2008 Participating Chefs

Gregory Austin
Up until June of this year, 36 year old Barbadian, Gregory Austin was executive chef of the Ocean Terrace Inn/Fishermans’ Wharf in Nevis’ sister island, St. Kitts. He is currently in the process of establishing his own stylish new restaurant, Secrets, on St. Kitts, scheduled for opening in the Fall of 2008. Gregorys’ experience has taken him from England where he worked at the renowned three star Michelin Le Gavroche as well as Mid Summer House Restaurant in Cambridge, to Peter Island Resort in the British Virgin Islands, to his native Barbados at Savannah Hotel and the Mosaic Restaurant. His experience was further enriched in the United States when he worked at the White Barn Inn Restaurant in Kennebunk Port, Maine and the Blantyre Restaurant in Lennox, Massachusetts---both Relais et Chateaux properties. He also did a stint at the prestigious Radius Restaurant in Boston. He has had the privilege of cooking for three American presidents, Mr. Bill Clinton, Mr. George Bush Snr., and the current president, Mr. George Bush Jnr. Amongst his many accomplishments, Gregory has hosted cooking shows in Barbados and St. Kitts as well as being a member of the silver medal winning team BVI during the 2006 culinary competition, “Taste of the Caribbean”.


Denis Bruemmel
Born and raised in Germany, Chef Denis Bruemmel’s career began in several cities across his native country. From an apprenticeship in Kronach to callings in both Bonn and Wiesbaden, Chef Denis has settled in all different parts of his home country. Just before the start of the new millennium, Chef Denis honed his skills in the United States – at Chesterfield Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida.

As Sous Chef and in charge of the entire kitchen at the Chesterfield, Chef Denis sharpened his leadership expertise for his next big stint – a transfer back to Germany to the Four Seasons. It was from Four Seasons Hotel Berlin that Chef Denis made the transition to the Caribbean. As the Resort’s Sous Chef, Denis is in charge of nearly ten staff members, breakfast and lunch guests of up to 700, and works hand in hand with the sous chefs of three other Resort outlets.

As an added bonus, marine-loving Chef Denis is actively involved in the Resort’s renowned Dive & Dine programme. He believes a gourmet feast might be worth working for, even if Resort guests are on vacation. Chef Denis, a certified diver, joins guests under the deep waters of Nevis and St. Kitts to assist in encountering and capturing only the finest catches the Caribbean Sea has to offer.


Bruno Correa
Four Seasons Resort Nevis recently welcomed a new culinary leader:  Executive Chef Bruno Correa. This globetrotting cuisine artist made his way to the West Indies from the Far East, where Chef Bruno was Executive Sous Chef at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.
 
A native of Switzerland, Chef Bruno was trained in the classical school of cooking in Hotels such as Tschuggen Grand Hotel, Suvretta House and Bürgenstock Hotels, relying more on traditional techniques than the marvels of modern machinery. His hands-on education taught him patience, a key component to any cook’s success.
 
Thanks to patience combined with a refreshing sense of humor, Chef Bruno relishes his solid training while taking on the humbling task of experimentation. From assignments at hotels and restaurants from London Mossimann’s Belfry’s Club to Switzerland to the Panorama Restaurant at the New World Renaissance Hotel and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Hong Kong, Chef Bruno’s range runs the gamut from Italian to Swiss-French to Japanese, Cantonese and Thai cuisine. With an appetite for healthy choices and an eye for aesthetics, he blends the fine art of food preparation with presentation.
 
The fresh and organic ingredients that stem in abundance on the lush island of Nevis have already inspired Chef Bruno. He has been garnishing local catch such as mahi mahi, parrotfish, grouper and wahoo with local organic products such as ginger, cilantro, lemongrass, banana leaf and pineapple.
 
Chef Bruno referred to the green island of Nevis, a dream. “Between the bounty and the beauty of the island, there is so much to work with,” he said.


Ricky Finch
A native Kittitian, Ricky began his career at the famous boutique styled Golden Lemon Hotel in St. Kitts. From there he moved to the pastry department of Jack Tar Village, a large all inclusive property also in St. Kitts, where he quickly moved up the ladder to become Assistant Pastry Chef.

