British Virgin Islands
My trip to the British Virgin Islands was a great mix of business and pleasure. I was invited to cook at the BVI Food Fete along with two fellow New Yorkers, Chef Kerry Heffernan of Grand Banks and Chef Christopher Faulkner of Harlem Eatery Solomon & Kuff.
Because the BVI is made up of so many small islands, getting to where we were staying was quite the journey. I’m happy to hear that hopefully by next year’s festival, there will be a direct flight to the islands. We stayed at Peter Island Resort, situated on its own private island, which was pretty surreal. This four-star resort offered first-class accommodations, spacious rooms, better-than-expected restaurants, and of course, breathtaking views.xavier gili
Our second day in the BVI was particularly special. We spent the day on the main island of Tortola, visiting local trade high schools and the culinary school, speaking with students and doing cooking demos. For myself and the other chefs, this was the most rewarding part of the trip — giving back and inspiring students to pursue their culinary passion.
The following day, some of these students helped Kerry, Christopher, and me in the kitchen preparing for the main event. They learned proper cooking techniques and got a small window into the reality of working alongside New York City chefs. A common saying on the islands is “island time,” but we made it clear that precision and punctuality are non-negotiable in a professional kitchen.
Working in a place with limited access to what we consider standard ingredients and equipment puts things into perspective. As they say, the show must go on. Just like in any restaurant, obstacles arise, but you address them without affecting the customer experience.
Between shifts in the hot kitchens, we met some amazing people. Xavier Gili, Executive Chef of Guana Island, hosted us for an unforgettable dinner. Every ingredient was either caught or grown on the island and cooked over a fire in their orchard. I couldn’t imagine a better setting to enjoy such a special meal with my new chef friends. On my next trip to the BVI, staying a few nights at Guana Island is at the top of my list.
On one of my free days, I visited the island of Virgin Gorda to explore the famous Baths. I was lucky to have my new friend, Chef Jermaine George, AKA “Monk,” who lives on Virgin Gorda, bring me over on the ferry, show me around the island, and guide me through the Baths. I lucked out on a day with no tourist cruise ships, so I basically got to explore this natural wonder alone.
For the final day, the main event was held on Norman Island, with 13 chefs cooking — three New Yorkers and ten locals. It was an intimate setting with only 150 guests on the beach, lit by torches and moonlight. The organizers did the “impossible” and got us a small boat to travel back to Peter Island in the dark. The energy on that boat was incredible after a week of amazing food, incredible people, and a successful event. I’m pretty sure smiles were plastered on all of our faces the entire ride home.
