Bermuda Inspired Focus For Restaurant Weeks - Bernews

The eighth year of Bermuda Restaurant Weeks has brought a record number of Bermuda-inspired menus to the centre of the table.

Of the 49 participating restaurants in this year’s culinary promotion, 41 are offering Bermuda-inspired menus – the most ever. Since 2015, the Bermuda Tourism Authority has inspired restauranteurs to infuse local food culture into their Restaurant Weeks menus.

Four years ago, only 24 restaurants accepted the challenge. Each year since then the number of Bermuda-inspired offerings have increased.

“The shift to more Bermuda ingredients and traditions on the local food scene is considered a vital part of experiential travel. Over the past three years, experiential visitors are increasingly choosing Bermuda for leisure travel,” the BTA explained.

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Number of Restaurants Offering Bermuda-inspired Menus [by year]

2015	2016	2017	2018	2019
24	30	32	37	41

“I think maybe there was a little skepticism when we first started talking about this, but the proof is in the pudding,” said Bermuda Tourism Authority Chief Product and Experiences Development Officer Pat Phillip-Fairn.

“The five-year shift to more Bermuda-inspired menus is a huge proof of concept example; this is really what people want. They want to not only eat where the locals eat, but eat local food. This is a big part of the experience that visitors are looking for.”

Only restaurants that put together Bermuda-inspired menus are eligible for the Restaurant Weeks People’s Choice Award. Diners are asked to vote for their favourite Bermuda-inspired menu online.

Last year, Lost in the Triangle was the People’s Choice Award-winner for lunch and dinner. The introduction of the People’s Choice Award and Bermuda-inspired menus are designed to not only encourage local culinary creativity during Restaurant Weeks, but, in fact, year-round.

Chamber of Commerce Restaurant Division Chair Chris Garland said: “There’s a feeling in the restaurant community that if you’re not doing this, you’re missing out on something unique and pretty cool.”