“We’re trying to keep everything as tight lipped as possible.” The words of Meagan Monsegue, Franchise holder for Dîner en Blanc, Port-of-Spain. On Monday, October 5th, the media got a sneak peak into what’s to come for this year’s exclusive experience, which takes place on November 14th, at a secret location.

Dîner en Blanc was founded in Paris in 1988. It started off as a gathering of friends in the Bois de Boulogne, dressed in chic white attire and sharing good food, wine and conversation. At the residence of the French Ambassador to Port of Spain, Guillaume Pierre, on Monday, he shared, “It’s very natural. First we are talking about gastronomy. Where there is good food, there is always a Frenchman there, close and interested and specifically, gastronomy through this beautiful project called Dîner en Blanc, which basically calls on people to get together to share a nice moment of food, and friendship around a beautiful table. It’s very French but I think it’s also very Trinidadian to get together and share good moments.”

Ambassador Pierre went on to say he is excited to be a part of the event in November. He will be this year’s Guest of Honor. “I’m looking forward to discovering beautiful people, have good food and spend a good time.”

This is the sixth staging of Dîner en Blanc in Trinidad and Tobago. Guests will begin arriving at the secret location from 4pm in mandatory chic, all white attire. As a French inspired celebration, Dîner en Blanc serves only wine and champagne. This event is curated to ensure maximum luxury and grandeur. “Our theme is One Soiée Parisienne – La Belle Époque,” said Monsegue. She explained that La Belle Époque was an era associated with artistic expression, cultural flourishing, innovation, elegance and optimism. “It also reflects the French philosophy of Art le Vivre – the art of living well.”

Monsegue and co host, Nigel Roach say they are not attempting to recreate Paris in Trinidad. “We are inviting Paris and Port-of- Spain in conversation, bringing French elegance and tradition, together with our own warmth, creativity, rhythm, hospitality and cultural richness,” said Monsegue. She noted that the French connection to T&T is familiar. “It exists within our history, language, place names, food and cultural identity. Our interpretation will be expressed through design, fashion, music, entertainment, art, hospitality and food, creating an evening that feels transportive, contemporary and unmistakably Trinidadian.”

Dîner en Blanc as a brand, is hosted around the world. It is a massive global phenomenon hosted in nearly 120 cities across 40 countries. In the US, it has been hosted in cites like New York, Philadelphia  – which is historically the largest in the US, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston and Miami, and in Canada, the event has been staged in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Edmundston. France, New Zealand, Australia, Haiti, Mexico and of course, Trinidad and Tobago have all hosted Dîner en Blanc. “You do not know where you’re going. The location remains a secret until the final moment- which, in Trinidad, where everybody knows somebody, who knows somebody – is no small achievement. Then comes the reveal. Suddenly, a familiar part of the city becomes something completely unexpected. Beautiful rows of white tables begin to take shape. Glasses are raised. Conversations begin, music fills the space and an entire gathering dressed in white becomes part of one extraordinary visually extraordinary experience.That is Dîner en Blanc,” explained Monsegue.

This year, Roach and Monsegue have partnered with Freebird Restaurant to deliver on sumptuous, Paris/ Trinbagonian fused cuisine that guests will enjoy on November 14th. Freeboard Restaurant, which is located in Point -A -Pierre, is run by Rhenard Callender and his sister, Le Cordon Bleu-trained executive chef, Rhe-Anne Callender. On Monday, Rhenard told the media said they are very pleased to be the catering partner for Dîner en Blanc. “We always believe that with food – for us, it’s about making really great food, for great people and to make people happy. We’re very excited about Dîner en Blanc and we’re looking forward to the event.”

Nigel Roach said the local franchise is guided by the International body when it comes to deciding on the most appropriate venue. “It has to be a location that is historically aligned with Trinidad and Tobago. We run that by the international body and then we go from there,” he said. Roach also said certain facilities are mandatory. “Proximity for parking and that sort of thing – those are the things that we must ensure of.” Meanwhile, French Ambassador, Guillaume Pierre says the event being staged in Trinidad and Tobago will be his first. “I know about Dîner en Blanc, I did not personally experience it but I know about it so I saw it several times and this year will be my first Dîner en Blanc – sitting at the table, so I am very, very excited with this idea. I know it will be a beautiful event. I also know that the food will be very good. I saw samples of the menus and it’s extremely interesting and you want to try. Basically, beauty, the art of the table, which is something that we are very attached to, and also, the taste- I am really looking forward to this experience in Port- of- Spain.”

