Announcements

Released: 6/1/2012

WELSH celebrity chef Bryn Williams has dived with the turtles in the warm Caribbean waters off the tropical island of St Lucia, immersed himself in smelly sulphur waters heated to 38°C by a volcano, exfoliated his body with powdered rock and slathered himself from top to toe in pitch-black volcanic mud. He's inhaled the scents of exotic flowers on warm breezes, shared a breakfast view of the ocean and mountain peaks with humming birds, explored Soufriere's colourful farmers market to sample local produce. Holiday?

No such thing. Bryn, from Llanhaerdr near Denbigh, has been hard at work at the coal face, or rather in the steamy kitchen of Ladera, one of the island's five star hotels, training up a team of chefs, devising taster menus and experiencing the delights of ocean-fresh fish and just harvested fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices.

The restaurateur, 35 next month, was taking a break from Odette's, his eaterie in London's Primrose Hill, to share his expertise with 30 chefs at the island's Ladera, whose visitors include the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, Celine Dion and Oprah Winfrey. "I was running around like a mad thing to make sure everything was right and showing the chefs what we wanted, using fantastic ingredients with simple techniques," said Bryn, adding that one trainee called Elvis inspired him to produce chips from sweet potatoes. "Their kitchen was hot and humid, at least 30°C. It takes it out of you. I worked half the hours I normally do and felt just as tired."

It was at Odette's he first met his girlfriend, Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri, when he cooked for her. His cookbook, Bryn's Kitchen, (published by Kyle Books) carries a dedication to Sharleen and her daughter Misty. "One of the greatest joys of food is the sharing of it. Sharing a table with Sharleen and Misty is my greatest joy."

And it was there he met the general manager of Ladera, Olivier Bottois, who was scouring London for the best places to eat - the Savoy's concierge recommended Odette's. During an after-dinner chat he offered Bryn the chance to share his expertise with kitchen staff and produce inspirational menus for diners at the Dasheen restaurant, where guests enjoy fine food by moonlight entertained by live music. Olivier was impressed by the chef who learned his art under a brace of greats: the tempestuous Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux, working at Mayfair's Le Gavroche.

"Bryn has that wow factor. He went straight to the market that morning, saw beautiful produce and created four courses that same evening. He didn't need foie gras and truffles. I felt he had been my chef for two or three years," was the verdict of Olivier.

Although a strictly work trip, Bryn found time to "take the waters" of the nearby volcano, famed for medicinal properties to relieve everything from eczema to arthritis. "It's their version of Roman baths, they say it's good for bones and skin. But I've been around 34 years and don't think 20 minutes in the minerals makes any difference. What I love is the sunshine. You don't see much of that behind the kitchen door." The assignment from heaven - to work at Ladera, perched on a rainforest ridge 100ft above Jalousie Beach, guarded by the twin sentinels of the Piton peaks where pampered guests enjoy their own personal plunge pools and views to die for - also allowed him to indulge his passion of scuba diving. During his hour long dive to 18m he encountered a 4ft turtle, conga eel and an array of fish including angel fish, parrot fish, hammerhead fish. "It was a very good dive. It's my way to wind down and be myself and not talk to anyone. After talking to Ladera's chefs and customers you are talked out. You just want to sit in a dark room by yourself. In the water no one can talk to you. It's absolute peace and quiet in a world nobody knows."

It was Bryn's first visit to St Lucia. "The bottom line is that St Lucia is a beautiful island and it's what you make of it. I can sit on my derrière and do nothing - or dive. The most important thing is good food, good local food. And the ingredients I could use are wonderful: mahi-mahi fish straight out of the ocean, plantain, cocoa, sweet potatoes, mangoes just coming into season, five sorts of apples and bananas so sweet because they are picked at just the right time. "The combination of spices makes St Lucian food special: cinnamon, vanilla, tamarind. I had planned menus but as soon as I saw what the market had to offer I changed my ideas six times. Like any chef who goes to market your brain goes into overdrive. You see all these fantastic ingredients, the colours, smells. The astounding amount of vegetables.

"They are passionate about mangos. and talk about them in the same way we talk about scallops and truffles. They are so versatile you can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. "Ladera uses 80% of local produce rather than importing. Every chef will try to capture what they have on their doorstep. It's about capturing flavours and serving ingredients at their peak.

Most resorts warn you not to drink the tap water. Here the water is so pure, with natural spring waters. And I love their rum-based cocktails. "It's a beautiful setting, the closest you can find to picture postcard paradise with a restaurant on the side.

If you can capture the flavour as well as the scenery you are onto a good thing. It's the joy of going somewhere new to excite the palate. I'd recommend Ladera to anyone - fantastic lushness and green, selfsustained, a nice chilled-out place.

"The kitchen is quite laid back but functional. It's not like a British kitchen where everyone knows their jobs. It's quite confusing as they swap over their jobs. I had to adapt and be flexible. The head chef Nigel and all the other chefs are local and haven't been off the island. It's important to have something different in your locker, to get a bigger repertoire. He and the entire team worked hard on producing our special dishes and enjoyed it immensely. I have never done anything like this before and hope something will develop from it, maybe coming over a couple of times a year to develop more dishes."

And then he can make more time to chill and sightsee, visit palm-fringed beaches, unspoiled rainforest, majestic mountains and natural waterfalls.

