Antonio Belvedere

Fed up with waiting for others to find a solution, Antonio Belvedere decided the best way to make a positive impact on young men in the community was to get involved.

His life underwent massive upheaval after his father died of cancer in 2009.

Mr Belvedere took some time out to regroup and then decided to focus on his passion – cooking.

Only months after graduating from the Bermuda College’s Culinary Arts programme in 2012, he became the island’s youngest executive chef. Although a great achievement, he didn’t feel fulfilled.

Two years later he opened his own business, Peppino’s Catering. A huge thrill was that it offered more possibilities for him to give back.

“I took the plunge and sacrificed a steady pay cheque but it’s meant that I’ve been able to do more community work in regards to going around to different schools and speaking to the students in relation to gang violence,” Mr Belvedere said.

His work with Branches is part of that. Comprised of grassroots groups such as Open Your Heart Foundation, Living Legends Community Organisation and Youthvision Promotions, its aim is to have positive males mentor young men in a non-judgmental space. We’ve come together in the hopes of putting the focus on young men in the community and getting them on the right path no matter what, because right now there is a need for that,” he said.

With Desmond Crockwell, the head of Youthvision, Mr Belvedere was able to organise peace marches for primary school students at either end of the island this year. The children carried placards on which they’d written their thoughts on gun violence.

“Nobody is telling them what to write,” said Mr Belvedere. “They are putting on there how they feel about gun violence. I had two girls come up to me and perform a rap that they had come up with and it was amazing to see and hear. These kids feel it. There isn’t a school on the island that hasn’t been affected by gun violence in some way.”

In April, he received a Leading Men of Bermuda Award from Brothers of Bermuda for his efforts.

His hope is to next bring together students from all of the island’s schools, for a march through Hamilton.

“That would be a positive sight to see,” he said.

Mr Belvedere is also hoping to use his skills to get boys in government’s residential home interested in cooking.

His real hope is to find a way of making the community understand that everyone has a part to play.

“We need more community support, and that doesn’t have to just be parents,” he said, adding that the lack of participation at PTAs has been disappointing for the activists.

“We are a very reactive society but we need to be more proactive right now.

“We have people in these groups that have been directly affected by gun violence or can’t travel to different parts of the island, but they are out there and part of a positive group. That’s what shows hope.”

This Article was originally posted in the 2019 edition of the RG Summer Magazine. 

The post The positive power chef appeared first on RG Magazines.

Chef Juliana D’Estellle Roe

Chef Juliana is a Bermudian Sous Chef working at the world-renown Savoy Hotel in London, UK. Although she’s on the other side of the pond these days, she admits it’s recipes (like this one below) for macaroni and cheese, which remind her most of her Island home. “I thought up this recipe when I decided to combine two of my favourite things,” the award-winning chef said. “Macaroni and cheese is my all-time favourite comfort food, but I make it a little different by adding another one of my favourites, chorizo.”

She fell in love with her variation of the dish from the first bite – but admits she’ll have to wait until her next visit to Bermuda in September to see how family and friends react. The key to making a great macaroni dish, according to Chef Juliana is to use quality cheeses rather than the cheap, processed kind, filled with preservatives. The result? A menu item with bold and luxurious flavours that’ll win you massive points at any pool or beachside gathering you attend.

The post Twist of Plate: Mac & Cheese with Chorizo appeared first on RG Magazines.

Chef Richard stumbled upon the unique recipe while experimenting in the kitchen one day. He said: “I’m always looking for more nutritious alternatives to people’s favourite foods. I feel we should be eating healthier, so I try to serve dishes that are wholesome but still loaded with flavour. That’s my contribution to a healthier Bermuda.”
Over time, he’s also begun to add an extra kick to the recipe by utilising sherry and topping it off with sunflower seeds for crunch. He encourages local cooks to keep things simple when entertaining this summer. “Rough chop the potatoes, roast them in the oven, add four or five other ingredients and mix it all together. It’s as easy as that. My advice to at home cooks is to not overthink it.”

[videogallery id=”Chef Richard”]

Chef Richard’s Zulu Potato Salad
6 servings

Ingredients

2lb Potatoes (Bermudian, roughly chopped and blanched)

1tsp Chilli Flakes

2 Tbl Minced Garlic

3Tbl Cajun Seasoning (any brand will do)

3 sprigs Rosemary (fresh Bermudian, minced)

½ lb Okra (sliced)

1 bunch Basil (Fresh Bermudian) chopped

½ cup Sun Flower seeds (fresh Bermudian)

½ cup Olive oil (for sautéing)

salt for taste

½ cup Sherry Vinegar

Directions

1. Mix potatoes, Rosemary, and Cajun seasoning in a large mixing bowl until the potatoes are evenly coated with spice

2. Heat a large frying pan (cast iron preferred)

3. Put olive oil, garlic, okra, and potatoes in the pan and sauté until potatoes are golden

4. Add sunflower seeds and basil

5. Add Sherry Vinegar to deglaze pan

6. Salt to taste.

7. Serve in your favourite casserole dish

This article was originally published in the Summer 2018 edition of RG Magazine.

