Royal Plantation's rising-star chefs

Gian Stewart and Ramone Jackson were born chefs and destined to create art in the kitchen.

The two have been employed to Royal Plantation since 2007. They began their career in the hospitality industry with great anticipation having heard so such about the sector. Their goal is to become certified executive chefs and they recently completed all three levels of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) professional chef programme, and were recently awarded scholarships to pursue the Professional Chef Certification Programme with Human Employment and Resource Training (HEART/NTA). Stewart is a very hardworking individual who is very excited about his career. His passion for food service and his ability to deliver, only makes his job so much easier.

Stewart's Signature Dish

Spiced Creole codfish with roasted yam and baked plantain accompanied by jerked chicken and callaloo quiche garnished with breadfruit chips'

Ingredients:

¹/² lb salt fish

10oz light tomato sauce

¹/² cup sweet peppers (green,

yellow and red)

¹/⁴ cup sliced onions

¹/² tsp garlic chopped

1 tbs chopped scallion

¹/² tsp chopped scotch bonnet

pepper (optional)

1 tbs jerk sauce

2oz vegetable oil

1 large ripe plantain

1 lb yellow yam

Method:

(1) Place oil in frying pan and heat. Then add sweet peppers, onions, garlic, scallion and sauté for 30 seconds.

(2) Add salt fish, tomato sauce, jerk sauce and let simmer for three minutes.

(3) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Peel and wash yam, then wrap in foil and place in oven for 40 minutes. (wrapping in foil keeps yam moist). Place ripe plantain in pre-heated oven for 10 minutes then remove and slice.

Quiche Ingredient:

5 oz pastry dough

4 oz home-style jerked chicken

4 oz steamed callaloo

3 oz egg mix or 1 egg

2 oz heavy cream

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Method:

(1) Roll out pastry dough less than half inch thick with rolling pin and place in a mould of desired shape.

(2) Put in pre-heated oven at 75 degrees for 15 minutes. Combine steamed callaloo and jerk chicken and place in pre-cooked pastry dough. Combine egg mix and heavy cream and pour on chicken and callaloo in dough and place in oven for 20 minutes.

Gian's signature dish - Breast of chicken brenado

Ingredients:

1 boneless chicken (scaloppini)

3 strips of bacon

2oz ackee

1 tbs. jerk seasoning

3oz chopped onion

1 clove garlic

2oz olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

(1) Place chopped onion and garlic in blender until smooth.

(2) Wash and season chicken breast with salt and pepper, garlic and onion blend.

(3) Julienne and sauté remaining onion. Add ackee and jerk seasonings and allow to cook for two minutes.

(4) Place chicken breast on a board top with ackee and roll

(5) Place the bacon on foil wrap overlapping each other, place chicken breast. Poach for 10 minutes then cool in refrigerator. Remove foil wrap and sear until golden brown.

Ripe Plantain Veloute

1 chopped onion

1oz chopped celery

1oz chopped scallion

1 sprig of thyme

1 cup chicken stock

2oz chopped ripe plantain

1 tbs butter

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

(1) Sauté onion, celery, scallion and garlic in butter for two minutes.

(2) Add ripe plantain and thyme and cook for five minutes. Then add chicken stock and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

(3) Remove thyme and blend until smooth. Thicken with roux

(4) Season to taste with salt and pepper, simmer for 15 more minutes, strain and serve.

Yellow yam risotto

1 cup Arborio rice

1 cup diced yellow yam

1 cup chicken stock

1oz diced onion

1 tbs diced garlic

1 tbs parmesan cheese

1 tbs butter

1 tbs chopped parsley

2 tbs white wine

Method:

Heat butter in a sauté pot. Add onion, garlic and rice and cook for five minutes. Add white wine and chicken stock.

Add yellow yam and continue to cook until al dente.

Add chopped parsley, parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.