Nassau, Bahamas - Although members of the Bahamian national culinary team are confident they will sweep away the competition with their versatile menu at Taste of the Caribbean, they still need Bahamian support in Florida to claim an overall victory.

That’s why the nine-member team is calling out to all Bahamians in South Florida to support them in the one and only voting process in the five-day competition.

Taste of the Caribbean is considered the premier culinary competition of the region.

The event will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Miami, Florida from June 28- July 2.

The competition involves national culinary teams from Anguilla, Bahamas, Barbados, Bonaire, Curacao, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Suriname and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each team is comprised of three select chefs, one pastry chef, one junior chef, a kitchen artists and one bartender.

The national culinary team heading to the competition this year consists of chefs Sheldon Tracey Sweeting, Charon McKenzie, Jamal Small, Richmond Fowler, Dwayne Sinclair, bartender Marv Cunningham and kitchen artist Indra Solihin.

A team manager, Michael Adderley, and an administrator, Charlotte Knowles-Thompson, will also travel with the team.

On June 29, the competition will kick off with Taste of the Islands.This is where the taste buds of the crowd count, as its vote will determine which team will win this aspect of the competition.

Chef Sweeting lamented that even though last year the team won 13 medals – the most in the competition – they were unable to take home the People’s Choice Award prize due to lackluster support from Bahamians living in the Florida area.

“It is important for Bahamians to come and support us Bahamians – our team. It’s our food, our culture, our heritage,” he said.“In the past Puerto Rico has won several times because Miami and Ft.

Lauderdale make up a lot of Puerto Ricans and other Spanish speaking countries and so they get that support. I know we have a lot of Bahamians that live in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. We are asking for your support in what we are doing. We are doing Bahamian cuisine in a different format.”Some of the delectable Bahamians favourites that will be featured are old school chicken-in-the-bag with a new twist of guava hot sauce, tropical conch salad and Bahamian bread pudding.

“We are enhancing what we do home and taking it to the Caribbean,” Chef Sweeting said.

Chef Adderley also made a strong appeal to Bahamians to support.

“All you native Bahamians in Florida, we need your help. We need you to come and assist us for our street food to get our votes and also the Taste of the Caribbean. This is a flawless example of Caribbean food so please come out and help us to win this street food competition,” he said.

Bahamians could also show the team support by attending the other days of competition.

On Monday, June 30, the team will compete for top honours in the bar-tending and cheesecake.

On Tuesday, July 1, there is a pastry chef of the year competition, junior chef competition and bar-tending competition.

On Wednesday, July 2, the most pivotal competitions of chef of the year and bartender of the year competitions will be held through mystery baskets duels.

Attendees can also have lunch from different parts of the Caribbean through a lunch and dinner cooked by competition participants.Taste of the Caribbean is presented by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).