A LOCAL culinary team's plan to compete against the best in the Caribbean region has been thwarted by a lack of cash.

The contingent of five ? a pastry chef, two chefs and a bartender ? learned only weeks before the June 13 competition that regular sponsors of participants in Taste of the Caribbean, the Bermuda Hotel Association (BHA) and the Bermuda Department of Tourism, would not make their traditional contributions towards the estimated $12,000 trip.

While upset that they will not be able represent Bermuda, the group is also concerned about the message the apparent lack of interest sends to youngsters contemplating entering the industry ? the group officially learned of its plight in the wake of an island-wide chef search sponsored by Government.

"Here we are saying we need to encourage our juniors; we need to use our juniors," explained Chris Malpas, one of those who had expected to attend the event at the Wyndham El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

"We're told we need to do this programme, we need to do that programme. But when the opportunities arise, something always seems to fall short, and nine times out of ten it's financial."

Organised by the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), Taste of the Caribbean presents a rare opportunity for Bermuda's chefs ? a chance to measure their skill against other professionals. Bermuda last participated in the annual event in 2001.

"It is important," said Josee Froncioni. The president of the Food and Wine Society stepped in as team manager when the first group entered the competition. Since then, she has seen many of the island's participants to glory in the culinary square-off.

"Supporting young chefs gives them a reason to stay here, an incentive. For too long chefs stayed in their kitchens and nobody paid attention to them, but if the food is not good, people aren't going to go back. We should encourage them to be proud of being a chef in Bermuda. Part of that is enabling them to compete with their peers, other chefs in the Caribbean."

The three-day tournament sees teams compete in a live kitchen environment, judged on how they prepare and serve a three-course meal for 25 people in four hours. Entry is open to chefs, pastry chefs and bartenders in the Caribbean region, and the BHA's affiliation with the CHA has encouraged a stream of Bermuda-based participants.

"It's put on by the Caribbean Hotel Association which has now joined forces with the Bermuda Hotel Association," Mr. Malpas said. "It's good for us because it benchmarks where we stand against our neighbouring countries, if you will.

"This year we were invited once again. Our hope was that the Hotel Association, and also Government, would recognise that this sort of event should be part of their mandate; the direction in which they want to go.

"You look at the money that's being spooned into other avenues ? some of the sports, the advertising campaigns. What better way could you use your advertising dollars than to send a team to compete on behalf of Bermuda? It's not as if we haven't already proven ourselves."

Continental Airlines offered to sponsor the group's airfare, but the event's usual patrons were unable to fill in the shortfall. The Department of Tourism offered $4,000; the BHA its blessing.

"We were told that the BHA endorsed it, but did not have the money to support our attendance," Mr. Malpas said. "Outside of (the Taste of the Caribbean), I don't know what else goes on between the BHA and the CHA.

"We're being used to keep that link alive and not benefiting from it. You can endorse whatever you want when you don't have to put money up, but with it being a hotel association event . . ."

Had the BHA responded in a timely manner, Mr. Malpas said, the group would have had the opportunity to seek funding elsewhere. Now, even if funding was secured, there was not sufficient time to dedicate to training and rework schedules.

"It didn't make sense for us to get together, to train and so forth, for them to turn around and say they're not going to help," he added. "It's an annual event. It wasn't like they just decided three months ago that they were going to have it.

"The really sad part is we're considered one of the jewels of the Caribbean; everybody knows that Bermuda has become a market for international business, and on the first day we were there last year, we were told that Jamaica's Department of Tourism (contributed) somewhere in the region of $80,000.

"And here we are in Bermuda considered the big, wealthy country, the elite, and we can't even come up with $12,000. On May 6, I sent the BHA an e-mail, thanking them for the update and saying that I was to withdraw my involvement from the event although I still supported it. I just couldn't continue at this late stage with so much uncertainty."

A call to John Harvey, chief executive officer of the Bermuda Hotel Association, was not returned by press time last night.