St. Lucia native chef Nina Compton is receiving the full support of her countrymen thanks to Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony. Compton along with chef Nicholas Elmi of Pennsylvania are the only two finalists remaining on Bravo’s “Top Chef” competition, which is set to air Wednesday evening.
If she wins, Compton would be the first Caribbean-born winner of the competition, which is now in its 11th season.
St. Lucia Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony said Compton, who’s father was former Prime Minister John Compton, had “made St. Lucia proud.”
“She has taken the United States of America and the rest of the television world by storm in her quest to become America’s Top TV chef. Now, more than ever, we must stand behind this daughter of St. Lucia who so loves and displays the land of her birth,” said Anthony in letter sent via the St. Lucian Consulate in New York.
He added, “I have said that winning America’s ‘Top Chef’ title will be the best gift Nina can give to St. Lucia as we prepare to observe the 35th Anniversary of the date her father led our island into nationhood through independence. Nina has shown us thus far that she can do it — and we all know she can pull through on Wednesday evening.”
The government has helped organize a viewing party in Derek Walcott Square in Castries on Wednesday night to watch the season finale, with a similar viewing party planned at the Vieux-Fort Technical Secondary School.
“I call on all St. Lucians to join the live broadcast of Top Chef, decked out in our flag colours,” Anthony said. “I call on all local television stations and other media houses able and willing, to make appropriate arrangements to broadcast the event on Wednesday night.”
Compton is currently the Chef de Cuisine at the Scarpetta restaurant at Miami Beach’s Fontainebleau hotel.
