CAY HILL–The St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association hosted a successful networking mixer on Thursday evening to officially kick off the 2026 edition of St. Maarten Flavors, bringing together close to 90 members of the SHTA, culinary professionals, tourism stakeholders, and supporters of St. Maarten’s vibrant food scene.
Hosted at NIPA, the evening placed a special spotlight on the island’s future culinary and hospitality professionals. Students from NIPA’s culinary and hospitality programs played a central role in the event, preparing and serving a variety of hors d’oeuvres which were prepared alongside chefs from Zeebest, Spices of India, and the Creole Culinary Classroom.
St. Maarten Flavors is a partnership between the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association and the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, aimed at celebrating and promoting the island’s diverse culinary offerings. During the evening, May-Ling Chun, Director of the Tourist Bureau, addressed attendees and spoke about the evolution of St. Maarten Flavors into a year-round culinary platform designed to continuously showcase the island’s restaurants, signature dishes, and culinary experiences.
Project Manager of St. Maarten Flavors, Michele Korteweg, thanked all attendees for their support and highlighted the importance of involving the next generation of hospitality professionals in initiatives like these. She invited culinary and hospitality teachers Renata de Weever and Paul Peterson, together with the students, to stand in front of the attendees to receive a well-deserved round of applause for the exceptional food and service provided throughout the evening.
Korteweg also encouraged attendees and the wider community to actively support the local culinary sector by visiting stmaartenflavors.com to explore participating restaurants, featured menu items, and culinary experiences.
Korteweg stated: “Stmaartenflavors.com is not just for visitors of our beautiful island, it’s just as much for you, our local community, to find inspiration year-round for your dining experiences throughout June and beyond. So tell a friend, to tell a friend and share your favorites!”
Special appreciation was extended to the sponsors and partners who help make St. Maarten Flavors possible. PDG Supplies is supporting the campaign by offering $100 vouchers to the first 50 restaurants that sign up for the platform.
Guests also enjoyed prosecco courtesy of Mionetto and a variety of other beverages sponsored by CC1, a new sponsor of St. Maarten Flavors, while Sol continues to sponsor the concept, and especially the evening’s focus on highlighting NIPA students as the future of St. Maarten’s culinary industry. Additional support for the initiative is being provided by Trakx and Visit Magazine.
With June now positioned as St. Maarten’s Culinary Month, the campaign will continue to highlight restaurants, signature dishes, and unique dining experiences throughout the month, while the year-round platform ensures ongoing visibility and inspiration for both residents and visitors looking to discover the flavors of the island.
Source: The Peoples Tribune https://tribune-site.webflow.io//articles/shta-mixer-celebrates-the-launch-of-the-new-year-round-st-maarten-flavors-platform
