ANGUILLA CULINARY EXPERIENCE (ACE) RETURNS MAY 13 TO 17, 2026 WITH A FRESH LINE-UP OF FESTIVAL EVENTS AND LOCAL & GUEST TALENT

Headlining this year’s Anguilla Culinary Experience are Gold Sponsor Grands Vins de France Anguilla; Chef Oliver Poilevey, the James Beard Award nominee behind Chicago’s Obélix and Le Bouchon; Washington, D.C.- and Largo, Maryland-based Chef Timothy Dean, owner of Timothy Dean Catering and a Bravo TV “Top Chef” alum; and Cyril Meuley of Lyon, France, the Director of Exports for Boisset La Famille des Grand Vins’ South American and Caribbean markets. Janine Edwards of JanineConnects.com and Trudy Nixon of True Anguilla Magazine and TV Show return as festival co-hosts.  

“Anguilla Culinary Experience is about more than just a great meal in a fabulous location; it’s about the magic that happens when visiting talent and our own local stars cook side-by-side,” says festival co-founder and Villa Alegria owner Wendy Freeman. “By sharing our kitchens and tables, we aren’t just creating incredible menus, we’re forming long-lasting connections while collectively raising funds to mentor the next generation of Anguillian culinary and hospitality leaders.”  

The May 13^th ACE 2026 opening night sets the tone at Karaya, the new Shoal Bay West restaurant from Veya and Sandbar owners Chef Carrie and Jerry Bogar. Expect a lively, walk-around evening with grill stations and substantial, Mediterranean-inspired passed hors d’oeuvres from Poilevey, Dean, Bogar, and Karaya’s Chef de Cuisine Joel Reyes, accompanied by cocktails crafted with Anguillita Rum and Clifton Estate spirits, wines from Grands Vins de France Anguilla, and live music from Jenique Javois and Dennis Warrington.  

Thursday May 14^th leans into exploration. The returning Quest Experiences Moke Tour and Rum Crawl chauffeurs guests across the island in open-air Mokes in search of the island’s best rum punch. This year’s route includes stops at Funzone, Anguilla Sands and Salt, and Tasty’s POV, plus a new boat detour to Gorgeous Scilly Cay. Dinner that night splits into two paths. At Villa Alegria Anguilla, Poilevey and Carrie Bogar reunite for a sold-out, four-hands dinner merging French technique with Veya’s signature “Cuisine of the Sun” and paired with wines from Grands Vins de France Anguilla. At Karaya, Dean and Reyes present “Tasting Anguilla,” a multi-course menu centered around fresh-caught seafood and just-harvested ingredients, with option to add Boisset La Famille des Grands Vins wine pairings presented by Meuley.  

For those who want to go deeper into the glass, Thursday and Friday nights also feature a guided “rum sniffer” experience in the Rhum Room at Zemi Beach House, showcasing five ultra-premium pours selected by the inhouse, “Rhummelier.”  

Friday, May 15^th brings an immersive encounter at Malliouhana. Culinary Directory Chef Kerth Gumbs, alongside Executive Chef Wilson Macedo and Leon’s Head Chef Jomal Mc Bean, turns dinner at Celeste by Kerth Gumbs into a five-senses experience, with each course revealed through sight, sound, scent, texture, and taste and the full menu only unveiled at the end. Malliouhana is also offering a special ACE 2026 package that includes luxury accommodations at the award-winning resort, as well as two tickets to the dinner and cooking classes with its all-star culinary team.  

Before heading out to dinner that night, Calypso Charters offers a scenic sunset sail aboard a catamaran with Champagne from Grands Vins de France and light bites by Sandbar.  

Also that evening, Jacala Beach Restaurant’s Chef Proprietor Alain Laurent teams with Meuley and Nathalie Le Sénéchal of Grands Vins de France Anguilla for a French menu with Caribbean flair, with each course paired with wines from Boisset La Famille des Grands Vins and explained tableside.  

Later, Four Seasons Resort Anguilla hosts a 10-course Chef’s Table experience at Salt.  Executive Chef Manu Calderon and Sous Chef Aaron Gumbs trace the evolution of Anguillian cuisine from the island’s west to its eastern shores.  

Saturday, May 16th shifts to the sand. The annual Cape Air and NCBA beach barbeque at Anguilla Great House and Beach Resort brings together local chefs, including the Anguilla National Culinary Team, residents and visiting guests for a family-friendly afternoon of just-off-the-grill favorites, high-energy mystery basket bartending and cooking battles, prize raffles, island trivia, Kidzkare crafts and DJ. Entry is free and food and drink tickets can be purchased online or at the door.  

