The Top Deck is Chef Jason Howard’s addition to the culinary world on the west coast of Barbados. Their modern take on Caribbean food is delicious and absolutely stunning. The Barbadian born Chef is a Master of Modern Caribbean Cuisine. The menu manages to be complex, yet familiar to the Caribbean palate.

If you flip through Chef Howard’s  Instagram you will notice he has the eye of an artist. Every dish is a visual feast. Color is a strength that he uses with incredible care. He does all of this using common Caribbean ingredients and flavors. While the design of each dish is undeniably modern, the taste is ultimately familiar.

Top Deck is a testament to the potential of Caribbean Cuisine. While Caribbean flavors are respected, they do not carry the same weight as many other international flavors. This restaurant is a wonderful example of why that shouldn’t be true. The atmosphere is comfortable, while the food is undeniably sophisticated. It is a trailblazer, taking Barbadian restaurants to an unprecedented level, with its flavors and presentation. Every Bajan foodie should try it at least once to see what potential we have, and to be able to recommend it to anyone looking for something unique on the Caribbean food scene.

Creativity needs to be nurtured. Top Deck is pushing the boundaries of what Caribbean food looks and tastes like. I believe that our food will one day be on the level of other international fare, such as Italian, French and Japanese. When we look back, I bet we will be able to trace it to pioneers like Chef Howard. It is important for us to support this venture to see how far they can push the boundaries and where these tastes can lead. The world of food is constantly changing and looking for something new. Our food scene has been stagnant for far too long and Top Deck may the remedy to this issue.

For more information, check out their Facebook page and Instagram. If you do go, make sure to tell them who sent you. Either way, what do you think is the future for Caribbean chefs? Are there any other restaurants in the region doing amazing things? Let us know in the comments down below.

Chef Howard has dreams of one day bringing the first Michelin Star to the Caribbean and based on his work it looks as though that dream could become a reality. However, such goals are not achieved alone. The perfection required for a Michelin Star comes out of several rounds of trail and error. Top Deck is an awesome showing of the future of modern Caribbean food. It is unlike other Barbadian restaurant who have forgotten the meaning of true innovation. Today’s culinary world is obsessed with the new and trendy and Top Deck is one of the few Barbadian joins committed to experimenting and pushing forward Caribbean cuisine. However, this inventiveness needs to be nurtured.We need to ensure that Top Deck becomes a staple on the Caribbean food scene. If creativity isn’t encouraged, it dies. The best way to encourage it, is by supporting it. We need to spread the word about what is new and interesting and then give constructive criticism so it can get to the next level. Caribbean cuisine is often overlooked in comparison to long standing culinary traditions, however our flavors have the potential to captivate an international audience.  I believe that the Top Deck has the potential to change Caribbean fine dining. It is a pioneer and with some development it may be able to transform Barbados into a culinary mecca.For more information, check out their Facebook page and Instagram. If you do go, make sure to tell them who sent you. Either way, what do you think is the future for Caribbean chefs? Are there any other restaurants in the region doing amazing things? Let us know in the comments down below.