THE Guyana Festival Cook Out took place on Sunday at the Guyana National Stadium where cooks showcased their culinary skills and expertise in preparing mouth-watering dishes that depicted Guyana’s diverse culture.
It was indeed a display of putting together local ingredients to tantalise the taste buds of visitors.
The foods varied from tuma pot, garlic pork, chicken curry with roti, to Chinese-style fried rice with sweet and sour prawns, fish and chips and cook-up rice. The aromatic flavours came together in one place, attracting scores of persons.
The Carnegie School of Home Economics was one of the many participants, and their group comprised two students and three teachers. They made an eddo-leaf cook-up with beans, and beef cook-up-rice from scratch, according to student Samatha Daniels.
When the Guyana Chronicle visited her booth, she was pouring some coconut milk into the pot, while the other group members participated in finalisation of the dish.
Natasha Ali from ‘Dare to Taste’ was preparing some chicken curry with roti right on the spot and she received support from several persons, who were busy ensuring everything was up to par.
Abosie Layne of ‘A and D Deluxe’ in Canal Number One told the Guyana Chronicle that she established her own cook shop eight years ago and today she is very pleased to be a part of the Guyana Festival Cook Out.
Three persons assisted her in making Chinese-style fried rice with sweet and sour prawns.
Meanwhile, Minister of Tourism, Commerce and Industry, Susan Rodrigues was present alongside the judges, who, after sampling all the prepared dishes, announced the winners for each category.
The winners were as follows: Tuma Sala won first place in the Amerindian Cuisine category; D’s Kitchen copped first place in the African Cuisine category; A and D Deluxe was the winner for the Chinese Cuisine category; Authentic Creole Kitchen walked away with first prize for the Portuguese Cuisine category, and Sizzling Stars were the winners of the East Indian Cuisine category.
Minister Rodrigues presented prizes and congratulated the winner while offering words of encouragement to the other participants. She later interacted with members of the public.
The Guyana Festival was held from May 15 to May 17, 2026, under the theme, ‘Sound, Soul, and Taste,’ and is part of Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, commemorating 60 years as an independent nation.
It was first envisioned by the President, Dr Irfaan Ali in 2014 during his tenure as Minister of Housing and Water.
After 12 years, the festival made a grand return and targeted Guyanese from across the country, as well as the diaspora and other international visitors.
The festival brought together cultural groups, artisans, performers and exhibitors from across the country in a vibrant showcase of Guyana’s multi-ethnic heritage and traditions.
The event formed part of the government’s broader vision to promote national unity, cultural preservation and tourism through the country’s 60th independence celebrations.
The Guyana Festival 2026 ended on Sunday with a series of performances, cultural exhibitions and interactive experiences celebrating the country’s heritage, creativity and diversity.
