Celebrity Chefs

Chef Brian Lumley - Jamaica
Jamaican gourmet prodigy Brian Lumley has been making his mark on the regional culinary landscape over recent years.

Chef Lumley has demonstrated excellence in his craft by winning the coveted Taste of Jamaica’s ‘Chef of the Year’ award in 2008 (the youngest ever chef to win this prestigious honor at age 21) and most recently in 2012. He is the reigning Chef of the Year in Jamaica.

In 2009, he joined forces with the Jamaica national culinary team and competed at the Taste of Caribbean competition held in Puerto Rico, copping a team gold medal. In the 2010 Taste of Jamaica Culinary Competition, he was awarded the Hans Schenk prize for “Most Innovative Use of Caribbean Ingredients”.

Chef Lumley is set to captain the Jamaica National Culinary team at the next staging of the Taste of the Caribbean Culinary
competition set for June 2013 in Miami, Florida.


Chef James Murphy - Antigua
James Murphy, uncovered his predisposition to the culinary arts at a very young age. Born in St. John’s, Antigua, Murphy, as he is affectionately known, has worked at several hotels in Antigua including St. James’s Club and Blue Waters Hotel, where he catered to luminaries such as Joan Collins, the late Gregory Hines, Kenny Rogers, Whitney Houston and Cyndi Lauper.
In the late 1980s, Murphy migrated to New York in pursuit of further training in the culinary arts. While attending the NY Restaurant School, he began working in the food service industry for the City University of New York (CUNY) system. For 14 years he was Food Service/Catering Director for Metropolitan Food Services, located at Marymouth Manhattan College, NY Technical College, Baruch College, Brooklyn College. Murphy has also worked at several fine food establishments throughout the tri-state area. He is currently the Food Service Director for a Drug Rehabilitation Center in New York.
Murphy’s strong work ethic and management style were evidenced early in his career and at one time, he was able to establish himself as the company troubleshooter for Metropolitan Food Services at Essex County College.
In addition to food service responsibilities, Murphy has been involved in creating exciting and innovative menus throughout the food industry.
Currently Murphy works closely with the Antigua and Barbuda Department of Tourism and has assisted with on and off-premise catered functions, trade shows and other events.
Although Murphy has had exposure to many culinary styles, his specialty is in the area of food carving and sculpting. Murphy’s biggest dream is to open a West Indian restaurant in New York City where he can bring international flair to traditional island recipes.





Chef Shawnee Braggs - Antigua
After seven years in New York City’s municipal hall, Shawnee M. Braggs traded her aspirations of being New York’s youngest councilwoman for her love of parties and pastries. “For a long time I thought power and position were synonymous; I know now that one’s power is much more closely tied to one’s passion,” she says. She found her passion as chef and owner of Cater by Shawnee, a full-service catering and event-planning company.

Although she has never pursued formal culinary training, Braggs contends that her savory dishes are on par with any five-star restaurant’s. She is known for her signature rose creations—tables and platters adorned with long-stemmed roses—meant as a tribute to her grandmother, Rose. Her growing clientele includes a mix of celebrities, politicians, corporate executives and major corporations, among them Aretha Franklin, Fifty Cent, Sen. Hillary Clinton, Mrs. Nelson Mandela and Time Warner Inc. Most recently, Braggs catered the wake for the legendary James Brown. “It’s humbling to share in some of the most intimate moments of others and yet immensely empowering to know that I can make that moment one of their best memories,” she says.

Braggs credits her grandmother and mother, Monica Braggs, with being the driving force behind her success. She explains that in addition to their help with the business, they provide her with wisdom and rock-solid faith that otherwise would only come with age. “Behind every good business are a few good mentors. Mine just happen to double as family,” she says. While on the subject of family, Braggs jokes that her greatest challenge will, no doubt, be to teach her young sons, Kingsley and Claude, the ultrameticulous business of “throwing a mean party.”
Prior to starting her business, Braggs attended classes at Clark-Atlanta University and the College of Mount St. Vincent. At the latter school, she received a National College Award and the Mount St. Vincent Community Service Award.





Chef Lorraine Colon - Puerto Rico
After a career in the hospitality industry working at positions at the front of the house such as cocktail waitress to food and beverage manager, Chef Lorraine Colon decided to study a field that interested her---cooking.

Ever since, she has been working in the culinary industry for 13 years in fine dining establishments such as the Ritz-Carlton San Juan, the former Banker’s Club in Hato Rey, La Bodega de Mendez and a television segment on the program Tu Mañana on Channel 11 (Univision), she has also collaborated with the Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture.

Currently, Chef Colon runs her own company called “Always Fabulous Food” that provides culinary services that include consulting for new and existing restaurants, food styling sessions, personal chef and continues to work with La Bodega de Mendez.





Chef Luis Lujan - Grand Cayman
Chef de Cuisine Luis Lujan was born in the small town of Oaxaca, Mexico. His drive to master culinary arts led him to fulfill many prestigious positions within the industry. In 2003, Chef Lujan joined The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and has worked at The Ritz-Carlton, New York Central Park, Cancun, and Orlando Grande Lakes. Recognized for his culinary acumen, Chef Lujan was selected to compete for the prestigious award of Best National Young Mexican Chef 2007, and he merited first place. In December 2009, Chef Lujan accepted a position at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, as Chef de Cuisine of the renowned Blue by Eric Ripert, the Cayman Islands’ only AAA Five Diamond restaurant. Chef Lujan works closely with Eric Ripert from notorious Le Bernardin in New York City and oversees the daily culinary operations of the award winning restaurant.




