The Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival, hosted by Atlantis, is an event nearly everyone can enjoy. It takes place over five days and features fun and food in a tropical paradise. From culinary demonstrations to food tastings, there’s nothing not to love about this premier culinary event.
After attending sessions at this event for just a few days, I concluded that Bahamian cuisine lives up to the hype. This event encompasses everything true foodies can appreciate: unique cuisine and bold flavors, culinary talent from celebrity chefs, and hands-on culinary learning experiences. Here’s what to expect at the event and a look at the flavors of the Bahamas you can expect to savor at next year’s festival.
Lunch master classes
The Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival is not your average food festival. Unlike other festivals, this Caribbean culinary event is jam-packed with events throughout the day and the night. You don’t have to wait all day for the signature nighttime events for delicious bites. The daytime events include several Master Classes and Lunches hosted by the event’s featured culinary talents.
Some examples include the Master Class by Michelin-recognized chef Michael White for an intimate pasta-making experience or the Master Class or the Art of Sushi at the world-renowned Nobu restaurant. These events are not only a chance to learn culinary secrets but also a chance to get up close with your favorite chefs.
Master Class & Lunch with Alon Shaya
Since I love Mediterranean food, I attended the Master Class with James-Beard Award-winning Chef Alon Shaya at his signature restaurant, Silan. I’ve attended many cooking classes, yet this one was among the most unique experiences. Unlike hands-on cooking classes where you’re focused solely on the cooking itself, this event allows you to sit back and relax while focusing more on the technique and art of cooking. This type of Master Class is excellent for anyone who enjoys learning about the true talent of cooking. The experience also allows attendees to meet the chefs one-on-one and ask individual questions. I loved all the events I attended at the Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival, but the daytime Master Classes were my favorite.
Chef Shaya prepared a delicious selection of Middle Eastern-inspired meals in this class, explaining each step and technique as he cooked. We learned how to make mushroom cigars with paprika aioli, a delicious starter that involves layering thin pieces of phyllo dough and stuffing the center with a mushroom filling (these are so delicious that I will be attempting to make these at home). For the main course, Chef Shaya prepared local grouper with creamy orzo and feta cheese, followed by a dessert: Chocolate Budino with toasted meringue and Urfa shortbread cookies.
Another unique part of this Master Class was the wine component, sponsored by Young’s Fine Wines, a Bahamian importer of fine wines and spirits. A carefully selected wine pairing was served with each course (starters, entree, and dessert), with an explanation of why a wine expert chose each wine. Not only were the wines delicious, but I enjoyed learning why each wine was selected based on the flavors of each food. I recommend checking out at least one of the daytime Master Classes during your visit to the festival.
Featured events
The event takes place over a long weekend and includes a featured nighttime event on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. Each featured event, which took place on the beach, had a different Caribbean theme, such as Tacos and Tequila, Taste of Paradise, and Jerk Jam.
Tacos and Tequila
The first of the three featured events, Tacos and Tequila, kicked off with a delicious sampling of tacos from local culinary vendors and tequila tastings. Upon entry, guests were given a token to vote for their favorite taco. I must have sampled at least 12 different tacos at this event, which made deciding on just one to vote for pretty tricky.
From fire engine taco bites to ancho chicken flautas with queso fresca (a form of rolled tacos), I was impressed with every taco variation I tried. The event also featured a live performance from Baha Men, adding to the fun atmosphere. The drink stands were great, too, featuring various signature tequila cocktails that paired wonderfully with the tacos.
Taste of Paradise
The Friday night event, Taste of Paradise, was hosted by culinary star Bobby Flay. It was set up the same way as the Tacos & Tequila event from the night before, only the vendors served a variety of Bahamian-inspired foods. As you can imagine, everything was equally as delicious. My favorite food of the night was the Jerk Chicken Slide from Claudio’s, paired with a delightful “Make Me Blush” cocktail.
My favorite dessert of the night was Boozy Ice Cream by vendor Tipsy Scoop. I tried the Elvis Whiskey Midnight snack, a delightful peanut butter-banana-bacon-whiskey ice cream combination. The unique variation between each stand or dish made this event so fun for a foodie like myself, as there was always something new to taste around every corner.
Jerk Jam
My favorite of the three signature events was the Jerk Jam, the final signature event of the festival. Although the concert by Shaggy was terrific, the jam-packed flavors of the Bahamas in each food bite were my favorite part of this event. From flavored Bahamian Rum Cakes to Jerk Chicken-inspired pasta, every dish at this festival tasted as delicious as it looked. I enjoyed the mix of different foods at this signature event the most, which genuinely had everything imaginable (yes, even Jerk-inspired Dim Sum from a local restaurant called The Poop Deck).