Released: 6/1/2012

WELSH celebrity chef Bryn Williams has dived with the turtles in the warm Caribbean waters off the tropical island of St Lucia, immersed himself in smelly sulphur waters heated to 38°C by a volcano, exfoliated his body with powdered rock and slathered himself from top to toe in pitch-black volcanic mud. He's inhaled the scents of exotic flowers on warm breezes, shared a breakfast view of the ocean and mountain peaks with humming birds, explored Soufriere's colourful farmers market to sample local produce. Holiday?

No such thing. Bryn, from Llanhaerdr near Denbigh, has been hard at work at the coal face, or rather in the steamy kitchen of Ladera, one of the island's five star hotels, training up a team of chefs, devising taster menus and experiencing the delights of ocean-fresh fish and just harvested fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices.

The restaurateur, 35 next month, was taking a break from Odette's, his eaterie in London's Primrose Hill, to share his expertise with 30 chefs at the island's Ladera, whose visitors include the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, Celine Dion and Oprah Winfrey. "I was running around like a mad thing to make sure everything was right and showing the chefs what we wanted, using fantastic ingredients with simple techniques," said Bryn, adding that one trainee called Elvis inspired him to produce chips from sweet potatoes. "Their kitchen was hot and humid, at least 30°C. It takes it out of you. I worked half the hours I normally do and felt just as tired."

It was at Odette's he first met his girlfriend, Texas singer Sharleen Spiteri, when he cooked for her. His cookbook, Bryn's Kitchen, (published by Kyle Books) carries a dedication to Sharleen and her daughter Misty. "One of the greatest joys of food is the sharing of it. Sharing a table with Sharleen and Misty is my greatest joy."

And it was there he met the general manager of Ladera, Olivier Bottois, who was scouring London for the best places to eat - the Savoy's concierge recommended Odette's. During an after-dinner chat he offered Bryn the chance to share his expertise with kitchen staff and produce inspirational menus for diners at the Dasheen restaurant, where guests enjoy fine food by moonlight entertained by live music. Olivier was impressed by the chef who learned his art under a brace of greats: the tempestuous Marco Pierre White and Michel Roux, working at Mayfair's Le Gavroche.

"Bryn has that wow factor. He went straight to the market that morning, saw beautiful produce and created four courses that same evening. He didn't need foie gras and truffles. I felt he had been my chef for two or three years," was the verdict of Olivier.

Although a strictly work trip, Bryn found time to "take the waters" of the nearby volcano, famed for medicinal properties to relieve everything from eczema to arthritis. "It's their version of Roman baths, they say it's good for bones and skin. But I've been around 34 years and don't think 20 minutes in the minerals makes any difference. What I love is the sunshine. You don't see much of that behind the kitchen door." The assignment from heaven - to work at Ladera, perched on a rainforest ridge 100ft above Jalousie Beach, guarded by the twin sentinels of the Piton peaks where pampered guests enjoy their own personal plunge pools and views to die for - also allowed him to indulge his passion of scuba diving. During his hour long dive to 18m he encountered a 4ft turtle, conga eel and an array of fish including angel fish, parrot fish, hammerhead fish. "It was a very good dive. It's my way to wind down and be myself and not talk to anyone. After talking to Ladera's chefs and customers you are talked out. You just want to sit in a dark room by yourself. In the water no one can talk to you. It's absolute peace and quiet in a world nobody knows."

It was Bryn's first visit to St Lucia. "The bottom line is that St Lucia is a beautiful island and it's what you make of it. I can sit on my derrière and do nothing - or dive. The most important thing is good food, good local food. And the ingredients I could use are wonderful: mahi-mahi fish straight out of the ocean, plantain, cocoa, sweet potatoes, mangoes just coming into season, five sorts of apples and bananas so sweet because they are picked at just the right time. "The combination of spices makes St Lucian food special: cinnamon, vanilla, tamarind. I had planned menus but as soon as I saw what the market had to offer I changed my ideas six times. Like any chef who goes to market your brain goes into overdrive. You see all these fantastic ingredients, the colours, smells. The astounding amount of vegetables.

"They are passionate about mangos. and talk about them in the same way we talk about scallops and truffles. They are so versatile you can eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner. "Ladera uses 80% of local produce rather than importing. Every chef will try to capture what they have on their doorstep. It's about capturing flavours and serving ingredients at their peak.

Most resorts warn you not to drink the tap water. Here the water is so pure, with natural spring waters. And I love their rum-based cocktails. "It's a beautiful setting, the closest you can find to picture postcard paradise with a restaurant on the side.

If you can capture the flavour as well as the scenery you are onto a good thing. It's the joy of going somewhere new to excite the palate. I'd recommend Ladera to anyone - fantastic lushness and green, selfsustained, a nice chilled-out place.

"The kitchen is quite laid back but functional. It's not like a British kitchen where everyone knows their jobs. It's quite confusing as they swap over their jobs. I had to adapt and be flexible. The head chef Nigel and all the other chefs are local and haven't been off the island. It's important to have something different in your locker, to get a bigger repertoire. He and the entire team worked hard on producing our special dishes and enjoyed it immensely. I have never done anything like this before and hope something will develop from it, maybe coming over a couple of times a year to develop more dishes."

And then he can make more time to chill and sightsee, visit palm-fringed beaches, unspoiled rainforest, majestic mountains and natural waterfalls.