While most masters of the culinary profession are quick to divulge who their influence was to become a chef, Christopher Reid will fondly confess who his influence was not! Recalling his earlier years growing up with his beloved grandmother in Jamaica, it is a small wonder that Reid became a chef at all. In those days, her methods of food preparation were long and laborious tasks, with dishes cooking seemingly forever. Reid smiles as he reminisces and likens the end result to the ultimate death of the food.
An opportunity with the Beaches/Sandals Resorts not only changed his perspective on the culinary arts, but also the fundamental direction of his future. The Commis Chef program provided on-the-job training to learn not only culinary skills, but also a well-rounded education in all aspects of the kitchen. After honing his skills in Jamaica for three years, Reid arrived at Beaches Turks & Caicos where he spent five years in the Italian restaurant, Giuseppe’s. Preferring to be more connected, accessible and visible to his dining patrons, Reid left Beaches to become the chef at the Barefoot Café, allowing him more creativity and the ability to represent himself as a chef, rather than the anonymity of being consistently detached from diners back in the resort kitchen. His position at the café is also augmented by his responsibility as breakfast supervisor at The Palms.
Devoted to simplicity, his foods are enhanced by fresh herbs and spices, with onions, scallions and garlic to add flavour. Having created the menu at the Barefoot Café, Reid has infused his Jamaican roots, clearly influencing some of the dishes. His preference lies in creating main dishes, many of them conch specialties, which allow his inventiveness to emerge using a variety of techniques. An out of the ordinary way to prepare conch, and one of his specialties is conch ratatouille. Flavoured with fresh herbs, this dish is not always on the menu, but can be prepared upon request. His signature dish, curry conch is found on the regular menu and imparts many of the Jamaican flavours from his homeland. Local fishermen provide an abundant supply of conch for all of Reid’s creative specialties.
Winning 1st Place at the 2004 Conch Festival, Reid’s winning conch tempura is served everyday at the Barefoot Café. Also sporting a contribution to our own “Turks and Caicos Islands Food” Red Cross cookbook, learn the secrets of his delicious seafood platter recipe, an ambrosial and tempting combination of garlic shrimp, the award winning conch tempura and grouper Creole.
I met with Reid amidst the fervour of World Cup Soccer, where it seemed almost everywhere you went on Provo, enthusiastic fans, including Reid, were crowded around local television sets watching the excitement. An avid soccer player, Reid is a defender for the Turks & Caicos Islands’ own national team, as well as a player for the Caribbean All-Star club league. A busy family man, Reid enjoys his time off spent with his wife and four young children, where basketball and soccer are the oft-embraced family pastimes. It seems Reid has no shortage of energy as he also frequents local clubs to enjoy his passion for dancing, with reggae and soca amongst his favourites.
His dream is to open his own restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual atmosphere, and to travel the world. Reid enjoys the laid-back pace of the TCI and his lifestyle here and still returns often to visit his native Jamaica. When asked if his grandmother has ever tasted his cooking? The answer is surprisingly “no!” While on vacation, he also takes a serious holiday from the kitchen so sadly; his grandmother has not been able to experience what she unknowingly and inadvertently inspired.
By Mandy Rostance-Wolf
Reprinted from "Where When How - Turks & Caicos Islands" September/October 2006
An opportunity with the Beaches/Sandals Resorts not only changed his perspective on the culinary arts, but also the fundamental direction of his future. The Commis Chef program provided on-the-job training to learn not only culinary skills, but also a well-rounded education in all aspects of the kitchen. After honing his skills in Jamaica for three years, Reid arrived at Beaches Turks & Caicos where he spent five years in the Italian restaurant, Giuseppe’s. Preferring to be more connected, accessible and visible to his dining patrons, Reid left Beaches to become the chef at the Barefoot Café, allowing him more creativity and the ability to represent himself as a chef, rather than the anonymity of being consistently detached from diners back in the resort kitchen. His position at the café is also augmented by his responsibility as breakfast supervisor at The Palms.
Devoted to simplicity, his foods are enhanced by fresh herbs and spices, with onions, scallions and garlic to add flavour. Having created the menu at the Barefoot Café, Reid has infused his Jamaican roots, clearly influencing some of the dishes. His preference lies in creating main dishes, many of them conch specialties, which allow his inventiveness to emerge using a variety of techniques. An out of the ordinary way to prepare conch, and one of his specialties is conch ratatouille. Flavoured with fresh herbs, this dish is not always on the menu, but can be prepared upon request. His signature dish, curry conch is found on the regular menu and imparts many of the Jamaican flavours from his homeland. Local fishermen provide an abundant supply of conch for all of Reid’s creative specialties.
Winning 1st Place at the 2004 Conch Festival, Reid’s winning conch tempura is served everyday at the Barefoot Café. Also sporting a contribution to our own “Turks and Caicos Islands Food” Red Cross cookbook, learn the secrets of his delicious seafood platter recipe, an ambrosial and tempting combination of garlic shrimp, the award winning conch tempura and grouper Creole.
I met with Reid amidst the fervour of World Cup Soccer, where it seemed almost everywhere you went on Provo, enthusiastic fans, including Reid, were crowded around local television sets watching the excitement. An avid soccer player, Reid is a defender for the Turks & Caicos Islands’ own national team, as well as a player for the Caribbean All-Star club league. A busy family man, Reid enjoys his time off spent with his wife and four young children, where basketball and soccer are the oft-embraced family pastimes. It seems Reid has no shortage of energy as he also frequents local clubs to enjoy his passion for dancing, with reggae and soca amongst his favourites.
His dream is to open his own restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual atmosphere, and to travel the world. Reid enjoys the laid-back pace of the TCI and his lifestyle here and still returns often to visit his native Jamaica. When asked if his grandmother has ever tasted his cooking? The answer is surprisingly “no!” While on vacation, he also takes a serious holiday from the kitchen so sadly; his grandmother has not been able to experience what she unknowingly and inadvertently inspired.
By Mandy Rostance-Wolf
Reprinted from "Where When How - Turks & Caicos Islands" September/October 2006
