring a five-course menu accompanied by a live murder mystery performance led by Executive Chef Dario Schiavo.
End with Sunday Funday
The weekend concludes with a “Sunday Funday” gathering of music, food and a final celebration at Leon’s in Meads Bay, Malliouhana on May 17.
Between events, there will be time to explore Anguilla itself. It has 33 public beaches, a network of independent restaurants, and a culinary identity that continues to attract travelers year after year.
The Anguilla Culinary Experience continues to grow, but its focus remains the same. That means bringing people into real kitchens, connecting visiting chefs with local talent, and creating opportunities for the next generation of Anguillian hospitality professionals.
