Goûté Domnik opens with One Pot Competition, celebrating Dominican cuisine across the island

Dominica: Goûté Domnik, which is Dominica's national culinary festival, will start on Sunday, July 19, at the Hillsborough Exit Point in Layou with the Friendly One Pot Competition. It is a week-long celebration of the island's Creole cuisine, local ingredients and culinary traditions. 

Organised by the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA), the festival will run until July 26 across Dominica through Restaurant Week, community cooking events and dining experiences that showcase the island's rich food culture.

The Friendly One Pot Competition will be held from 12 pm to 5 pm at the Hillsborough Exit Point in Layou. Local chefs, home cooks and community groups will prepare traditional Dominican one-pot dishes using fresh local ingredients and time-honoured recipes. 

Restaurant Week also begins on Sunday and will continue throughout the festival. Nineteen participating restaurants across Dominica will serve fixed-price menus consisting of local produce and Creole-inspired dishes.

The menus will be available in three pricing categories: Island Bite for XCD $60, Creole Delight for XCD $120 and Taste of Nature for XCD $200. Budget-friendly Eat Local plates priced below XCD $60 will also be available, giving diners more options to enjoy local cuisine.

The DDA has also introduced the Goûté Domnik Food Guide, which would allow diners to collect stamps while visiting the participating restaurants. Those who collect the most stamps during the festival will be eligible to win special prizes.

Goûté Domnik, which means "Taste Dominica" in Kwéyòl, aims to celebrate the island's culinary heritage while supporting local farmers, restaurants, chefs and food businesses. The festival also seeks to promote Dominica as a culinary tourism destination by highlighting its fresh farm and sea ingredients and traditional Creole cooking.

CEO and Director of Tourism Marva Williams said food has become an important part of how travellers experience a destination. She said that the festival provides an opportunity to celebrate the people, flavours and stories behind Dominican cuisine while creating new opportunities for restaurants, chefs and local businesses.

The inaugural edition of Goûté Domnik will continue through July 26 with Restaurant Week and other culinary experiences taking place across the island.