• Historic Senior Division Victory: Sous Chef Lana Murrell captured the top crown in the largest Senior Chef division ever hosted at the annual showcase.
• National Team Training Path: The top three category finalists advance to an elite four-month training camp to select the official Barbados National Culinary Team.
• Mystery Basket Culinary Mastery: The winning dish successfully paired diverse mystery ingredients including pork roulade, shrimp rolls, and a spicy Scotch bonnet chutney.
• Elite Resort Hospitality Standards: This major double-victory reflects the ultra-luxury Apes Hill resort’s ongoing corporate commitment to elevating Caribbean fine dining excellence.

The prestigious Apes Hill Barbados Golf Resort and Community is celebrating an extraordinary achievement within the island’s competitive culinary landscape. Talented Sous Chef Lana Murrell captured the highly coveted first-place title in the fiercely competitive Senior Chef division at the 2026 Taste of Barbados Competition. Adding to the resort’s collective victory, junior culinary teammate Aleyanna Garraway demonstrated exceptional skill by securing a third-place finish in the vibrant Junior Chef category, solidifying the establishment’s growing reputation for gastronomical innovation.

The high-stakes event, organized by the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, stood as the largest field of competitors in the showcase’s history. Murrell uniquely triumphed over thirty seasoned chefs during an intense afternoon mystery basket challenge that required combining pork, shrimp, watermelon, and tamarind. Under the experienced mentorship of acclaimed national culinary veteran Chef Nicholas Ilfil, Murrell masterfully executed an intricate, visually stunning plate featuring a herb-crusted pork roulade and cilantro-lime foam, earning a spontaneous round of applause from the energetic audience.

With their impressive top-three placements, both Murrell and Garraway have successfully advanced into an intensive four-month national training program. This advanced incubator serves as the exclusive selection pool for the ultimate BHTA Barbados National Culinary Team, which will travel to represent the island nationally at the upcoming regional Taste of the Caribbean showcase. Nestled high in the Central Highlands, the luxury Apes Hill Barbados resort continues to seamlessly integrate sustainable local flavors into its world-class destination experience, cultivating an environment where rising culinary artists can reach the absolute peak of their professional careers.