The Dominican French Chamber of Commerce Organized the First French Gastronomic Festival with Caribbean Flavors

The Dominican French Chamber of Commerce Organized the First French Gastronomic Festival with Caribbean Flavors
Santo Domingo, July 2, 2014

The Dominican French Chamber of Commerce (CCDF), organized the first French Gastronomic Festival with Caribbean Flavors, as part of the XVII edition of the Bolsa Turística del Caribe (BTC), headed by Messrs. Luis Felipe Aquino, President of the BTC, and Henri Hebrard, Director of the CCDF and other important figures.

Many restaurants and hotels from the Dominican Republic participated in this Festival, competing in the following five categories: Appetizers, Sea Main Dish (fish and seafood), Land Main Dish (poultry and meats), Desserts, and Best Presentation. The panel of judges was selected from among people with an interest in the Hotel and Tourism industry. They judged the competing dishes, selecting the best tasting and looking dishes and awarding prizes per category. The event was sponsored by Air Caraibe, SEABORNE, Rim Mountain Hotel, Pernot Ricard, among other sponsors. 

Participating dishes were classified in categories. First prize in each category was awarded as follows: in the Appetizer category, Chef Marc Sokolovitch from the Manou brand with a dish of ravioli with Dominican cheese on a cloud of poultry liver with truffles; in the Sea Main Dish category, a Caribbean lobster thermidor flammkueche with cacao mustard; and in the Dessert category, a crispy banana Joséphine served with a fleur de sel from Bani and a rum flambéed caramel glaze. Chef Carlos Estévez from La Boheme Restaurant also won first prize in the Land Main Dish category and Best Presentation with his liver pate stuffed chicken, macadamia and mango wet rice with coconut granules, guavaberry sauce and cilantro pesto.

With this festival, the CCFD emphasized the characteristics of the delicious French gastronomy with the use of local ingredients to give dishes a vital touch of sustainability and competitiveness. The participating chefs and restaurants had to expand their knowledge, innovation and creativity when preparing French dishes using Caribbean ingredients, adding their personal flavor and presentation to each dish.

During the Festival, participants won various prizes such as airline tickets, weekend trips, medals, recognition plates, baskets, and other prizes. Chefs Marc Sokolovitch, Harald Mosle, Carlos Estevez, Ariel Valentín, and José Moreta participated in the competition representing Restaurants Aubergine, La Boheme Bistrot, Lincoln Road, the Hotel Napolitano and the Manou brand.

Because of the success of this competition, the CCDF plans to continue celebrating this Festival and encourages all restaurants and hotels in the country to stay alert next time so they do not lose the opportunity of participating and living out this experience.

About the Dominican French Chamber of Commerce (CCDF)

The CCDF is a non-for-profit organization founded in 1987. It comprises 357 Dominican and French enterprises whose objective is to operate as a source of information and assistance toward the development of economic and commercial relationships between the Dominican Republic and France. Currently, it is chaired by Joan Giacinti, Jesús Moreno is its Vice President, Bernard Hugeux is the Secretary General, and Aldo Gorlani is theTreasurer.

CCDF Website: http://www.ccdfdo.org/     Twitter: @CCDFDO