The esteemed panel of judges represent leading chefs, business leaders and celebrities from the Virgin Islands, each hand picked for their discerning tastes and deep appreciation for Virgin Islands Ingredients.
Click to see Judge Bio's
Patricia LaCorte
Executive Chef
Patricia Lacorte is a Cordon Bleu trained Chef with over 20 years experience creating exciting, passion driven, award winning food in the Caribbean. With accolades from Vogue, N.Y. times, Bon Appetit, Caribbean Travel and Life, N.Y. Post and Gourmet Magazine Pat currently operates Oceana, the former Russian Consulate and one of St. Thomas’ most popular restaurants and Grand Cru at Yacht Haven Grande, a sophisticated wine bar and restaurant offering tropical cuisine with a Mediterranean flair.
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Larry L. Nibbs
CEC, ACE
Caneel Bay St. John
Nibbs Catering
Restaurant Chef at Caneel Bay (Equator at the Sugar Mill) and owner and executive chef of Nibbs Catering. Larry has twenty-one years of experience in haute cuisine, plus a gamut of certificates from the American Culinary Federation, the largest culinary federation in the United States. Chef Nibbs is proud to be one of only five certified Executive Chefs in the Virgin Islands. His catering company specializes in Gourmet, American, and Caribbean cuisines for groups, events and personal chef services.
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Antolin Velasco Velez
Banco Popular, Puerto Rico
Antolin has been with Banco Popular for 17 years, currently the Senior Vice President of Retail Banking in San Juan. He is a lifelong resident of Puerto Rico and a fan of the island’s many world class restaurants. Antolin is an avid Food Channel fan, loves to barbeque, cook paella, stews and preparing meals for lots of people. He participates in “throw downs” among friends and neighbors in a battle of amateur home chefs. He enjoys a variety a of cuisines including Mexican, Creole, Italian, Asian and French — he says “there’s nothing I won’t eat or at least try!” Some of his favorites Chef’s are Mario Pagán, Wilo Benet, Jean Georges, Bobby Flay and Mario Batali but the results of the Ultimate Chef Challenge could change that.
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