Page 105 - Demo

Food
Top Cayman Chefs
IN CAYMAN WE HAVE WORLD-CLASS CHEFS ALL READY TO DISH YOU UP A MEAL TO REMEMBER. LET US INTRODUCE YOU TO A FEW OF THEM.
THuSHARA SIRIWARADANA Executive Chef, Grand Old House
Chef Thushara was born in Sri Lanka and brought up on a farm with his siblings, parents and grandparents. The farm was
large and had big rice fields, a vegetable garden and fruit trees. This is where it all
began and started developing his passion for harvesting fruits and paring those with fresh herbs
from the garden.
His passion for cooking carried through all his childhood, into
his adulthood. After he graduated from the School of Culinary, he left Sri Lanka in 2002 to further explore other parts of the culinary world, starting in Dubai. He continued as Head Chef for the fine dining restaurant on the Carnival Cruise line from 2004 to 2006, before coming to Cayman, where he has made a name for himself in several restaurants, finally taking over the kitchen as Head Chef at Grand Old House in 2012.
Since 2002 Chef Thushara has won countless awards for various incredible dishes. Grand Old House works closely with local college students where they are introduced to hands-on experience both in the kitchen and front of house, becoming integrated as full team members, while they train under Chef’s watchful, expert eye.
He says he likes cooking everything, however if he had to choose ingredients, it would be anything out of the sea with fresh vegetables and herbs. His passion lies in the fusion – literally an explosion - of the flavours of the world.
KERRyANN BuRNETT
Head Chef, The Lobster Pot
Having trained at the Heart Training Institute in Jamaica, Chef Kerryann then gained valuable work experience working in small restaurants and a hotel in Jamaica.
In 2004 she then decided to head off to the Cayman Islands to work in a restaurant
that was owned by the family who owns the restaurant where she has been since 2006 – The
Lobster Pot. As Head Chef at the restaurant, Chef Kerryann
takes great delight in ensuring her cuisine is filled with the vibrant herbs and spices of her culinary heritage taken from her home of Jamaica, bringing the heady fragrances and flavours of Scotch Bonnet and seasoning peppers, thyme, ginger and lemon grass to her cookery. She fuses this with the restaurant’s Mediterranean- style food, making mouth-watering cuisine gracing every plate.
“I like to infuse every plate with my heritage,” she says. “I also like to experiment with local produce, so recently I’ve been making breadfruit gnocchi which has been really popular,” she adds, crediting her mum in Jamaica, who she confirms is a great cook, as an important influencer when it comes to her culinary style.
MASSIMO DE FRANCESCA
Executive Chef, Kimpton Seafire
Resort + Spa
Massimo De Francesca is an award-
winning chef whose career took root in
his culinary journeys through the kitchens
of Italy, Canada, the USA and Caribbean.
With more than 18 years of professional
experience, Massimo has been at the helm of
kitchens producing innovative dishes infused with local flare.
In 2008, Chef Massimo joined Kimpton Hotels at Domaso Trattoria Moderna in Arlington, Virginia and then spent three years in Manhattan as Executive Chef at Nios, adjacent to The Muse Hotel, and SilverLeaf Tavern at 70Park Ave Hotel. Most recently he was producing notable dishes at Taggia at FireSky Resort and Spa in Scottsdale and SaltRock Kitchen at Kimpton’s Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona.
He has appeared on national and local television and radio programmes, and has been featured in articles in notable regional and national publications such as AZ Central, The New York
Post, USA Today and The Washington Examiner. Chef Massimo has participated in prestigious culinary events including a collaborative Beach Glamour Dinner at the James Beard House in New York City, New York Food & Wine Festival, Grand Gourmet, Devoured Food & Wine Classic and Flavors of Phoenix.
Chef Massimo brings his many global influences to the new Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa. An authority on the multicultural culinary scene in Grand Cayman, he incorporates his extensive knowledge gleaned from locals, restaurateurs and fishermen into the unique culinary offerings at the resort and its three unique restaurants.
GEORGE FOWLER
Executive Chef/Owner, Calypso Grill
Chef George has been such an influence
on Cayman cuisine that they named a
road after one of his signature dishes
– Sticky Toffee Lane in West Bay. This
multi-talented chef first started cooking at
the age of 13 in Darlington, County Durham,
England and then went on to work in top
British hotels. He spread his wings at the age of 26,
and headed to the Caribbean, and has worked in Tortola, Antigua, Jamaica, Aruba, Bahamas and St Martin with a year spent in Moscow, Russia to open a new hotel. Chef George’s philosophy for preparing great food is straightforward.
“I believe that the best meals are fresh and uncomplicated with an emphasis on enhancing the natural aromas and flavours that are already present. I much prefer light sauces as opposed to heavy, overbearing combinations,” he confirms.
In 2015, Chef George launched his much talked about cook book Going Down Sticky Toffee Lane.
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