Constance Festival Culinary 2023

7/14/23, 11:00 AM

Foodies! This Mauritius festival is your shortcut to a galaxy of Michelin stars

Different stalls at the welcome event show off the unique tastes of the island. Image: Hilary Biller

Here there were different stalls proffering the unique tastes of the tropical island: rum, and aromatic spices such as chilli, cardamom and cloves which had been turned into tasty bites. We admired vast displays of fresh produce and tasted wine made on the island using lychee fruit. We dined on a sumptuous buffet groaning with island specialities including plump oysters, prawns, smoked marlin and octopus. There was an exotic array of salads — the Mauritian favourite of hearts of palm; tropical fruit platters; meat barbecues; and whole fsh cooked over the coals. Taking place from March 11-19, this was to be a week of prestigious contests, culinary masterpieces and great winners. The competitions featured chefs from around the world, plus a lineup of local talent from the Constance Hotel group, which has seven properties in Mauritius, Seychelles and the Maldives. Each chef was partnered with a Michelin-star counterpart; the pastry chefs worked alongside European patisserie experts; and chocolatiers in the making competed with some of the fnest maestros. Hotel guests were invited to visit the hotel kitchens to witness the chefs in action, soaking up the excitement and of course the tension of competitive cook-offs. The Blue Penny Cellar restaurant in the hotel is where the judging happened — each day a different competition featuring a new panel of experts. Each event garnered much excitement. The restaurant was crammed with onlookers like me holding cellphones to capture it all alongside TV cameras, lights and tripods. It was a heaving visual feast. CULINARY COMPETITIONS

https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/travel/2023-06-25-foodies-this-mauritius-festival-is-your-shortcut-to-a-galaxy-of-michelin-stars/ 3/8