St. Croix, US Virgin Islands – January 2011 - Anita Lo, Ana Sortun and Liza Shaw, three of the chefs listed in Saveur magazine’s “Top 100″ in its January/February 2011 issue, are participating in the 2011 St. Croix Food & Wine Experience. In addition to being guest judges for A Taste of St. Croix, the island-wide culinary competition, they will each prepare a fundraising dinner at elegant island homes and host a cooking seminar. The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience is April 10-16, 2011.
“We wanted to feature female chefs this year as women play such a critical role in the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience, on the island and in the non-profit programs that benefit from the fundraising efforts,” said Katherine Pugliese, co-founder of the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience, “We invited Anita, Ana and Liza because they are great women, business leaders and amazing chefs. They are role models for youth and aspiring entrepreneurs on the island and represent the pride we have in the women of the US Virgin Islands who make a difference every day.”
The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience started in 2001 when two female restaurant owners, Kelly Odom and Katherine Pugliese founded A Taste of St. Croix. The events of the week raise funds for The St. Croix Foundation, which is led by Ms. Deanna James. In 2011, in addition to hosting celebrity female chefs, the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience will honor three female leaders of the island. “When you stop and take a look at the impact one person can make, it is impressive. We want to recognize people in the community each year for the difference they make,” said Pugliese.
The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience welcomes nominations of women who have made a positive impact in the community. To nominate a person, submit their name, contact information and a description on how they make a difference to Khnuma Simmonds (ksimmonds@stxfoundation.org) at The St. Croix Foundation.
Tickets to the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience go on sale in March 2011 and will be available atwww.StCroixFoodandWine.com. Hotel packages including tickets are available now. Patrons wanting guaranteed access to all events can become sponsors. For more information on sponsorship opportunities please contact Sara Zuckerman at 340-773-9898 or visit www.stcroixfoodandwine.com.
