French Twist
Some things travel well. Others do a little more: they mix, mingle and take roots wherever they land. Such is the case with classical French cooking. When the techniques of legendary chefs like Escoffier and Pépin arrive in the kitchens of talented cooks who use a bevy of fresh local ingredients, the results can be quite spectacular. Barbados is a great example of this powerful fusion, and the work of these two very different but exciting chefs reflects it well.
— By Timothy Dugdale and Amie Watson
— Photography: Kenneth Theysen
If you’re planning on inviting Chef Guy Beasley to dinner, don’t let his years of Michelin three-star experience at London’s Le Gavroche intimidate you.
He and his wife (and The Tides co-owner) Tammie Beasley love when friends cook for them, so long as the food is made with as much love – which is what Guy puts into dishes, including his poached Caribbean lobster, seared scallops and foie gras parfait at the couple’s recently renovated fine dining restaurant. A lover of local, high-quality ingredients, Guy’s gastronomic cuisine comes firmly rooted in French technique, meaning you’ll be just as awestruck by his rack of lamb with tomato confit and marinated king prawns with lie de vin sauce as by the jaw-dropping vaulted ceiling, chandeliers and illuminated panoramic view of the elegant oceanside restaurant. If the island had Michelin stars, The Tides would shine bright like a Barbados sunrise.
Birth place: Coventry.
Birth country: United Kingdom.
Favourite Bajan dish: Macaroni pie and baked chicken with Bajan seasoning and loads of gravy.
Least favourite food: I don’t really have a least favourite food. I’ll try anything once.
Favourite food trend: Culinary tourism. I prefer to try more local food than fancy food to get a feeling for the culture of a place.
Favourite song to cook to: I’m a band kind of guy, so if you’ve got Oasis or Coldplay on, you’ve got me.
Best meal of your life: My wife Tammie makes an amazing pelau, a caramelised chicken stewed with rice, raisins and olives, with fried plantains.
Favourite local ingredient: Bream, the local name for our red snapper. I like it blackened, curried or seasoned and stuffed with shrimp pesto and baked whole, or raw in a ceviche.
Zero waste tip: Teach staff the cost of the ingredients and don’t have garbage cans in the kitchen.
Breakfast: Sweet or savoury? Both. On a work day, coffee and a bowl of muesli with banana, but on a day off, a full English or freshly baked croissants.
Best meal to impress: Anything cooked from the heart with love and thought.
Dish you always order when it’s on a menu: Foie gras.
Alisha Dawn Stoute started cooking as a side gig
for her eight-year singing career. What began with
a biweekly healthy lunch delivery service and some high-end catering and personal cheffing at a private villa turned into a lifelong passion.
To pursue it, she took off to Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Ottawa. Upon returning to Barbados, she enhanced her French training by working with Manuela Scalini who taught her about the health, flavour and environmental benefits of raw and plant-based cuisine. Now, as the chef of ECO Lifestyle & Lodge, she creates healthy menus that champion meat-free options, local seafood, fruits, vegetables and herbs, following the Slow Food ethos of the boutique hotel.
Birth place: Bridgetown.
Birth country: Barbados.
Favourite Bajan dish: Pudding and souse.
Least favourite food: Camembert cheese.
Favourite food trend: Korean fried cauliflower.
Favourite song to cook to: “This Girl” by Kungs and Cookin’ on 3 Burners. That is my vibe in the kitchen.
Best meal of your life: Tasting menu at Beckta in Ottawa.
Favourite local ingredient: Breadfruit.
Favourite zero-waste tip: Adhering to the “nose-to-tail” and “root-to-tip” theories.
Breakfast: Sweet or savoury? Almost always savoury, but I mash up a sweet breakfast from time to time.
Best meal to impress: Anything with lobster. I love working with seafood.
Dish you always order when it’s on a menu: Raw marinated seafood such as ceviche, tartare or crudos.
