Breezes Runaway Bay gets new exec chef

HENRY HUGH Beckford has been appointed executive chef of SuperClubs' Breezes Runaway Bay Resort and Golf Club.

The illustrious master of the kitchen who joined the property a month ago has had a distinguished career which included four years in Cuba, where he worked as executive sous chef at two Cuban hotels that were managed by SuperClubs from 1997 to 1999.

His food and beverage career started as a dining room waiter at Hedonism II in 1982. Within three years he was promoted to dining room supervisor. He has since spent 20 years in the hospitality industry, making leaps and bounds in the process.

CONTRIBUTED Executive chef Henry Beckford.

U.S. TRAINING

Beckford received most of his training in the kitchen at Hedonism II and basic advance course in international cuisine at George Brown College in the United States. He later did courses in Chinese cuisine and quality food management at Morris Brown College, also in the United States.

On his return to Jamaica in 1999, he became the sous chef at Trelawny Beach and Fun Resort, now Starfish Trelawny. However, Mr. Beckford, who is fluent in Spanish, returned to Cuba for a second time to work as an executive sous chef. After two additional years on the Spanish-speaking island, he returned to Jamaica to take up the job as executive chef at Breezes Montego Bay.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Chef Beckford brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the business of food and beverage and he is a winner in his own rights. In 1996, he won a substantial cash award for Best Use of Chicken and got a silver medal for Chef Opening.

With his skill, coupled with Breezes Runaway Bay's achievement of being the only Jamaican hotel to ever win the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC) National Food Festival three consecutive times, guests eating at the resort should prepare themselves for an exciting gastronomic feast.

Mr. Beckford is married and lists cricket, football and fishing as his hobbies.