Ja’s Gastronomy Academy aims to ignite Caribbean culinary revolution
Published:Thursday | July 24, 2025 | 12:09 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica has entered a new era in tourism development with yesterday’s official launch of the Gastronomy Academy of Jamaica, saying it is the catalyst for a Caribbean-wide culinary revolution.
“We’re not just launching an academy,” said Bartlett, while speaking during the launch at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St James. “We are igniting a culinary revolution that will reverberate across the island and throughout the Caribbean.”
The Gastronomy Academy was first announced by Bartlett during his contribution to the 2025 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives, where he promised to have sous chefs trained at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, which is arguably among the best kitchens in the Caribbean.
“It seems almost a waste if you just save it for big meetings and conventions, when you can use it to upskill and upgrade your people to be able to have mobility and portability,” said Bartlett.
According to the minister, the state-of-the-art facility is now home to the Caribbean’s first world-class, internationally certified kitchen, which is designed to train and certify chefs and hospitality professionals to global standards.
STRATEGIC MOVE
Bartlett also noted that Gastronomy Academy marks a strategic move to professionalise Jamaica’s tourism workforce and position the country as a premier destination for gastronomy tourism.
“This is the culmination of the collective energies of all of us,” Bartlett explained. “We are creating an institutional framework that will convert knowledge into innovation and value-added, providing our people with the tools to compete globally.”
Bartlett went on to highlight the growing power of gastronomy within global tourism, pointing out that 42 per cent of visitor expenditure is on food, and that in 2024 alone, 57 per cent of Caribbean tourism businesses reported increased revenues from food and beverage.
“Do the maths, that is billions of dollars, opportunities we must not miss,” declared Bartlett.
Bartlett also emphasised that the Academy is not only about technique but about empowering people.
“When we certify you, we say you are competent, and competence must be recognised and rewarded,” he said, underscoring the need for equity, merit-based advancement, and meaningful careers within the tourism industry.
LUXURY-LEVEL SKILLS
Bartlett also linked the academy to Jamaica’s broader tourism transformation, noting the rise of luxury developments such as Pinnacle, Unico, and the tallest tourism structure to come.
“You can’t deliver luxury without luxury-level skills,” said Bartlett, in speaking to what he is expecting from the Gastronomy Academy of Jamaica.
The Gastronomy Academy of Jamaica is supported by the Tourism Enhancement Fund and aligned with institutions such as the Jamaica Centre of Tourism Innovation, which is aiming to close the skill gap and foster certified career paths from high school to the professional level.
“Let’s build these stackable credentials,” urged Bartlett. “The future of Jamaican tourism lies not just in welcoming visitors, but in preparing our people to lead, serve, and thrive at the highest global standard.”
C. C. Novello, managing director for the Caribbean and Latin America for the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute, echoed similar sentiments to Bartlett, saying the Gastronomy Academy of Jamaica is the launching pad for creativity.
“This is more than a kitchen. It’s a launchpad for dreams, a vessel for creativity, and a beacon for culinary innovation,” he said. “Today, Jamaica ignites a movement, one that will elevate the island’s culinary arts, empower its youth, and position the Caribbean as a global leader in hospitality and gastronomy.”