Thaddeus Trott dashed Cambridge Beaches chef Olivier Ramos' dreams of representing Bermuda in a Caribbean competition.

Hamilton Princess chef Mathew Line will stand in for Mr. Ramos, who was refused permission to be on the team by Mr. Trott.

The dispute -- stemming from a row between Cambridge Beaches and the Bermuda Hotel Association -- has also affected the cooking team's four-person junior squad, potentially derailing plans by Bermudian chef David Tyrrell -- also a chef at the Cambridge Beaches -- to attend the competition.

On Friday night, Mr. Tyrrell said he felt committed to the competition, but did not know if he'll be flying out with the squad on Friday.

"Right now I'm just torn and very confused as to why this has happened,'' he last night told The Royal Gazette .

The move comes in the wake of long-standing dispute between Mr. Ramos' employer, Cambridge Beaches owner Mr. Trott, and the Bermuda Hotel Association, which together with the Caribbean Hotel Association, has sanctioned `A Taste of the Caribbean' cook-off.

The competition, involving 20 teams, is being held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, starting September 29.

Plans began to sour when Caribbean organisers informed the Bermuda team earlier this summer that all participants had to be affiliated with the BHA, and by extension, said team chairman Edward Bottone -- otherwise known as the Curious Cook.

But Mr. Trott, who some years ago pulled Cambridge Beaches out of the BHA, has refused to allow Messrs Ramos and Tyrrell to become temporary members of the BHA and has refused to release his two employees.

"Here's an event organised by the Department of Tourism and put in the hands of the private sector. Everybody's given a lot of their time and effort, not for their own personal glory, but for Bermuda. And here we have one man who almost ruins everything,'' said Mr. Bottone.

"It's unfortunate for Olivier because he's an extremely talented chef,'' he added.

In spite of the turn of events however, Mr. Bottone fully expects the Bermuda team to come back victorious, and for his part Mr. Line said he was willing and able to step into the kitchen and take the heat.

"I think basically we've just got to take it relaxed and do our best. The worst thing is to go in all stressed out,'' he said. "I found out this morning and said, `yeah, what an opportunity'.''