From some of the Virgin Islands favorite restaurants, seven leading chefs will compete for the 2010 title of Virgin Islands Ultimate Chef. Each of our guest chefs represent the best of resort dining, gourmet catering, local island cuisine and casual dining — all forces in our extraordinary culinary melting pot.
Click to see Chef Bio's
Chef Hemant Dadlani – BVI
Executive Chef
Rosewood Little Dix Bay
Hemant Dadlani is Executive Chef of Rosewood Little Dix Bay. Hailing from India, a land of rich culture and cuisine, Dadlani brings restaurant and resort experience earned throughout the Caribbean. He is responsible for all culinary operations at Rosewood Little Dix Bay, including menu creation at the Sugar Mill, Pavilion and Beach Grill restaurants, at Sense, A Rosewood Spa®, and for in-room dining and special events.
Born in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, Dadlani’s culinary style involves the bold flavors of the world’s tropical cultures and the exotic spices of his Asian roots. He creates fresh, simple and succinct dishes utilizing local and organic produce as well as freshest seafood. His culinary creations come down to nature and the nature of taste.
Dadlani joined Rosewood Little Dix Bay from Anse Chastanet on the island of St. Lucia, where among other things he established an interactive live kitchen to display his talents for fusing contemporary Indian and Caribbean cuisines. Previously, he was at Kura Hulanda, a Leading Small Hotel of the World on Curacao, where he worked closely with Chef Stephane Brallet to introduce molecular food science and haute cuisine at the 4-Diamond restaurant Astrolabe.
Back to Top
Chef Negust Kaza - St. Croix
Executive Chef
Tutto Bene
Chef Negust has been living on the island of St. Croix for 12 years. During this time, through multiple positions in various restaurants he has developed his passion and career in the kitchen.
He is currently the Executive Chef at Tutto Bene and a member of the VI Culinary Olympic Team. Chef Kaza enjoys creating food inspired from the islands and utilizing local ingredients, especially fresh fish. In 2009, he won first place at the Taste of St, Croix for his vegetarian Curry Carrot Soup, allowing him to compete for his current position on the VI Culinary Olympic Team.
Chef Negust hopes to one day own his own restaurant. Joining thousands of others preparing “slow food”, linking the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment. Chef Negust cuisine showcases ingredients from the many local farms, including his mother’s, and creates dishes with fish caught in the waters around our islands.
Back to Top
Erica Miner — St. John
Executive Chef
Waterfront Bistro
Erica started her culinary career while an undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin in 1997. After graduation she earned a Culinary Arts Degree from the Cordon Bleu accredited Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago.
Erica’s professional career started after graduation working with award winning restaurants in Madison, Wisconsin including Harvest Restaurant and Dotty Dumplings Dowry for several years before moving to St. John in 2004. She cooked at La Tapa for three years then was hired in 2007 as the executive chef to open the St. John Waterfront Bistro.
Waterfront Bistro has been written up in NY Times and Caribbean Travel and Life Magazine as an elegant new restaurant featuring classic French cuisine with Caribbean flair dishes.
Back to Top
Chef Elvet Carty — St. John
Chef de Cuisine
Hervé Restaurant & Wine BarBorn and raised in St. Thomas and started a career at Hervé Restaurant in culinary arts in 1996.Upon completion of high school he moved to London to further his education in the culinary Veld. While at Tames Valley University he had the opportunity to apprentice at the Claridge’s Hotel and the Connaught Hotel in London and moved on to work with Chef Michel and Albert Roux at Le Gavroche Restaurant in London. Wanting to give back to his community, he moved back to the island and worked at Asolare on St. John & Sapphire Beach on St. Thomas.
Back to Top
Chef Vincent Russo - St. Thomas
Executive Chef
The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas
Upon receipt of a Degree in Culinary Arts from the French Culinary Institute in New York City, Vincent Russo began his culinary career in 1995 in Boulder, Colorado. After four years as a line cook specializing in French, Spanish and Italian cuisine, he returned to New York where he honed his cooking skills as a Sous Chef.
Russo was soon named Chef at Max’s Grill in New York and was responsible for the daily operations. He then changed coasts to become Sous Chef at Azur restaurant in the La Quinta Resort and Club in California working under Chef De Cuisine Jasper Schneider and consultant Chef Eric Ripert. Chef Russo then moved to the Hotel Del Coronado and Cordevalle Resort and Club as Chef de Cuisine where he created menus for the restaurants and managed operations for high profile private events. Russo was then given the opportunity to open The Palms Resort in the Turks and Caicos under Chef Schneider.
Russo then moved to The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas as Executive Sous Chef to reopen the resort after a $40 million renovation. In 2008, Chef Russo was promoted to Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas. In this position he has been instrumental in creating new menus for all four dining outlets to reflect food trends and exceed guest expectations.
Back to Top
Chef Ryan Patrick Burke
Sous Chef
Lobster Grille
Ryan started his culinary career at the young age of 13 as the dishwasher for a small restaurant business in LaConia, New Hampshire where he worked his way up to line cook by the age of 14.
Ryan continued his education earning a Culinary Arts Degree from the Le Cordon Bleu, Atlantic Culinary Academy in Dover, New Hampshire.
Enticed by island life, he moved to St. Thomas where he began his professional career at the Lobster Grille, where he has been for the past 3 years, starting first as an intern working his way up to Sous chef. At The Lobster Grille Restaurant Ryan specializes in fresh Caribbean Lobster stuffed with crab, grilled or sautéed, steaks, chops, and fresh fish.
Back to Top
