CHEF Jason Howard wants to end 2016 with a bang. The Bajan born, who resides and works in Britain, was a quarter-finalist last year on BBC MasterChef, and has been busy with culinary visits to South Africa, Germany, Italy and Spain, showcasing and presenting his take on Caribbean cuisine.
Chef Howard’s focus now is on his new three day pop-up restaurant named #50yearsofBim to celebrate Barbados 50th anniversary year in culinary style with food and rum.
Slated for this month, all dishes served will have a Bajan theme and story behind them, combining chef Howard’s creative flair and expertise. Adding authenticity to this event, he will also be integrating Bajan brands, reflective of the region and heritage of the island.Â
One of his dessert dishes even incorporates the colours of the Barbados flag.
#50YearsOfBim will allow Barbados to be presented in its own right with its food and drink taking centre stage, whilst the venue will provide a fine dining experience over the five courses.Â
Jason grew up in Reed Street, St Michael and is a past student of St James Secondary. He got into cooking by chance while working as a porter at Tamarind Cove Hotel. He migrated to London in 2009 and started to work at a Caribbean restaurant named Cottons as commis chef.
He is now at Connaught Hotel for the past three years.
“I love to cook and I can cook anything and make it taste wonderful and give it my own feel and look,” he told EASY magazine.
Jason has been doing pop-ups (supper clubs) for the past two years, aiming to redefine the way Caribbean cuisine is portrayed. By combining his experience as a trained French chef and his Caribbean roots, he has created menus with new and exciting flavours which are beautifully presented and well balanced. A more refined and modern take on Caribbean cuisine, the food is an exciting fusion of African, Amerindian, Spanish, French, East Indian, Arab and Chinese, to reflect the region’s diverse population.
He has dishes such as oxtail wellington with plantain calaloo puree and turned veg, seared scallops with a scotch-bonnet foam mango and parsnip puree with a sweet potato and scotch bonnet mash and smoked salt fish soup with squid ink; and coconut jasmine rice quail egg and caviar with a basil and coriander oil.
For Chef Jason, the key to a delicious Caribbean feast is a balance of flavours; subtle spices without being spicy, melt-in-the mouth buttery finishes without being too fatty, and using exotic Caribbean fruits to complement savoury ingredients. (NS)
