Nina Compton | The Caribbean Creators

Nina Compton

Chef & Author

Nina Compton is an award-winning chef and author whose cooking brings together the flavours of her native Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean with the influences and techniques that have shaped her culinary career.

Saint Lucia at the Heart

Born and raised in Saint Lucia, Nina Compton grew up surrounded by the flavours and traditions of the Caribbean before beginning a culinary career that would take her from the islands to some of the most celebrated kitchens in the United States.

Classically trained at The Culinary Institute of America, Nina developed a style that brings her Caribbean heritage together with French and Italian influences, creating food that is deeply personal while constantly evolving.

In New Orleans, she established Compère Lapin, where the flavours of her Saint Lucian upbringing sit naturally alongside the ingredients and culinary traditions of Louisiana. Her work has earned widespread recognition, including the James Beard Award for Best Chef: South.

That connection between place, memory and food sits at the heart of Nina's cooking — and makes her a natural part of The Caribbean Creators.

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Kweyòl / Creole

A deeply personal celebration of Saint Lucian and Caribbean food, Kweyòl / Creole brings Nina Compton's heritage, memories and culinary journey to the page.

Across more than 100 recipes, Nina explores the flavours that shaped her — from the food of her childhood in Saint Lucia to the influences gathered throughout her career — creating a cookbook rooted in Caribbean tradition while looking confidently forward.

Vibrant, thoughtful and full of story, it's a beautiful introduction to Nina's distinctive approach to Caribbean cooking.

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