In a never-ending quest to learn more about Caribbean culture and indulge my love affair with Caribbean cuisine, I was thrilled to learn about CaribbeanCooks, the latest feather in the St Kitts culinary cap.

Sisters Wendy and Lorraine Lechner have been living in St. Kitts for the past five years. They owned their own restaurant on the island and recently opened CaribbeanCooks.  With Wendy’s knowledge as a food historian and Lorraine’s ability to keep the rum punch flowing, coupled with their previous experience, the class was an absolute hit! 

It was such an enjoyable evening learning the basics of Caribbean cooking along with the history of each region and the foods and spices native to it.  I don’t consider myself to be a top chef by any means so it was nice to watch the demonstrations by the entertaining duo and not have to stress about burning the Jerk Pork or Pepperpot.  With such ease, I watched them prepare Cinnamon Chicken and Plantains in a Brown Sugar Glaze with a side of traditional peas and rice. The chefs stood back while the students stepped in to put their newfound skills to the test and make dessert. I have to admit I’ve never tasted a Mango Coconut Bread Pudding quite so delicious. The accompanying Rum Sauce was the crowning jewel.

It was so interesting to learn about the Caribbean culture and participate in the history lesson, at the same time.  Unfortunately, we don’t all have luxury of the pair’s expertise at our fingertips, so they also have a gift shop where they sell their own spices, rubs, teas, and sauces that you can take home. 

CaribbeanCooks classes are offered to private parties of up to 20, for special events, and will also host individual instruction as well.  Classes are generally two hours and consist of four West Indian dishes prepared by the experts themselves.  For more information, visit the website at www.caribbeancooks.com or call 869.465.0099.