Atlantis Bahamas Food Festival Stars
Atlantis Bahamas is set to host a major food and wine festival featuring culinary stars Rachael Ray, José Andrés, and Tom Colicchio. The event promises a packed schedule of tastings, chef demonstrations, and exclusive dinners, making it one of the Caribbean's most anticipated gastronomic gatherings of the year.
The event, officially named the Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival, is slated to run for five days from March 11 to March 15, 2026. This marks the fourth year for the festival, which has quickly become a major culinary event in the Caribbean. Proceeds from the festivities support the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to marine conservation in the Bahamas and the Caribbean. The lineup extends beyond the headliners, featuring a broader cast of culinary figures. Chefs like Michael Symon, Aaron Sanchez, Antonia Lofaso, and JJ Johnson will also host events. The schedule includes more than 30 distinct experiences, from large walk-around tastings to intimate, chef-led dinners. Specific events include a "Tacos & Tequila" party hosted by Michael Symon and Aaron Sanchez with a special performance by DJ Pauly D. Another signature event is "Jerk Jam," a celebration of Caribbean grilling hosted by JJ Johnson and Antonia Lofaso, which will feature a musical performance by the band Sugar Ray. Each of the headlining chefs will host their own exclusive, multi-course wine dinner at the Ocean's Edge venue. Tom Colicchio will also host "A Taste of Paradise," a beachside event featuring tasting stations from various island chefs paired with a performance by Bahamian musician K.B. Rachael Ray is set to host a separate seaside event featuring fresh seafood recipes. Tom Colicchio is a five-time James Beard Foundation Award winner and has been the head judge on every season of the television show *Top Chef*. His Crafted Hospitality group includes a portfolio of restaurants such as Craft and Craftsteak across the United States. José Andrés is the founder of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a non-profit that provides meals in the wake of natural disasters and humanitarian crises. WCK has served hundreds of millions of meals globally, from Haiti and Puerto Rico to Ukraine and Gaza. Andrés was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2015 for his work with the organization. After stepping away from her long-running daily talk show in 2023, Rachael Ray founded her own production company, Free Food Studios. She has since been creating new shows for platforms like A&E and Hulu and continues to be active in philanthropy, including organizing humanitarian trips to Ukraine.
