Rising above Anse Chastanet, Jade Mountain is an architectural masterpiece which has repeatedly been voted as the world's best luxury resort.

It is not only known for its unique and bold design but also for its fantastic gourmet offering. The resort is now encouraging guests to embrace the Caribbean culture with a series of specially developed complimentary gourmet festivals being held throughout 2012, dates of which have just been announced.

Sitting within grounds that are home to the old, tropical plantation of Anse Mamin where you can find turmeric, cashews, tamarind, mango, avocado, oranges, tangerines, guavas, papaya, coconut, breadfruit, yams and sweet potatoes, the Jade Mountain menu enjoys a wonderful organic resource on its doorstep.

Furthermore playing a role in Jade Mountain’s culinary arts is the Troubetzkoy's organic rain forest farm, the Emerald Estate, in the Soufriere Hills. The garden and farm already include vanilla beans, bay leaf, nutmeg trees, cinnamon trees, and numerous varieties of mango, sour orange, and coconut trees. The Emerald farm grows leaves, greens, vegetables, and herbs for the restaurant and by having a close relationship with many fishermen in the local town as well as up and down the coast, Jade Mountain has access to the freshest and most pristine fish in St Lucia.

So…if you can bear to leave the confines of your magnificent sanctuary, why not do so this year to take part in one of Chef Allen Susser’s exquisite culinary workshops….

Cooking In Paradise: 30th March – 2nd April 2012… Do as the name suggests and ‘cook’ in ‘paradise’! Experience the ‘virtues of locally grown Caribbean Cuisine’ enjoying new exotic tastes and learning traditional carib cooking methods. Take a taste tour of Jade Mountain’s very own organic garden on the Emerald Estate, visit Soufriere’s local town market and take part in a tropical fruit workshop and a cookery class with Jade Mountain’s resident chef, Allen Susser. Cocktail party, lunches, gourmet dinner and Champagne brunch are also included!

Mango Madness: 15th – 18th June 2012…It’s all about mangos – mango chutney, mango mojitos and other cocktails, mango finger food, mango plantations, mango tastings... And who better to lead this course than the author of “The Mango Cookbook”, the resort’s very own Allen Susser. His aim is to show you hundreds of things you can do with this juicelishious fruit and this course will involve tastings, workshops and guided walks – don’t miss the in-depth Mango Chutney workshop and Mango cocktail party. By the time of “The Night of 1000 Mangos” dinner on Saturday, you will have been mangoed!

Spices of the Caribbean: 7th – 10th September 2012…Through spices, we can travel with our palate to faraway places. Spice defines cuisine and all the dishes it rolls out. Here, it’s time to open the Caribbean spice box and explore the wonders inside through a series of activities such as a cooking demonstration and a class with Chef Allen Susser, a tasting session, a tour of the local market and the organic Emerald Gardens... And get ready for a lunch, dinner (with matched wines for every course) and cocktail party, all with Caribbean spice! Go on and spice up your holiday!

Chocolate Festival: 13th – 16th December 2012…Why not dive into the world of cocoa and chocolate for a couple of days for an enormous dose of aphrodisiac... St Lucia is populated by thousands of cocoa trees and the island has a tradition of cocoa production that dates back to the 18th century. Join Allen Susser to understand and experience the alchemy of chocolate. First stop is a chocolat-tini party and dinner followed by exotic chocolate desserts. Then enjoy walking and tasting tours of the cocoa plantations, a workshop, lunch at the farmhouse on the Emerald Estate, a lower calorie cocoa spa treatment (for an additional cost) and a 5 course dinner, each containing chocolate with wines to match. And for grand finale, enjoy a chocolate-breakfast-in-bed-extravaganza, details of which we cannot reveal here...

Nightly rates at Jade Mountain start at US$ 1,130 per Sanctuary. Price is based on two persons sharing a Sky Jacuzzi Suite, including breakfast and dinner.

Hotel Profile, more photos: Jade Mountain