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When a recipe works, even if it's experimental, it would be foolish not to reproduce it to delight more guests. So, following the success of the first "Saveurs Caraïbes" event in August 2024, the Comité du tourisme de Saint-Barthélemy (CTTSB) will of course be doing it again this year. On August 9 and 10, in the middle of the school vacations, the event will offer an immersion in Caribbean culture and traditions through a wide range of culinary, musical and fun activities. And for this second edition, the CTTSB has chosen to "celebrate the strong ties" that unite Saint-Barthélemy and Martinique, by giving pride of place to the French island in the Lesser Antilles.
As last year, a small village will be set up in front of the Wall House and the Collectivité. The village will be open from 4 p.m., and is designed to be family-friendly, festive and convivial. Visitors will be able to stroll between various stalls where local craftsmen and traders, as well as those from Martinique, will be displaying their wares. Play areas will be available for children and adults alike!
Workshops to share know-how
To ensure that Martinique is properly represented, 26 guests have been invited to bring a touch of authenticity to the event. The CTTSB will thus be able to offer visitors a variety of activities. A Maré Tèt workshop will introduce visitors to the art of scarf-tying, while another will plunge participants into the atmosphere of traditional Madinina dances, to the rhythm of the drums. An area dedicated to Bakoua weaving and basketry will offer the chance to discover the secrets of making a hat from latanier leaves. And don't forget local know-how, as there will also be a St. Barth-style straw-braiding workshop. "This meeting of island traditions promotes cultural sharing, intergenerational transmission and the enhancement of Caribbean heritage", insists the Tourism Committee.
A Michelin-starred chef on show
Among the guests, the public will discover star chef Sébastien Jean-Joseph. Sébastien Jean-Joseph has been working for over twelve years and opened a gourmet restaurant in Fort-de-France in 2024. "Here, all tastes are permitted," wrote our confrères de la 1ère in an article devoted to the chef in March 2024. Lactose intolerance? Craving fish? The chef composes a unique menu according to his inspirations and the customer's preferences. It's a unique experience where guests don't have a menu in front of them. They simply have blind or greedy confidence in their chef. "In Saint-Barthélemy, Chef Jean-Joseph will be putting on a culinary show that is not to be missed.
As for taste buds, in addition to local stalls run by Caribbean Tasty, Chez Rolande and the Tèt Ansanm association, visitors will be able to treat themselves to fresh juice from an open coconut "live", savour the flavours of the local produce and taste the local specialities. They can also enjoy a tasting of a Jackson rum, a drink from the "mixolab" stand or a beverage from the association bar. Another area will be reserved for La Mauny rums, while Air Caraïbes and its local partner Saint-Barth Commuter will also have a stand to promote their routes. The Agence territoriale de l'environnement (ATE) and the Island Nature Experience (INE) association will also have their own space in the village. But that's not all.
For rum lovers, a "master class" will be organized around Martinique rums. A mix of history, know-how and, of course, tasting. As for the guardians of local flavours, they will be able to measure their talents in the Saint-Barth galette competition. "It's a convivial, gourmet event that celebrates creativity and daring," says the CTTSB. And what about the music?
Les Balisiers as guests
On Saturday August 9, the Saveurs Caraïbes village will feature several musical events. The most original will undoubtedly be that offered by the traditional Martinican group Les Balisiers. The group will offer three twenty-minute performances in the afternoon. An appetizer before the musicians and dancers take to the stage on Sunday evening from 7.30pm. On Saturday and Sunday, Steel Pan Entertainment will play from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. For the big musical evening on Saturday, the Martinican guests of C'Zig La will get the crowd moving from 9pm to 10.30pm, before other DJs take over until 1am.
As promised last year, the CTTSB intends to make its Saveurs Caraïbes a fixture on the Saint-Barthélemy calendar. In this "off-peak" period of the long school vacations, there's no doubt that the event will once again prove popular with the public.
