Bartlett hails launch of Gastronomy Academy as 'culinary revolution'

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett on Wednesday declared the official launch of the Gastronomy Academy of Jamaica a “culinary revolution” that he said will redefine Jamaica’s tourism industry.

Bartlett said the new institution, that will train culinary chefs at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James, marks a turning point in developing certified culinary talents for the growing global demand in food tourism.

“We are not simply launching an academy; we are igniting a culinary revolution that will reverberate across the island and throughout the Caribbean,” he said.

He noted that 42 per cent of visitor expenditure is on food, emphasising the economic opportunity in the culinary sector.

“If you are in the gastronomy space, you are accounting for nearly 50 per cent of the spend within the industry, and that's powerful.”

The academy, developed in partnership with the American Culinary Federation and the American Hotel and Lodging Education Institute, features the first world-class kitchen of its kind in the Caribbean.

“This Academy provides the missing link—the human capital needed to transform our culinary potential into economic success.”

Bartlett highlighted ongoing efforts to professionalise the industry, referencing over 20,000 tourism workers certified through the Jamaica Centre for Tourism Innovation.

“We must build a system based on merit and equity. If you have merit, you must not be denied,” he stated.

He said the academy will ensure that local chefs are “not taken for granted,” but recognised and rewarded for their skills.

“Let’s build these stackable credentials,” he added.

- Albert Ferguson

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