Gabrielle Martin Crowned Caribbean Junior Chef as Team TCI Takes Second Place Overall at Taste of the Caribbean

Turks and Caicos has once again proven its growing strength on the regional culinary stage, returning from the 2025 Taste of the Caribbean competition with multiple accolades, including the prestigious Caribbean Junior Chef title won by rising local talent Gabrielle Martin.

Gabrielle Martin (left), led the TCI to second place overall in the Taste of the Caribbean Culinary Competition, by winning the Caribbean Junior Chef title.

The TCI placed second overall.

Martin, representing Team TCI alongside senior chefs and mentors, spoke with pride and gratitude upon her return home.

“I feel very proud and I'm very grateful for this opportunity,” she said. “I’m glad that all the hard work that me and my team put in paid off. We were able to reap what we sowed.”

Despite being the final competitor of the delegation to enter the kitchen, giving her plenty of time to get nervous, Martin said the moment she began cooking, everything clicked.

“Once I got into the kitchen and I was actually starting to work on my dish with Chef Joe, I started to get into the flow. Everything became easy, almost like second nature.”

The Winning Dish

Martin’s award-winning plate showcased two assigned proteins, certified Angus beef and ground pork, transformed into a bold, creative expression of Turks and Caicos culinary flair. Her dish featured:

·      Coconut sweet potato purée

·      Jerk plantain

·      Pork croquettes

·      Spiced certified Angus beef glazed with watermelon and Bambarra Rum

·      Watermelon and rind Escovitch

Judges praised both her technique and her ability to fuse Caribbean ingredients with modern execution.

Members of the successful TCI Team are greeted at the Howard Hamilton International Airport in Providenciales, by local TCHTA members and well-wishers.

Leading the Turks and Caicos delegation this year was Chef Charles Joseph, a private chef and longstanding mentor within the local culinary community. Joseph said the team went in focused and well-prepared, relying on extensive practice sessions and adaptable “base dishes” to ensure athletes could handle any protein or twist thrown their way.

“You get a little adrenaline every year,” he said. “Walking into a competition with 11 countries can be overwhelming, but we teach the team to stay focused. We stuck together, and we practiced a lot.”

Joseph said Martin’s win, along with Team TCI’s strong second-place overall finish, is evidence of the momentum building in Turks and Caicos’ culinary scene.

“Culinary has come a long way, and there’s still work to do, but look at Gabby, talent is growing,” he said. “With the help of media, social platforms, and programs like the TCI Hospitality Adventure "Lit'l Chefs” Camp, we’re seeing more young people get motivated.”

He also pointed to the broader impact of culinary showcases and competitions on the local industry.

“There are so many talented chefs here who just need opportunities. When we first competed in 2016, by the second-year other countries were already worried about us,” he laughed. “That shows the impact Turks and Caicos is having. It’s amazing to see the young people coming up.”

Traditionally known worldwide for “sun, sand, and sea,” Turks and Caicos is now carving out a place in the Caribbean’s culinary map, something Joseph believes is long overdue.

“To win accolades in culinary means a lot,” he said. “There’s so much talent here that hasn't been showcased. This is proof that we’re going places.”