THEY ARE GOING for the gold.

That's the word from the Barbados team representing the island at the annual Caribbean Hotel Tourism Conference Taste Of The Caribbean Culinary Competition now underway in Miami.

The Barbadians, along with teams from 12 other Caribbean countries, will face the judges today in what is expected to be a keen competition.

Yesterday the team was in high spirits.

Team manager Henderson Butcher told the DAILY NATION: "The team is a strong team like back in 2004 when we won gold. We are very confident in what we can do.

"The final decision, however, rests on the judges. We believe that we have dealt with the expected criteria."

Butcher explained that while the menu would come from a mystery basket, the team was quite able to manage whatever came its way.

Executive vice-president of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association, Sue Springer, also expressed confidence in the team, but she stressed she was more concerned about them bringing home exposure, experience and new ideas even if a gold medal was not forthcoming.

(CH)