For more on Dîner en Blanc, be sure to follow their social media pages.

The ground has been calling for it – the return of the International Soca Monarch competition in Trinidad and Tobago. Now there’s news that the the competition will return in Carnival 2027 under the theme, Trinidad and Tobago vs The World.

One artiste, true to the authenticity of the culture, says it’s great news. Ebuzztt caught up with Wadicks earlier on Friday, just after the news broke. “This is something very good for artistes to test themselves – to see how best they are in representing the country when it comes to Soca music. It’s good for people to gauge themselves against their cohorts and it’s been a while since artistes have been able to really do that,” he said.

The competition’s official date is yet to be revealed, however if tradition is marinated, it will be held on Friday, February 5th. Scorch Limited and Scorch Events will produce the show. “For 2027, the competition returns with a bold, international dimension, placing Trinidad and Tobago’s Soca talent against artistes from around the world in a celebration of the genre’s growing global reach,” said a media statement issued. Details surrounding venue and participation requirements will be forthcoming.

For Wadicks and many other Soca artistes who occupy the space, the music delivered ahead of the competition is of dire importance. “I will jump in once the people gravitate to the music. The people must not be wondering what song this artiste is singing when they hit the stage in the competition. You don’t want to enter with a song the people don’t know,” he emphasized.

In the early years of the international Soca Monarch competition, under the stewardship of Mr. William Munroe, the International Soca Monarch was a monument in Carnival. Radio stations were heavily engaged and money spent on major advertising campaigns that saw emerging and seasoned artistes interviewed and their music placed on intentional rotation as a result of paid advertising. Whether this approach will be taken, as the effort to re-establish the solidity of Trinidad and Tobago in this area gets underway, is left to be seen. “No matter what, it starts with the people. Once the people accept the event and come out to enjoy it… but the marketing of the event is very important too. It’s a huge undertaking and if Scorch can get the people who come to their events and all the other people who love the culture, that would be fantastic to get T&T back to where it once was when it comes to the ISM,” said Wadicks. He has one song already bubbling ahead of Carnival 2027 and plans to release a second next week. “I have ‘Thickerz’ out already and I’m releasing a rum tune next week,” said the artiste cheerfully. He’s never in a bad mood.

With Grenada’s Soca Monarch now leading as the poster child of what Soca Monarch should look and feel like, Wadicks says he thinks the Spice Isle does a great job of showing the world just what true enjoyment of the music looks like. “They have no fashion statement – Grenada has no respect for clothes as compared to Trinidad where it’s more about fashion than enjoyment. In Grenada you could come out in any colour and after the party, patrons leaving dirty and sweaty, having had a time,” he said with a laugh.

Prize monies a major factor when it comes to competitions in Trinidad and Tobago, Wadicks says he doesn’t believe this should be the defining factor in any artiste’s decision to enter the competition. “The Soca Monarch brings out the best in an artiste when it comes to interacting with the people and getting the people to accept the challenge of a command. Artistes have to be able to move the crowd ; Besides being strong vocally, their ability to command the crowd must be on point,” he highlighted, adding, “We as the representatives of the culture should be pushing to bring back the Soca Monarch to where it was, but of course, not everybody will think like me.”

On the tempo of the Soca that’s required for big flag crews and real mayhem to return to big venues in T&T, Wadicks agrees that the sweetness that’s currently trending must subside. “Once the tempo starts to escalate things will get better. ‘De t’ing too sweet, especially for a short season,” he said frankly.

The Scorch team at the helm of the 2027 production says this production will have “no backroom and no bacchanal,” with an expert panel of music industry experts, cultural commentators and soca veterans scoring creativity, lyrics, stage presence, overall impact and a specially introduced aspect – the Sparrow Tribute. “The Mighty Sparrow belonged to both sides of this battle, so every finalist – home side and away side must pay tribute to the Calypso King of the World somewhere in their Fantastic Friday presentation,” explains an accompanying ISM27 deck issued to the media.

The word is out and the people have gotten exactly what they’ve been asking for. What’s left to see now is just who supports with cultural passion and pride at the forefront, and who chooses not to.