Featuring Meta’s own Chef Siaya Boyd in a proud homecoming celebration alongside James Beard Award-winner Chef JJ Johnson, this year’s milestone event blends world-class culinary mastery with a powerful mission of community empowerment.
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands – In celebration of 36 years of visionary leadership, service, and advocacy in the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix Foundation for Community Development (SCF) is proud to announce that Early Bird tickets go on sale for its signature annual benefit, Wine in the Warehouse. An unforgettable evening of world-class cuisine, curated wines, and purposeful connection, the event will take place on Friday, December 4, 2026, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM AST at the Bohlke International Aviation Hangar.
36 Years of Cultivating Sovereignty and Resilience
As SCF commemorates 36 years of service, its evolution from an unendowed grassroots project launched in the wake of Hurricane Hugo into a model of place-based philanthropy has reached an epic milestone. To date, SCF has served as a trusted conduit for more than $50 million in strategic investments directly into the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This year’s milestone is deeply intertwined with the Foundation’s next chapter: a definitive focus on Sovereignty. Grounded in self-determination, local agency, and systemic resilience, the Foundation defines sovereignty as the capacity of Caribbean communities to shape their own health, wealth, and safety. Through pillars like the Nonprofit Consortium and its structural System Bypass framework, SCF continues to empower civic leaders to build local solutions rather than waiting for distant systems to rescue them. Every ticket purchased for Wine in the Warehouse directly funds this coherent civic infrastructure, enabling the Foundation to serve as a connector, project manager, and direct service provider for the Territory.
A Full-Circle Culinary Experience
Celebrating 19 years, Wine in the Warehouse is an elegant gathering of community, corporate partners, and philanthropic supporters committed to building a brighter future for St. Croix. With Bohlke International Aviation serving as host for the evening, guests will experience a stunning transformation of the sleek hangar into an evening of local flavors, over 45 curated wines from CC1, a silent auction, and live entertainment, all set against the sleek backdrop of a private jet fleet. Wine in the Warehouse will also feature the culinary students of St. Croix Central High School and the Career and Technical Education Center, offering students the opportunity to learn directly from Chefs JJ and Saiya in the kitchen and showcase their talent for over 500 guests.
This year’s showcase features a brilliant culinary lineup that perfectly mirrors the theme of rooted, community investment.
For 2026, Wine in the Warehouse welcomes home St. Croix native Chef Siaya Boyd, whose connection to the event began more than a decade ago as a young culinary student under Chef Anton Döös. It was there that she was first introduced to St. Croix Foundation and the world of large-scale food and wine events. Her career would later take her to the San Francisco Bay Area, where she expanded her experience across cuisines and cultures and today serves as a Chef at Meta while building her own culinary ventures, Let’s crEATe LLC and Pancake Stacks LLC.
Siaya returns to Wine in the Warehouse not as a student, but as a featured chef, a full-circle reflection of what becomes possible when young people are exposed to opportunity, mentorship, and experiences that expand what they can imagine for themselves.
She will share the Wine in the Warehouse kitchen with James Beard Award-winning chef, author, and television host Chef JJ Johnson, whose work similarly demonstrates the power of food to tell stories of culture, identity, and place. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and founder of FIELDTRIP, Chef JJ has built a nationally recognized culinary platform around global rice traditions and the foodways of the African diaspora.
Together, Chef Siaya Boyd and Chef JJ Johnson represent two distinct culinary journeys connected by a shared belief in food as an expression of culture, community, and possibility. Their pairing captures the spirit of Wine in the Warehouse: celebrating the talent rooted here at home while creating connections that extend far beyond our shores.
Reflecting on the Foundation’s journey, St. Croix Foundation President and CEO, Deanna James, noted, “Thirty-six years ago, amid the absolute devastation Hurricane Hugo left behind, our principal founders Philip Gerard, Michael Neuburger, and Claudette ‘Adjoa’ Young-Hinds said, ‘It’s time.‘ They didn’t wait for permission or perfect systems. Today, as we advance our systems-transformation agenda and surpass $50 million in strategic community investments, that audacious spirit still guides us.” James continued, “Wine in the Warehouse is more than a world-class culinary evening; it is a mechanism for mobilizing the resources that fuel local sovereignty. By securing a ticket, our partners and guests are actively investing in the civic infrastructure required to shape our community’s path forward.”
Early Bird Tickets and Sponsorship Opportunities
Early Bird tickets go on sale on SCF’s birthday, September 24th, giving supporters an exclusive opportunity to secure their attendance before standard pricing takes effect.
Event Details
- Date & Time: Friday, December 4, 2026 | 6–9 PM
- Location: Bohlke International Aviation Hangar
Tickets
- Early bird tickets ($150) available September 24th (limited supply).
- General Admission tickets ($175) available after Early Bird tickets have sold out.
- Limited tickets for Chefs Reserve Access pre-event tasting experience ($250pp) will also be released, offering exclusive access to Chef Saiya Boyd and Chef JJ Johnson, with signed copies of Chef JJ’s cookbook, craft cocktails, and small bites.
Call to Action
Tickets are expected to sell quickly, so community members are encouraged to secure theirs early at stxfoodandwine.com. For sponsorship opportunities or to learn more about how to support the Foundation, visit www.stxfoundation.org or contact Chevon Miles, Director of Development, at cmiles@stxfoundation.org.
St. Croix Foundation extends its deepest gratitude to presenting sponsors Bohlke International Aviation, CC1, Cost-U-Less, and Crucian Point, and early sponsors The Buccaneer. Banco Popular, Confluence Electrical Solutions, and J. Benton Construction for their steadfast commitment to this event and to the community at large. With their partnership, Wine in the Warehouse continues to grow as one of the Virgin Islands’ most anticipated culinary celebrations.