Founder & CEO of Best Dressed Plate LLC and Academy Chair of Caribbean Region — The World’s 50 Best Restaurants North America, Nneka Nurse joined the jury of the 1st Americas Young Chef Award, which took place in Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy 2026, from 8-12 October 2026.
Nneka A. Nurse is the Founder and CEO of Best Dressed Plate LLC, a Caribbean culinary consultancy working at the intersection of food, culture and international tourism strategy. Her work spans event production, tourism board consulting, sponsorship development and cultural storytelling, all built on a single argument: Caribbean cuisine is not emerging or exotic. It has always been here, and it belongs at the global table.
She holds the appointment of Academy Chair for the Caribbean Region under The World’s 50 Best Restaurants North America, the first person named to represent the Caribbean at that level of the world’s most influential restaurant ranking. In that role she helps shape how Caribbean culinary excellence is evaluated and recognized internationally. In 2026 she was a guest host on EatUp! NYC, the James Beard– and two-time Emmy–nominated series hosted by Chef Marcus Samuelsson on ABC7.
Her event portfolio spans the James Beard House, the United Nations Delegates Dining Room and premier food and wine festivals across the United States and the Caribbean. She is the producer and creative director of The Navigator’s Table, an ongoing chef residency series at Wyndham Grand Barbados (Sam Lord’s Castle), produced in formal partnership with Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. She has also produced programming with Sandals Resorts and the tourism authorities of St. Kitts and Grenada.
As IGCAT’s Global Expert for the Caribbean, her contributions focus on culinary tourism, regional food identity and cultural heritage programming across the Caribbean.
Reflecting on her experience as jury of the 1st Americas Young Chef Award 2026, Nneka shares:
“The Americas Young Chef Award turned into a true exchange of cultures. When I spoke with the chefs, they were so excited to taste Caribbean food and see our techniques for the very first time, and that’s what this program represents. Young chefs carrying their region’s food story forward while learning from everyone else’s. As IGCAT’s Global Expert for the Caribbean, my job is to make sure our young cooks have a seat at this table, so they can bring those flavors themselves.”
About IGCAT’s Young Chef Awards
The first ever Americas Young Chef Award is an expansion of its European version, an annual competition organised by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT) that gathers young culinary talents from the awarded and candidate European Regions of Gastronomy. This year, finalists from 7 different countries in the Americas came together in Manabí, World Region of Gastronomy 2026, to share their local food culture and test their skill in innovating a traditional dish from their region.
About the World & European Regions of Gastronomy
The World Regions of Gastronomy and the European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT is the official secretariat for the World Region of Gastronomy and the European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Foodie Websites Award and the international Food Film Menu.
