When Debra Sardinha- Metivier became the Executive Chef at the Hilton Trinidad it was a series of significant “firsts” throughout her career. In 1996 she earned the first Madeline Kamman Award from the International Association of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, an honor that afforded her the opportunity to hone her skills under Kamman’s renowned direction.
In 1997 Sardinha- Metivier was selected as the first female captain of the Trinidad and Tobago Culinary Team for CHA’s Caribbean Hotel Association “Taste of the Caribbean” [under her watch and leadership the ”sergeant major” as she was affectionately called- has the bragging rights to be the only team to have won “ Gold and “Team of the Year” two times- [ the Team accomplished a third “team of the Year” and ‘Bartender of the Year”- under a new Team Captain, Bernard Long .
This year another first was again bestowed on her as the only female Judge appointed to bring her expertise of Caribbean flavors to the current panel of judges of the “Taste of the Caribbean Competition”
Currently she owns and operates her own catering and consulting firm called DSM Creative Cuisine this allows her to “wear a series of hats” that she thoroughly enjoys” Her expertise has allowed her to travel recently to places like Berlin, London, Switzerland, New York, Santo Domingo to promote the Trinbago Fusion that is truly unique to the island of Trinidad and Tobago.
