ST JOHNS, Antigua – Antigua and Barbuda’s cuisine and culture were highlighted in the New York Tristate market earlier this month when Antiguan Chef Claude Lewis participated in the WPIX 11 Morning News show. The segment focused on Caribbean cuisine, and chef Claude Lewis aptly prepared Saltfish fritters, Antroba and Ducana as the traditional breakfast in Antigua and Barbuda. He shared details on preparation of the meal, and his memories of growing up in Antigua and Barbuda. The four-minute segment was aired throughout the Tristate area, offering exposure to millions of viewers of the popular morning program.
Participation in the segment was organized through efforts of the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority’s US office. “Antigua and Barbuda is home to some of the best cuisine in the Caribbean, and we wanted to share some of our local flavours and culture, with persons residing in one of our key markets. Having previous television experience, and sharing our same passion for Antigua and Barbuda, we knew Claude Lewis was the perfect fit to represent our twin-island nation. We look forward to welcoming new visitors eager to taste our exciting cuisine first-hand,” said Dean Fenton, US Director of Tourism at the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority.
Claude Lewis, born to two Antigua and Barbuda immigrants, is an established chef in the US, having won Food Network’s popular Chopped series in 2019, and opening his own restaurant ‘Freetown Road’ earlier this year. Based in Jersey City, New Jersey, the restaurant features a daily menu that introduces diners to Antiguan and Barbudan cuisine. The restaurant doubles as a pantry, and also serves as a soup kitchen twice a week to feed the homeless.
WPIX, channel 11, is the CW-affiliated station in New York, owned by the Tribune Broadcasting Company. Over the years, channel 11 has won many news awards, and was the first independent station to win a New York-area Emmy Award for outstanding newscast. The morning news programs act as a direct competitor to national networks, and recently launched a third hour to the morning format, where the Antigua and Barbuda segment aired on September 7 at 9:50 am.