Chef Shorne Benjamin - St. Lucia
Shorne Benjamin's introduction to cooking began with his grandmother in St. Lucia, watching her cook for many people, mix spices and herbs and creating delicious meals that permeated throughout the house. Once he was old enough to assist, he became her assistant and his family was not surprised when I decided that I wanted to be a professional chef.
     
During middle and high school he experimented with various dishes, spices, tastes and textures to develop my interest in cooking and signature flair.  After having the responsibility of cooking for many people and many “tastes” he was able to craft my art form into what he now calls – New Age Caribbean.

With a strong entrepreneurial spirit, passion and dreams of owning his own restaurant, he migrated to the United States to pursue a degree in Finance and Culinary Arts. In 2009 he began studies in Culinary Arts at the prestigious French Culinary Institute where he became a Certified Chef upon graduation.

Shorne Benjamin worked with renowned Master Chef Jean George owner of the popular ABC Restaurant (NYC), at the award-winning restaurant Maloney & Porcelli with Executive Chef James Patterson, at the well-known Lower East Side (NYC) contemporary Italian restaurant called Falai and private clients.


Chef Ron Duprat - Haiti
Ron’s culinary journey began in Haiti in his grandmother’s kitchen. His passion led him to the states where he studied at the Culinary Institute of America. Now with over 20 years of experience, Ron has received many accolades including distinguished recipient of the 2008 & 2009 AAA Four Diamond Award. His resume includes Executive Chef at the Hollywood Beach Marriott Hotel, the esteemed Montauk Yacht Club, and Pelican Bay Country Club, to name a few.

Ron may be most recognized as a fierce “cheftestant” on the sixth season of Bravo TV’s Emmy nominated hit show Top Chef: Las Vegas. His zest for life and charisma kept him on the show long enough to gain a number of followers and fans that still support him to this day. Following his appearance on Top Chef in 2009, Ron has appeared as a guest on Good Morning Florida, and featured in a wide range of publications. Ron has been traveling the country cooking for celebrities including Beyonce, Usher and even Haiti’s President elect, Michel Martelly. He will soon add restaurateur to his repertoire as he pursues his dream of opening a restaurant.

Chef Angela Garrawat-Holland - Barbados
Angela Garraway-Holland has had more than 20 years experience in the hotel industry. She has gone through the ranks from commis chef to the most senior position as Executive Chef. In her current role as Executive Sous Chef at Hilton Barbados she is seen as a mentor to her junior colleagues and extends her wealth of knowledge to all.
    She has won many awards including the prestigious Minister of Tourism Chef of the Year Award in 1997. Another accomplishment for Angela has been her ability to represent Barbados in many culinary competitions both regionally and internationally, and has included The Taste of the Caribbean in 1995 & 1996. Some of her more recent accomplishments include her participation in the Barbados Tourism Authority’s Water Festival 2007 in Toronto, Canada as well as a part of the winning Barbados Biggest Best Barbecue team in 2006.
    Outside of being a chef, Angela loves the out doors and enjoys various types of recreation including exercising in the gym, gardening, reading and traveling.  She has dreams that in the future she can enhance the world of fine cuisine with the implementation of her own academy for young upcoming chefs.

Chef Creig Greenidge - Barbados
Chef Creig Greenidge or Chef Creig as he is known around Barbados always knew he wanted to be a Chef from around the age of twelve. It all started at home where he would awake every morning and prepare both Breakfast and Lunch, so his mother could have both meals to take to work He then moved on to cooking every Sunday which is the main meal in Barbadian house holds.
  On finishing school chef Creig then moved on to the Culinary Arts program at the Barbados Community College which on commencing his degree he moved right on to  one of the largest catering companies at the time DC Catering. After that Chef Creig moved on to Fine dining at the Mosiac Restaurant where he worked up to his first Executive Chef Position, on reaching this position Creig moved from the South to the West then to the North Coast of the island running Kitchens at some of the islands top Hotels. On the journey Chef Creig picked up some awards such as the National Cultural Foundations Culinary Cook off Gold Medal, Barbados Hotel and Tourism Cook off Chef of the year in 2005 and 2007, American Chef Cook off first place.
   In 2008 Chef Creig decided it was to pursue his dream of having his own business, this is when he opened CM Catering, which kicked of with catering at Brian Lara’s Crop over Party, then moving on to events such as Bliss all inclusive event which caters for up to 3000 guests. CM catering also done VIP catered for the Barbados Reggae festival, Soca on the Hill, UV VIP Breakfast all inclusive, Soca Royal Back stage Catering, the Hennessey Artistry Show Barbados and the Barbados Food Wine and Rum Festival..
   Chef Creig’s passion has also taken him onto the international scene as an Ambassador Chef, to places like Brazil, Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, England, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angelos, California, New York and Puerto Rico. As Executive Chef and Owner Creig also perform cooking Demonstrations around Barbados at various events, he also did eight series for a Caribbean Television Cooking show known as Living well Caribbean.
It all comes down to Chef Creig Greenidge loving to cook, loving his Island Barbados and People.