Amazing food, eye-catching floral fashion and great music set the tone for the Cultural Development Foundation’s (CDF) 10th Icon Series.
This year, the CDF honoured Edward “Chef Harry” Joseph as the Cultural Icon for the annual series, recognising his impact on Saint Lucia’s culinary scene. Chef Harry was known for his love of fresh local ingredients and was among the first local hoteliers, founding the well-known Green Parrot Hotel at Morne Fortune.
The CDF held two Icon Gala Dinners to celebrate Chef Harry at Sandals Grande on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Guests arrived on a red carpet and marquee, then enjoyed a five-course meal at beautifully decorated tables, with every seat filled both nights.
Later, MCs Russel Lake and Tracy Pilgrim George asked the audience for their thoughts on the meal. Everyone said they were completely satisfied.
Some of Saint Lucia’s top chefs created the menu: Executive Sous Chef Elijah Jules from Anse Chastanet and Jade Mountain, Chef Orlando Satchell from Orlando’s, Chef Trevor Felicien from Sandals Grande, and Chef Shorne Benjamin, a well-known Saint Lucian chef who owns Fat Fowl in Brooklyn. Chef Damisa Williams from Royalton Resort and a Junior Chef from the 2025 National Culinary Team also joined the talented group.
The menu featured Lucian Kweyol flavours with Chef Harry’s creative twist. Guests started with Bol Bwapen Sent Lisyen, a breadfruit croquette, followed by Chef Harry’s Soup Djouk Fouye. For the main course, they enjoyed Fond Jacques Cocoa Duck and Harry’s Rainbow Dorado a La La. Dessert was Green Parrot Cheesecake and a Chocolate Box with Coconut Banana Mousse.
Chef Harry was not only a renowned chef but also an entertainer. Guests visited the Green Parrot for both the food and the live local performances, and he often joined in the singing and dancing himself.
The evening’s entertainment was carefully planned and truly captivating.
The show included an all-star band led by Gregory Piper and dance performances by the Silver Shadow Dancers. Piper, Dyson Imbert, and Alison Marquis chose a lineup of Saint Lucian songs that inspired the familiar phrase from media personality Barbara Jacobs Small: “home have”.
Manasseh performed Double Trouble’s “Heavenly Bliss”, Arthur Allain sang “Caribbean Rock”, and Mervyn Wilkinson shared his own “Caribbean Woman”. Kweyol songs like “Bans Mwen a Ti Bo” and “Pas Mal Parlay Fam”, along with music from the Reasons orchestra, offered a preview of what’s coming at Soufriere Jazz this Saturday. The music was uplifting and could easily stand on its own at Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts 2027.
The Icon Series is part of the Jazz and Arts section of the festival, which this year features culinary arts, music, theatre, dance, and visual arts. Minister for Tourism and the Creative Industry Ernest Hilaire called the event “a fantastic evening” when he attended on Saturday.
He said, “The music was really good as well as the dishes, without singling out any one particular dish, and it just brought back memories of Chef Harry, who he was, his music, the Saint Lucian society at the time – it’s a really good story.”
Hilaire said it was important to honour Chef Harry and praised the CDF organisers, chefs and musicians for their excellent work.
“Tonight also showed the quality of the gastronomy we have in Saint Lucia. We will be embarking on a number of new initiatives involving culinary arts to really show the world the quality of what we have, and this is the start,” he said.
