Born and raised in Barbados, Renee Blackman has always had a passion for food and culture. Growing up her inspirations were her mother Colleen and Grandmother Hazel, sparking her fascination with food. Renee decided at an early age to become a chef, wanting to combine bold flavors to create deeply satisfying dishes. At the age of 16, she attended an early culinary program in New York where she excelled quickly. Exhibiting extreme interest in technique and presentation, she was deemed the lead chef amongst her peers. After discovering her niche of combining food and art, Chef Renee began creating elaborate dishes for friends and family members. Chef Renee believes in using the freshest ingredients and constantly seeks out seasonal finds to enhance her dishes.

The Barbados Food and Rum Festival sets out to inspire the next generation of Barbadian cuisine. Under the theme, Feed the Future, the festival is engaging young aspiring chefs on the island with the return of the Junior Chef Cook-Off Competition. With higher stakes and bigger prizes, 10 contestants will go head-to-head for the most anticipated cook-off competition. The winner of the Junior Chef Cook-Off Competition will receive a scholarship for an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts at the Jean and Norma Holder Hospitality Institute, an internship at one of Barbados’ premium fine dining restaurants as well as BBD $3,000. Follow the Journey of the 2024 Contestants via our web series Meet the Junior Chefs!

Described as the ‘Ultimate Foodie Dream Weekend’, the Barbados Food and Rum Festival is a mecca for foodies all over the world, where Barbados’ finest culinary talent is celebrated. Held by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, each year the festival transforms the month of October into a culinary escapade encapsulating the essence of Barbados’ culinary culture. It has become one of the most sought-after festivals in the world earning the title of the Caribbean’s Best Culinary Festival in 2023. Barbados is known as the Birthplace of Rum and the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, so the Festival is where it all culminates. With a theme of “Feed the Future”, not only does the festival feature local and international chefs as well as renowned rum producers but also nurtures the next generation of culinary talent.