(All images courtesy Baha Mar)
Ron Bernthal
Following the tremendous success of the inaugural celebration, Baha Mar announces the return of The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival, from October 27 to October 29, 2023. The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival showcases the best in culinary and artistic expression headlined by world-renowned chef talent including Marcus Samuelsson of Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House, Katsuya Uechi of Katsuya, and Dario Cecchini of Carna. Baha Mar’s chefs will be joined by Bahamian celebrity chef, Chef Simeon Hall Jr., Food Network stars Amanda Freitag, Carla Hall, Geoffrey Zakarian, Scott Conant, and Michelle Bernstein, as well as social media star and chef Eitan Bernath. Also in attendance will be the country’s foremost spirits expert and author Noah Rothbaum, wine experts Ted Diamantis, Fernando Beteta and Ken Fredrickson, the team behind the award-winning Broken Shaker bar and sponsors from Antinori Wines. This year’s festival will also feature a show-stopping musical performance, to be announced in the coming weeks.
View of Baha Mar
The festival kicks off Friday, October 27 with the Welcome Beach Party Powered by SLS Baha Mar – an entertainment and culinary celebration that brings together the best of SLS Baha Mar’s chefs alongside Marcus Samuelsson for a truly authentic epicurean experience, drawing on the country’s rich history, creativity, and fresh, locally sourced farm-and-sea-to-table ingredients. Throughout the weekend’s events, Baha Mar’s resident and guest chefs will host a schedule of unique and intimate Master Classes, where festival goers can choose their own adventure from a variety of culinary experiences. The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival will also bring back the two-day Expo from October 28-29, where guests can partake in live entertainment and Bahamian hospitality with onstage chef demos from top talent including Carla Hall, Geoffrey Zakarian, Scott Conant and more.
Chef Marcus Samuelsson returns to Marcus at Baha Mar Fish + Chop House (photo Baha Mar)
The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival is thrilled to introduce to this year’s art programming partner FUZE, the premiere showcase for Caribbean- inspired art facilitated by John Cox, Executive Director of Art & Culture at Baha Mar. Decentralizing the art market and creating a focus for Bahamian art and the surrounding regions, FUZE will gather pioneers to showcase a vast collection of artwork from seven different Caribbean nations, and feature multi-disciplinary creative programming including artist-led panel discussions, guided tours, live printmaking demonstrations, and a specially curated film series. FUZE is proud to welcome various works from renowned artists and galleries, including Lavar Munroe, Nadia Huggins, Christopher Cozier, Lucy Garcia, Alice Yard, Fresh Milk, and David Gumbs Installation.
“Building off last year’s success, we are thrilled to bring back The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival. This event holds a special place in our hearts as it showcases Baha Mar as the leading culinary and artist-driven destination in the Caribbean,” said Graeme Davis, President, Baha Mar. “Last year’s event was a must-visit weekend, and we can’t wait to commemorate this year with even more celebratory experiences and innovative programming hosted by an all-star roster of tastemakers.”
“This year’s Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival is going to be an incredible convergence of culinary and beverage talents and artists together for an epic weekend at this very special property,” said Marcus Samuelsson. “This is an incredible opportunity to experience the flavors and soul of the island with our Bahamian friends and visiting guests.”
Bird’s eye view of water ride at Baha Mar
Early bird weekend pass tickets for the event are now on sale at bahamar.com starting at $599. Additional experiences will be announced in the coming weeks, including intimate culinary activities hosted by Baha Mar’s leading chefs. For more information about the event, please visit www.bahamar.com/bahamas–
Baha Mar is a master planned integrated resort development situated on 1,000 acres overlooking the world’s famous Cable Beach. The white sand beach destination includes three global brand operators – Grand Hyatt, SLS, and Rosewood – over 2,300 rooms and more than 45 restaurants and lounges, the largest casino in the Caribbean, a state-of-the-art convention center, Royal Blue Golf Course, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature course, a brand new $200 million Baha Bay luxury water park, the Caribbean’s first and only flagship ESPA spa, and over 30 luxury retail outlets. Baha Mar is a breathtaking location with dynamic programming, activities, and guest offerings in one of the most beautiful places in the world – The Bahamas. For more information and reservations, visit
