Tatiana Gibs (left) and Ronald Estephan (right) posing with their awards from the 1st Annual Caribbean Baking awards held recently in Tortola, BVI.
MARIGOT--Local Pastry Chef and Instructor Tatiana Gibs and St. Lucia-born Pastry Chef Ronald Estephan representing the southern side, Dutch St. Maarten, were both nominated in multiple categories for the Caribbean Baking Awards (CBA) in Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI), organised by Shanda Webster-Glasgow on February 17.
They were competing against islands throughout the Caribbean such as Anguilla, Antigua, other British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Nevis, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago. After two rounds of public voting world-wide, they emerged finalists in multiple categories.
Tatiana Gibs was victorious in the category “Best Learning Experience” and Ronald Estephan was victorious in “Pastry Chef of the Year” and “People's Choice Award”.
Gibs, a former Study Finance student, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Baking and Pastry Arts and Food Service Management with concentration in Resort Management. In addition, she was inducted into the International Hospitality and Tourism Management Honour Society (Eta Stigma Delta). Holding on to her aspiration to educate others, she became a Food Service Instructor at St. Maarten Vocational Training School, where she takes pride in honing the skills of her pupils in hopes that they too will follow their dreams.
