Top chefs began arriving on the Island yesterday for the inaugural Bermuda Culinary Arts Festival which kicks-off tonight at the Fairmont Southampton Princess.

Sara Moulton, who presents Sarah's Secrets on the Food Network and is executive chef to Gourmet magazine, will host the three day event which has attracted leading cooks from the United States and England.

Around 200 overseas visitors, including sponsors from Gourmet magazine, are coming for the festival, which organisers hope will put Bermuda on the culinary events map.

Organiser Jenn Butterfield of Total Marketing, which is promoting the event, was in optimistic mood last night as the final touches were being added to the event.

"Preparations are going really well and we've had a few of the chefs coming in today," she said.

"I think this is going to be a great success for Bermuda, not just in terms of putting it on the culinary map for people who go to food and wine events, but it will also be a key calendar event for Bermuda."

Chefs from from North American and London will be holding demonstrations at the hotel throughout Saturday and Sunday, and Gourmet magazine's wine consultant Michael Green will be holding wine tastings.

Residents who don't attend the demonstrations will be able to taste the dishes on Saturday night if they book separately at Island restaurants where the celebrity chefs will prepare the food.

Jody Adams of Rialto, Boston, will be cooking at Lillian's Restaurant, Sonesta Beach; Jean Francois Bruel of de Bistro Moderne of New York will be at Fourways Inn; Diane Forley and Michael Otsuka of Verbena, New York, is at Aqua, Ariel Sands; Guillermo Pernot of Pasion, Philadelphia, is at the Seahorse Grill, Elbow Beach; Michel Richard of Citronelle, Washington DC, is at Rockfish Grill Newstead Hotel; and Michael Schlow of Radius, Boston, is at Tamarisk at Cambridge Beaches.

A fish chowder competition will be held at Dockyard on Saturday presented by Outerbridge's Sherry Peppers and Gosling's Black Seal Rum.

A special taping of Cooking With Friends with Joe Gibbons will include a guest appearance by Sara Moulton, and will be available only for sponsors.