That night, the festival branches again. At Zemi Beach House, a rum tasting led by Bars Manager Alfonso Di Lorito transitions into a multi-course dinner at Stone, where Executive Chef Emanuele Sabatini draws on his Roman roots. Over at Savi Beach Club on Meads Bay Beach, dinner becomes interactive, with Executive Chef Dario Schiavo’s five-course menu paired with an audience-participation murder mystery performance.  

Throughout ACE, there’s plenty of time to explore Anguilla’s 35 square miles of natural beauty, 33 all-public beaches and 100 bespoke restaurants. ACE wraps May 17^th with a music-filled “Sunday Funday” at Leon’s at Meads Bay at Malliouhana. Tickets and full event details are available at www.AnguillaCulinaryExperience.com.  

“Anguilla Culinary Experience is a true reflection of the excellence, creativity and authenticity that defines our destination and continue to position Anguilla as the culinary capital of the Caribbean. It is a celebration of remarkable talent, flavor, and hospitality that makes our island so special,” said Kendisha Hall-Prentice, Chief Marketing Officer, Anguilla Tourist Board.  

Anguilla Culinary Experience 2026 is made possible by these lead sponsors and partners: Gold Partner & Sponsor: Grands Vins de France Anguilla. Silver Partners & Sponsors (alphabetically): Anguilla Great House & Beach Resort; Anguilla Tourist Board; Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel; Cape Air; Four Seasons Resort & Residences Anguilla; JanineConnects.com; Karaya; Malliouhana; National Commercial Bank of Anguilla (NCBA); Sunset Homes Anguilla; Tranquility Beach Anguilla; TRUE Anguilla Magazine & TV Show; Veya Restaurant Anguilla; Villa Alegria Anguilla; and Zemi Beach House. Bronze Partners & Sponsors: Boisset La Famille des Grands Vins, Cabarita Agency; Calypso Charters Anguilla; Jacala Beach Restaurant, KidzKare, National Commercial Bank of Anguilla (NCBA), Quest Experiences, Richardson’s Car Rental Agency; Savi Beach Club; Trophy Properties Caribbean; and Tropical Shipping. Anguilla Culinary Experience Supports: the culinary and hospitality programs at Anguilla Community College, Albena Lake Comprehensive School, the Anguilla Youth and Business Foundation and the Anguilla National Culinary Team.  

Contact anguillaculinaryexperience@gmail.com with questions or to become an ACE sponsor. Visit the ACE website at www.AnguillaCulinaryExperience.com to see event details, read bios, and buy tickets. Follow @anguillaculinaryexperience on Facebook and Instagram.

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About Anguilla Culinary Experience (ACE): Anguilla’s annual, destination-wide food and wine festival, ACE is a labor of love created in 2022 by a group of villa and restaurant owners, chefs and resort leaders led by Neil and Wendy Freeman and Chef Carrie and Jerry Bogar, who are passionate about Anguilla’s bountiful seafood, fresh ingredients and authentic talent, and believe the best way to explore a country’s history and culture is through its cuisine. ACE goes beyond great food and a good time; it’s sharing tables and kitchens and making personal connections that linger long after the final morsel or last sip. Most importantly, ACE empowers Anguilla’s next generation of rising stars by funding local culinary and hospitality programs and giving students and young Anguillian chefs the chance to learn alongside local and international guest chefs. Celebrate life with new and old friends at ACE and taste why Anguilla reigns as the Caribbean’s Leading Culinary Destination. Learn more at www.AnguillaCulinaryExperience.com.  

About Anguilla: Tucked away in the northern Caribbean, Anguilla is a shy beauty with a warm smile. A slender length of coral and limestone fringed with green, the island is ringed with 33 beaches, considered by savvy travelers and top travel magazines, to be the most beautiful in the world. A fantastic culinary scene, a wide variety of quality accommodations at varying price points, a host of attractions and exciting calendar of festivals make Anguilla an alluring and entrancing destination. Anguilla lies just off the beaten path, so it has retained a charming character and appeal. Yet because it can be conveniently reached from three major gateways – Miami (MIA), Puerto Rico (SJU) and St. Maarten (SXM), and by private air, it’s a hop and a skip away. Romance? Barefoot elegance? Unfussy chic? And untrammeled bliss? Lose The Crowd. Find Yourself. In Anguilla.