Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/1871/-1/135/
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Anguilla Takes Centre Stage In Puerto Rico
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Anguilla was at the heart of what was a very successful Caribbean Hotel and Industry Conference in Puerto Rico last week. While the news centred on the performance of the island’s national culinary team in the Taste of the Caribbean competition, in which Alex Ballin was named Caribbean Bartender of the Year, there were two other achievements. These were the appointment of Sherille Hughes as Regional Vice President of the Caribbean Hotel Association and the award of CHA Executive of the Year to Mimi Gratton.
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Alex Ballin
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In the case of Alex Ballin, she won the Bartender of the Year competition from among a field of 12 top bartenders in the region. Her rum-based cocktail called Island Twinkle won her a gold medal in the final “mystery basket” round and the coveted Bartender of the Year. Alex is a popular bartender at The Pumphouse.
Meanwhile, despite a communication error, the National Culinary Team won a bronze award for their performance in the preliminary round of the competition. The team, comprising Vaughn Hughes, Glendon Carty, Guy Gumbs and Joyah Gumbs, were lauded by the judges for their use of indigenous ingredients, the Caribbean influence of their menu and their innovative and creative dishes. The final results showed the team falling short by a half point of winning a silver medal.
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Sherille Hughes
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In the other highlights at the Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference, the appointment of Sherille Hughes as one of the Regional Vice Presidents of the CHA, was announced by the newly-elected President, Berthia Parle. She named Mrs. Hughes to her “Dream Team” executive committee in recognition of her many years of service to the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association of which she is President.
Mrs. Hughes is also the Manager of Paradise Cove Resort.
The 2004 CHA Executive of the Year Award was presented to Mimi Gratton in the small association category. Mrs. Gratton, who is Executive Director of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, received the award in recognition of her achievement in the areas of communication, administration, membership development, advocacy, destination marketing and promotion, product improvement meetings and event planning, fundraising, private/public relationships and regional tourism affairs. She first won the award in 2000 and is the only person to have received it twice.
In other developments at the conference in Puerto Rico, Kert Hughes received a CHA scholarship in the sum of US$3,500. Gumbs, an employee in the Food and Beverage Department at Cap Juluca Hotel, is studying at the London Culinary School.
In yet another matter, Ron Webster has been requested to return to the Bartender Competition in 2005 as a judge. He was the winner of the Caribbean Bartender of the Year in 1999. He was Anguilla’s Bartender of the Year from 1996 to 1999 and was the recipient of several gold medals in the Taste of the Caribbean competition. Event organisers asked him to retire from the competition in 1999 due to his continued dominance.
Mimi Gratton
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