Chefs of the Caribbean

Caribbean’s top chefs

If you ask me, although quite different from region to region, cuisine of the Caribbean is becoming quite popular. This may be because chefs from the regions are bringing in the gourmet touches that lift the simple foods of the Caribbean to the levels attained by other cuisines.

Here are a number of tops chefs from the Caribbean and in particular the places most popular with our clients.

Khaled Mohammed – Trinidad

Mohammed’s Chaud (and the newer Chaud Creole) are taking Trinidad’s spectacular street food to fine-dining tables. His talents have brought guests from Bill Clinton to the King and Queen of Spain.

Rack of Lamb Chop Persillade: chops crusted with herb breadcrumbs, with a combination of Dijon mustard & spices, sitting on Sautéed spinach, mushrooms & ratatouille.

Sarah Mair – Jamaica

A native of Jamaica, Mair, a former Top Chef contestant, is the former Executive Chef at Ortanique Camana Bay in Grand Cayman and has now set out on her own path with her new venture, “Cookin n Tings.”

Nigel Spence – Jamaica

He’s gone toe-to-toe with Bobby Flay (and won), and the Kingston native continues to impress at his widely-praised Ripe Kitchen & Bar outside of New York City. Spence, who is also a CJ contributor, is working to take Jamaican cuisine to the next level.

Paul Yellin – Barbados

Raised in Barbados, Paul Yellin is a highly acclaimed chef and author of the popular rum cookbook Infusion – Spirited Cooking. He began his career at the Sandy Lane Hotel on the Island’s west coast under the watchful eye of Master Chef and legend Hans Schwietzer. From there he went on to work with his mentor and friend Larry Rogers at Olives Bistro. As his skills grew he traveled to Paris and Berlin and then back to Barbados to again work under Hans Schwietzer, this time at the new 5 star Marina restaurant LA MER.

Nina Compton – St Lucia

Nina Compton, Chef de Cuisine at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach’s Scarpetta restaurant, captivated the Caribbean with her exploits on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” finishing second overall.

Peter Edey – Barbados

Arguably Barbados’ most celebrated Chef, the name Peter Edey is now synonymous with Caribbean cuisine; generating a resurgence of pride in indigenous Barbadian and Caribbean foods and the cooking methods that make them unique.

Bryan Danclair – Trinidad

Born in Belmont, Trinidad, Brian Danclair left school (St Anthony’s College) at 16 to work on a ship, travelling throughout the Caribbean. In 1990, he went to school in Washington, USA. Needing an income he quickly utilised his cooking skills (gained growing up in a cooking family), in Crepes A La Cart, and then his determination to learn led him to Hibiscus Café, which was one of the top Caribbean restaurants at the time.

Brian has his restaurant in Brixton “Fish Wing and Ting”.