Keen to further his knowledge he moved to the Dominican Republic where he pursued several culinary courses before returning to Nevis in 1997.

In May 2005 Ricky was a member of the opening team of Coconut Grove Restaurant under the direction of Executive Chef Francis Knight, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America.

Promoted to Chef de Cuisine in 2007 Ricky has developed a menu of fusion cuisine that is perfectly paired to the extensive wine list for which Coconut Grove has become famous.


Marlyn Freeman
A native of Guyana, Marlyn, having married a Kittitian has made St. Kitts her home. Her academic studies led her to pursue qualifications in principles of business however her passion for cooking and baking led her on a path from which she has never looked back.
She began her culinary career with a private catering company and moved on to establishments like The Ocean Terrace Inn and The Circus Grill, both in St. Kitts.
Since 2003 Marlyn has worked as a pastry chef at The St. Kitts Marriott where her role has allowed her the opportunity to display her baking and pastry skills in a very busy hotel with five restaurants and a large banquet facility.
She is an integral member of Team St. Kitts Nevis and we wish her success in the pursuit of her long term goals of opening her own patisserie and lecturing in the culinary division of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College in St. Kitts.


Renaldo Mills
At the tender age of 21, Renaldo Mills is the youngest member of Team St. Kitts Nevis.

Passionate about food since an even earlier age he joined the kitchen brigade of Montpelier Plantation Inn, a Relais et Chateaux property, when he was only 17. In the three years since he has been at Montpelier he has demonstrated such talent that he now has the role of Junior Sous Chef. Adding to that accomplishment in 2007 Renaldo took part in the Chef of the Year competition in St. Kitts Nevis and , amongst tough competition , won a Bronze medal.

This young man is a talent to watch!


Antonio "Toni" Piani, II
Executive Chef, Nisbet Plantation Beach Club
Originally from the Philippines, Toni has honed his skills worldwide in such fine hotels as the Mandarin Hotel in Makati, Philippines; the Marriott Hotel in Amman, Jordan; the Holiday Inn in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.; the Harbourfront Restaurant, the Mermaid Beach Club and the Sonesta Beach Resort – all in Bermuda. Toni Piani has been an employee of Nisbet Plantation since December 2002, joining the staff as an Executive Sous Chef and rising to the ranks of Executive Chef in December 2004.


George Reid
The acclaimed "Cap Juluca" chef will be leading the culinary team at the Beach House. George brings an in-depth knowledge of Caribbean cuisine that’s complemented by extensive experience at Michelin-starred restaurants around the world. Reid has developed an eclectic menu showcasing the cuisine of the Caribbean, a melting pot of diverse culinary traditions that marries Spanish and Asian, French, African and Dutch influences. Complementing the menu will be an extensive wine and cocktail list and a comprehensive selection of aged rums and Cuban cigars.


Mark Roberts
Double Deuce Beach Bar, Nevis
Mark Roberts hails from Lincolnshire in the U.K. He began his culinary career in 1977 as a chef at the Waldorf & Berkeley Hotels in London. Throughout the 1980’s Roberts Held the positions of chef, second chef, head chef, and manager at numerous establishments in the U.K., including Monkeys Restaurant in Chelsea, renowned for its wild game. In 1990, Roberts took on the position of head chef for Recovery 11, where he was responsible for all catering for the crew while at sea. After that, Roberts was chef and manager of Richard’s Bistro restaurant, until coming to Nevis in 1998 as executive chef for Montpelier Plantation Inn. At Montpelier he has redesigned the menus to utilize Nevis’ local seafood, produce, and flavors. Mark and his partner Lyndeta Martin now operates at Double Deuce Beach Bar which they have done for the past two years. The both enjoy cooking for the variety of customers who come into their relaxed and friendly restaurant.


