Soup lovers were in heaven Sunday at the Ann Abramson Pier, where the soup flowed abundantly during the second annual Soup du Cure fundraiser.
“I haven’t eaten all day,” said Malcolm McGregor, assistant to Gov. John deJongh Jr. “I was just waiting for this.”
Rashidi Clenance, from Sun Stroke promotions, said he came up with Soup du Cure, an event focused on curing the community’s social ills.
“We’ve got to start somewhere,” Clenance said. Appropriately referring to soup as a “melting pot" of cultures, Clenance said the often hearty liquid food brings all demographics together.
The pier was in full splendor as the sun sank into the sea, and the lights came on, illuminating the royal palm walkway and fountain. Folks gathered in groups on the pier sipping or spooning samples of soup served up in small cups.
That was until the power went out island-wide.
Clenance said he was a little disappointed that the power went off when it did.
“We had a lot more planed for the evening,” Clenance said. “We are looking ahead to next year and it growing.”
Crammed into a tent were almost 35 cooks and chefs serving their special soups.
Nora Santana cooked up her sancocho, which has four different meats and provisions like sweet potato, yams and cassava. Harvey’s restaurant served a cream of breadfruit soup, while Patsy’s Trini Restaurant ladled out a very spicy corn soup.
Chef Anton Doos of St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center had his culinary arts class students cook and serve peanut butter chippewa pepper soup, mushroom bacon, seafood minestrone and more. Beach Side Cafe served a cool ginger beet soup.
People raved over Derek Reese’s “De Man Soup,” which was loaded with seafood. Reese, a chef at H2O Restaurant, said he puts in a “little spice and a little love.”
“De man soup is on point,” Apple Irish said. “One cup makes your husband stay home.”
“This is a positive event that impacts the community,” Janet Brow said as she served up her famous seafood kallaloo. “I’m all in favor of serving and helping here.”
The competition for cash prizes had a panel of judges that included Cheryl Francis, Sen. Sammuel Sanes, Denise Lewis and Luis Garcia. The panel decided Kenny Gittens’ red pea soup had the best overall taste, netting Gittens $1,000 and first place. Second place went to Deep End Bar, which took home for $500 for its New England clam chowder. Last year’s champ, Margarita’s Restaurant, took third place and $250 for its pork kallaloo.
For just a $20 ticket, the nearly 300 attendees were able to feast on all the soup they wanted, with proceeds going to Caribbean Educational Initiative (CEI), a non-profit serving children. Clenance said a portion of Soup du Cure’s proceeds will go toward a $500 UVI scholarship, adding, “Youth need our help and guidance.”
The first event of the Christmas festival, Soup du Cure was sponsored by Budget Car Rental, V.I. Tourism Department and the Crucian Christmas Festival, which will get in full swing next month.
