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Helmi Smeulders

@caribbeanchef

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Modern Caribbean cuisine. Author of the best Caribbean Cookbook 2025. Enjoying island life on Curaçao. Join my Caribbean cooking class & Chefs Table!

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Our Culinary Events for October & November
Ready to discover Curaçao through its flavors?
Join me for a culinary experience inspired by the island, its fresh ingredients and the stories behind Caribbean cuisine.

Chef’s Table
Enjoy a special evening around my table, where I’ll serve a menu inspired by Curaçao and the ingredients of the season. Get a closer look into my kitchen, discover the inspiration behind each dish and simply enjoy an evening filled with great food and island flavors.

Cooking Class
Time to get cooking! Step into my kitchen and prepare Caribbean dishes together with me. I’ll share my favorite ingredients, recipes and kitchen tips while we cook, taste and enjoy the experience together. Afterwards, we sit down around the table and enjoy the lunch we created.
Two different experiences, both with one thing in common: a love for good food and the flavors of Curaçao.

Which one will you join?
Reserve your spot through my bio!
#CaribbeanChef #EventsCuracao #CulinaryExperience #CuracaoFood #CookingClass #ChefsTable by @caribbeanchef

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16 days ago

When I say I’m never bored… I really mean I’m never bored. The past few months I’ve been working very hard behind the scenes together with the Island Vibes team on the new edition of my magazine. A lot of long days, edits, photoshoots and lots of little details… but we did it again and we’re so, so, so happy with the result! The magazine is being printed as we speak and will hit the stores in Holland within the next 2 weeks! And after that, it’s on its way to the islands. I can’t wait to share all the islands’ new hotspots, hidden gems, inspiring stories, interviews, and of course… lots of new recipes with you. Stay tuned!
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#IslandVibesMagazine #CaribbeanChef #islandlife taken in Curaçao by @caribbeanchef

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4 months ago

Very happy to be part of the latest issue of the Island Vibes magazine.
It’s available now at the bakery.
#islandvibes #bonaire #firstsourdoughbakeryinbonaire
#plantbasedvegan #pâtisserie by @caribbeanchef

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9 days ago

🌴🦩 THE ISLAND VIBES GIVEAWAY – EDITIE 2 IS LIVE! Oktober 2026🦩🌴

Een nieuwe maand… en dus een compleet nieuw Give Away pakket! ☀️

Na de superleuke eerste editie zijn we terug met editie 2. En ook deze maand hebben een paar fantastische lokale ondernemers op Bonaire samen een héél fijn pakket samengesteld. 💛

Deze maand kun je winnen:

🌴 Een te gekke Fliteboard Experience bij Waves & Wheels 🌊
🌴 Een mooi pakket woonaccessoires van het toffe merk PTMD bij At Boegaloe 🏝️
🌴 En natuurlijk het Island Vibes Magazine – The Taste of the Caribbean

Eén winnaar gaat er straks met dit héle pakket vandoor! 😍

Wil jij kans maken?

🌴 Volg @iriswuijsterphotography @caribbeanchef @waveandwheels en @atboegaloe
🌴 Like deze post
🌴 Deel deze Give Away in je Stories en tag @iriswuijsterphotography, zodat ik je deelname kan zien
🌴 Tag hieronder iemand die deze Island Vibes Giveaway absoluut niet mag missen

Meedoen kan t/m 19 oktober 2026. Daarna maak ik de winnaar bekend!

En vergeet vooral niet even rond te kijken bij de ondernemers achter deze mooie prijzen. Want dát blijft het idee achter Island Vibes: lokale ondernemers ontdekken, elkaar supporten en samen laten zien hoeveel moois Bonaire te bieden heeft. 💛

Heel veel succes! ☀️🌴🦩

Liefs,
Iris Wuijster

Your Caribbean Lifestyle Photographer
Capturing Weddings, Stories & Island Vibes across the Caribbean taken in Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands by @caribbeanchef

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14 days ago

Proud to be featured in the latest Island Vibes Magazine ✨

Happy to see It Rains Fishes included in this edition by @caribbeanchef. 🤍

#itrainsfishes #bonaire #islandvibes by @caribbeanchef

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18 days ago

One of the reasons I’ve been living on this island for almost 28 years is days like this. Going lionfish hunting with my buddy on a Sunday. Going off-road, diving into the beautiful deep blue water, catching some lionfish and enjoying a few cold beers afterwards in the back of the pickup. This is what island life is all about!
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#caribbeanfood #caribbeanchef #curacaochef #lionfishhunting #eatthemtobeatthem taken in Curaçao by @caribbeanchef

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2 months ago

TIP! Playa Franki is one of those places you almost want to keep to yourself. Via @landhuissannicolas_curacao , you can book this beautiful private beach to spend a lazy morning or afternoon swimming, relaxing and enjoying a picnic with delicious bites and drinks. Definitely one of my favorite hidden gems on Curaçao!

