Judy Lorne has no official title, but in her own way she has been representing Barbados at food festivals and agricultural fairs in Martinique over the past six years. She is simply proud to do so because of her love for her country.
A private chef and culinary cultural practitioner who once thought of becoming an archaeologist because of her love for archaeology and ancient history, Judy may be known for the array of products and traditional confectioneries that she makes under the brand name Salena’s. But putting aside her own products, she has determined that she will continue to showcase Barbadian products in Martinique despite the huge travel cost and the personal sacrifices she makes.
Judy has won numerous National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) awards for her products, which include a variety of sugar cakes, tamarind balls, stewed gooseberries, along with flavoured hot sauces and mango chutney.
She has been participating in NIFCA’s culinary arts competitions since 2009 and amassed one silver and nine gold culinary arts awards in 2012, when she also copped the prize for the Most Outstanding Work in Preserves. During NIFCA 2019, she won the Vision 2020 Award for her tomato hot sauce.
Innate love for cooking
Judy has accomplished much, not from attending a culinary arts school, but through her innate love for cooking and her unofficial role as a food critic.
“It’s all self-taught,” the mother of five adult daughters told Easy. “It’s a gift.”
Along with her awards and accomplishments, this St Michael resident is proud of her five daughters, who range in age from 25 to 38.
“My two oldest daughters live in France, one lives in Martinique, another works at a leading west coast hotel and the other is completing her Master’s degree in graphic design in Berlin, Germany,” the proud 65-year-old said.
Notwithstanding, it is Judy’s love for showcasing Barbadian products that she enjoys the most.
She explained how it all started: “My oldest daughter’s godfather is a sitting member in the local agricultural society in Martinique’s southern district. He called me in 2019 and extended an invitation to me to showcase Barbadian products at that year’s event. The rest is history.
“Ironically, when I was living in Martinique between 1985 and 1995, I used to hear a lot about agricultural fairs but I never participated in any of them.”
Fluent in French
After speaking with officials at the Barbados Investment Development Corporation (BIDC) and the Barbados Agricultural Development and Marketing Corporation (BADMC), Judy went ahead and made her own preparations to attend the fair in 2019.
“I realised through my participation that Barbados was so well perceived in Martinique,” the entrepreneur said.
“As a result of my participation, I was invited to attend a food fair, where I showcased foods such as rotis, lentil peas and rice and salt fish gravy, and Bajan mauby.
“I have always made fishcakes, souse, and sold Bajan sno-cones. I discovered through my participation that we in the Caribbean have similar produce and foods at our disposal, but we prepare different dishes with the same produce.”
When she attended the agricultural fair in Martinique in April this year, she took “a whole set of stuff”, including a range of products from the West India Biscuit Company (WIBISCO), Pine
Hill Dairy (PHD), Roberts Manufacturing Company Limited, as well as Amanda’s seasoning and Country Kitchen essence. When the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) staged a travel fair in Martinique, Judy, who is fluent in French, was also there, and BTMI representatives donated tourism promotional materials.
“I funded my own airfare and ground transportation. It is always costly, but I do this because I have a firm belief in the talent that exists in Barbados. I am always happy to represent Barbados. We have the edge on so many other countries.
“When I was promoting Shirley biscuits and products from other manufacturers, I started by giving a history on each company, and people bought into this.”
Since there are no cargo ships trading between Martinique and Barbados, Judy believes the inroads she continues to make are important.
“I want to see how we can develop a way for our products to go to Martinique because the people in Martinique truly love Bajan products. They test everything to European standards. BADMC flour was well received and since I have a good rapport with the mayor of the local parish where the food fairs are held, I have become the face of Barbados in Martinique. I am simply trying to promote Barbados the best way that I can.
“The main criteria is that the items which are displayed must be 100 per cent Barbadian, and everything on display from Martinique must be 100 per cent local as well.”
Judy is again making preparations to visit Martinique soon and will once again take Barbadian products for display. Indeed, she wants to go even further.
More merchandise
“I want to take Barbadian products to the Paris Fair in May 2026. The fair in Martinique will be in April 2026. I do not know how I will do this financially speaking, and to do this I have to make it bigger and better, so I will need more merchandise. I just want to make a name for Barbados and I want more Barbadian manufacturers to get on board. I want to take something new to the table. We make good products in Barbados and we should be willing to showcase them.”
Judy has recognised the help she has gotten over the years, and thanks WIBISCO’s marketing team, Export Barbados’ chief executive officer Mark Hill, Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir, and Joy-Ann Haigh of Haigh Communications for their support during her last trip.
For her, she is simply Barbados’ unofficial ambassador doing what she can for the good of her nation wherever she goes.
Judy Lorne has won numerous National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) awards for her products, which include a variety of sugar cakes, tamarind balls, stewed gooseberries, along with flavoured hot sauces and mango chutney. (CH)
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