Janice Ryan
In the spring of 1988 Janice and her then partner decided to make a few changes in their lives, they travelled to St.Kitts and fell in love with an old plantation house which they bought. In November of the same year they made the move from England and began the year long process of renovating the property and converting it into a small inn. On the 1st January 1990 the White House opened as an inn and restaurant. In 1995 she took the lease on a historic property in Bassterre St Kitts and reopened what for many years had been known as the Georgian House. Both operations received great reviews and were featured in Gourmet, Travel and Leisure and Bon Appetit magazines. Janice has also appeared in three programmes for Great Chefs Television shown around the world and on the Discovery channel in the U.S and the Caribbean. Sadly, after one too many hurricanes both businesses were forced to close.

Between 1998 and 2002 she worked mainly on a consultiancy basis with many hotels and restaurants in St Kitts, before being invited in the autumn of 2002 to join the team at Montpelier Plantation Inn on Nevis. The hotel had recently been bought by the Hoffman family and had undergone extensive restorations. In the time that she has been with Montpelier the hotel has become both a AAA four diamond and a Relais and Chateaux property, in 2004 the Mill restaurant was listed by Conde Nast as one of the top 75 new tables. Effective October 2006 Janice will become the Executive Chef at Monpelier.


Augusto Schreiner
Augusto Schreiner began his culinary career at the renowned Cafe Glockenspiel in Salzburg. In 1969 he won both a Gold Medal and a Jury Grand Prize at the Austrian National Apprentice Competition and graduated with top honors from the Salzburg Culinary School. His first professional culinary experiences include positions at the Grand Hotel, Paris, the Düsseldorf, Curacao and Bogotá Hilton Hotels. In 1974 he was transferred to the Caribe Hilton in Puerto Rico as sous chef. In 1978, he was promoted to Executive Chef of the Condado Beach-La Concha Hotel and the Convention Center.  In 1982 he became the executive chef of the Caribe Hilton where he remained until September 1, 1988 when he opened his own restaurant named "Augusto's Cuisine", where he remained until selling it in 2001. During his distinguished career, Schreiner has won numerous awards for his cuisine, and was awarded an honorary citizenship by New Orleans after taking top honors in a culinary competition there.


Curtis Smithen
Nevisian native Curtis Smithen was named the Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Resort Great Exuma at Emerald Bay in the Bahamas.
 
Chef Smithen began his culinary career at the former Rest Haven Inn on Nevis.  In 1991, Mr. Smithen joined the pre-opening team at Four Seasons Resort Nevis as a cook and was promoted to Sous Chef in 1995 and to Senior Sous Chef in 2003.
 
“As a global hotel company, we see a lot of staff movements and advancements across 73 properties in 31 countries,” said Andrew Humphries, Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Nevis.  “Curtis has demonstrated the type of service passion and excellence that continues to define the destination of Nevis as one of the best hospitality experiences in the world.”
 
Mr. Smithen cites the support of his past colleagues as a “key ingredient to his success.” His development training with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts took him to hotel kitchens in Chicago, Boston and Toronto before he returned to Nevis to re-open the Resort, post- Hurricane Lenny.
 
Chef Smithen’s fond memories of Nevis include his signature dish: ‘Herb-Crusted Lamb with Ratatouille (Nevis vegetable stew) served in Coconut Sauce.’  At the Bahamas Resort, he is now known for his ‘Baked Lobster Macaroni.’
 
“Though it is always difficult to see native talent leave our soil, we are delighted that Curtis was able to work at other Four Seasons hotels and advance his technical skill. We are so proud of how Curtis has represented our island as a well-respected professional and leader in his craft,” said Samuel Caines, Director of Human Resources at Four Seasons Resort Nevis.


Vicente Zaragoza
Chef Vicente Zaragoza brings to NICHE 2008 over 25 years experience in the culinary arts.

From the Hotel Fiesta Americana Condesa Acapulco where he rose to the position of Executive Sous Chef during his 18 year tenure, he moved to take over the reins as Executive Chef of The Mount Nevis Hotel and Beach Restaurant here on Nevis in 1998. His experience includes the setting up and opening of new kitchens as well as training staff in all areas of Food and Beverage; in that arena he calls upon his past knowledge as departmental trainer for Copacabana Hotel in Acapulco, Mexico.

His role at Mount Nevis Hotel allows Vicente the opportunity to mix the flavours of Mexico and the Caribbean with delectable results.

Keep checking back as we add more chef bios.