Want to discover more special spots like this? In the latest Island Vibes Magazine I share my favorite hotspots, hidden gems and local finds on Curaçao & Bonaire. Go get your copy and start exploring!

📸 @influencethroughthelens taken in Landhuis San Nicolas by @caribbeanchef

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2 months ago

One of my favorite recipes from the new Island Vibes magazine: a beach-proof twist on one of my all-time favorites, pasta vongole! Prepare the pasta salad and dressing at home, then cook the vongole on the barbecue right on the beach, adding a touch of smokiness that makes it even more delicious. Toss everything together and enjoy with a cold glass of white wine while the sun sets. Happy days!
📸 @curacao_photographer
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#caribbeanchef #curacaochef #islandvibesmagazine #feelitforyourself #islandlife taken in Curaçao by @caribbeanchef

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2 months ago

I honestly think my Chef’s Table is something truly unique. You’re welcomed into my kitchen together with 13 other guests and seated around the kitchen counter, right in the middle of where everything happens. Throughout the evening, I prepare a special chef’s menu right in front of you and share the stories behind every dish. I love taking local Caribbean ingredients and turning them into something unexpected. Seeing guests watch the process, ask questions and get surprised by flavors they didn’t expect is one of my favorite parts of the evening. For me, it’s about showing that Caribbean cuisine deserves a place at the fine dining table.

I love sharing the local ingredients of Curaçao and showing you how they bring the island’s vibrant flavors to life.
📅 Reserve your spot via the link in bio!

#caribbeanchef #EventsCuracao #curacaochefstable #restaurantcuracao #CookingWorkshop taken in Helmi Smeulders Caribbean Chef by @caribbeanchef

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3 months ago

Did you know that lionfish isn’t actually a Caribbean fish? It’s an invasive species from the Indo-Pacific that started appearing in the Caribbean around 15 years ago. Since then, it has spread incredibly fast. A female lionfish can release eggs every few days, adding up to around 2 million eggs per year. And because lionfish have very few natural predators here, their population exploded. The problem? They eat huge amounts of small reef fish and baby fish, putting pressure on our reefs and local ecosystem. That’s why we’re encouraging people to eat lionfish. And the good news? They’re absolutely delicious. So around here we say: eat them to beat them! One of those rare moments where eating something actually helps protect nature.

I love sharing the local ingredients of Curaçao and showing you how they bring the island’s vibrant flavors to life.
📅 Reserve your spot via https://helmismeulders.com/events/

#caribbeanchef #EventsCuracao #CulinaryExperience #chefcuracao #caribbeancookingclass taken in Curaçao by @caribbeanchef

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3 months ago

Did you know there isn’t just one Caribbean cuisine? The Caribbean consists of so many different islands, each with its own history, influences and recipes. Every island tells its own story through food. One of the things I love most is traveling around the region and discovering all those different flavors and traditions. On Curaçao, we LOVE a good stew.

We stew everything 😄 . My absolute favorite is kabritu stobá (goat stew), but we also make delicious beef stew, chicken stew, papaya stew, cucumber stew… and yes, we even stew iguana! Travel through the Caribbean and you’ll quickly discover that every island tastes different. And that’s exactly what makes our cuisine so special.

I love sharing the local ingredients of Curaçao and showing you how they bring the island’s vibrant flavors to life.
📅 Reserve your spot via the link in bio!

#caribbeanchef #EventsCuracao #CulinaryExperience #FoodLovers #CookingWorkshop by @caribbeanchef

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3 months ago

Wow… this was so worth the wait! The new edition of the Island Vibes magazine has finally washed ashore and it turned out even more beautiful than I had imagined! So proud of this 152-page new magazine baby, created together with Karin of @FrogMediaDesign and @rosalie_dekreij_tordoir . Also a big shout out to @yvettevanboven @susanaretz , @cevicheceviche , @wateetons, @lisettelionfishcaribbean, @apimhoff and @rianne_rikken for their amazing contributions. Teamwork does make the dream work! Now I’m off to fill the car and deliver the first copies to stores across the island. Follow me in the stories and go grab your copy! taken in Curaçao by @caribbeanchef

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3 months ago