Baha Mar’s Junior Culinary Showdown Puts Young Chefs in the Spotlight

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – Shilo Cartwright of St. Anne’s School and Nevaeh Lundy of the University of The Bahamas won the 2026 Junior Culinary Showdown.

The duo walked away with the five-thousand-dollar first-place prize.

But for Lundy, the win meant even more, especially after she almost gave up before reaching the finals.

Nevaeh Lundy – First-Place Winner, University of The Bahamas

“The winning dish shocked both of us because when we were putting it together on the menu cards, we didn’t know what we was writing out or what we was gonna do. It came together in the kitchen, and hearing the judges’ feedback really, like, gave us a confidence boost.”

And it’s a good thing she did, because getting to the top was no easy task.

The competition brought together students from St. Anne’s School, St. Augustine’s College and Temple Christian, each paired with a student from the University of The Bahamas.

They had just eighty minutes to turn a mystery box of ingredients into an appetizer and an entrée.

With celebrity chefs Maneet Chauhan, Simeon Hall Jr. and Tristan Epps watching their every move and judging their dishes, the pressure was on.

Chauhan admits she was blown away by what the students brought to the table.

Chef Maneet Chauhan – Celebrity Chef and Judge

“It was exciting, but it also was a big responsibility. I mean, think about it. These are young chefs. They’re going to be our future. So I think it was a combination of everything, but I was just blown away by the level of cooking.”

For Cartwright, the moment was a dream come true.

Shilo Cartwright – First-Place Winner, St. Anne’s School

“From a very young age, around three, I’ve always been surrounded by people in my family who can cook. My great-grandmother, my auntie, my mommy, everybody cooks, so it’s just something in the blood.”

The other finalists had reason to celebrate as well.

Team Grand Hyatt finished second, taking home two thousand five hundred dollars, while Team Rosewood placed third and walked away with one thousand dollars.

What started in 2023 has now grown into a multistage event, with preliminary rounds, semifinals and a grand finale.

This year, sixteen students started the journey, but only six made it to the final round in Baha Mar’s New Providence Ballroom.

For event facilitator Tevin Kemp, who also serves as head chef at The Kitchen at Baha Mar, it’s about giving young Bahamians the opportunity to develop their skills and explore a future in the culinary industry.

Tevin Kemp – Head Chef, The Kitchen at Baha Mar

“Learning from their environment and those chefs, their aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters who work in hospitality, but also take the chance to be able to take up the professional course of understanding how to effectively work in hospitality, work in a kitchen, and learn the knowledge of culinary.”