The post Twist of Plate: Potato Salad appeared first on RG Magazines.

When Chef Daamian thinks about his flavour profiles with food, he wants the end result to be something unique. That’s why he added a sprinkling of almonds to his fish dish and topped it with a saffron lemon sauce. “These three additional elements along with the fish, it’s just amazing,” he said. “The saffron is a bit more exotic, but the other ingredients are everyday items I use not just in the restaurant, but at home as well. It’s something different to do with the fish, and you don’t have to be a professional to recreate this recipe at home.”

Ingredients
2 Red hind fillets ( cut into 2-3 oz portions )
1 Tsp Salt fusion (Chiko’s Smokey Rub)
1 Tsp Lemon pepper seasoning
1 Tsp Spicy fusion seasoning (Chiko’s Smokey Rub )
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1 cup Flour
1 Banana
½ Onion (chopped)
2 Tsp Chopped garlic
¼ cup White wine vinegar
1 tsp Dried thyme
1 cup Water
2 tbsp Brown sugar
¼ cup Raisins
1 Red pepper (small diced)
¼ cup Almonds
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
¼ cup White wine
1 Tsp Saffron
¼ cup Heavy cream
4 tbsp Butter
Zest of 2 lemons
Salt & pepper (to taste)

Directions
•    Season fillets with salt fusion, lemon pepper, spicy fusion seasoning & lemon juice. Dredge the fillets in flour.
•    Heat oil in a medium-sized pan. Place fish in pan and sear on both sides about 20 seconds, remove from pan and onto a tray and bake about 4 mins until done.
•    For the chutney, heat a small pot with oil and sauté onion, garlic, red peppers and thyme until translucent about 2 minutes. Add bananas and cook another 1 minute. Add vinegar, sugar, and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add raisins and remove from heat
•    For Cajun almonds, toss almonds with salt, pepper, Cajun season and olive oil. Place on a flat tray and toast for about 5 minutes until golden brown.
•    For sauce place chopped garlic, white wine and saffron in a small pot. Bring to a boil then reduce the liquid halfway; about 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and heavy cream and reduce another 10-15 minutes. Whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
•    To assemble spoon sauce on bottom of the plate. Place fish on top of the sauce. Spoon a tablespoon of the chutney on the fish. Sprinkle Cajun almonds on top and finish with lemon zest.

This article was originally published in the Summer 2018 edition of RG Magazine.

The post Twist of Plate: Pan Fried Red Hind with Banana Chutney, Cajun Almonds and Saffron Lemon Butter Sauce appeared first on RG Magazines.

For the wine, the gents at Discovery Wines have recommended serving either Henri Bourgeois ‘Petit Bourgeois’ Sauvignon Blanc 2015, or a Bernard Defaix Chablis 1er Cru ‘Vaillons’ from the same year.

With flower and fruit fragrances the Sauvignon Blanc profits from the ten generations of winemaking experience in the producer’s family. On the palate it reveals a freshness and vivacity characteristically of grapes harvested at good maturity.

In contrast the Vaillons has a hint of honeysuckle with rich, generous flavours. A dry wine, it is one that can be bought and kept for the right occasion.

Ingredients
Six jumbo shrimp, one packet of couscous, chicken stock, 1/2 cup red pepper (dice), 1/2 red onion (diced), 1/2 cup chopped parsley, 1/2 cucumber (diced), 4tbsp olive oil, Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Directions
Place chicken stock on stove and bring to boil.
In a separate flat baking dish evenly distribute couscous on bottom.
Pour boiling chicken stock into couscous and cover with cling film and let stand for three minutes.
Remove cling film and mix couscous with a fork.
Add red onion, red pepper, cucumber, parsley and olive oil, mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and then set to one side.
Place medium saucepan on medium-high heat and add two tablespoons of olive oil, meanwhile, in a separate dish season shrimp with salt, pepper and old bay seasoning.
Place shrimp in pan and cook for two mins per side and let rest for two minutes.
Place couscous mixture on plate and place shrimp on top and serve.

The post Pan-Seared Shrimp and Couscous Salad appeared first on RG Magazines.

Fillet steak and lobster tail over garlic mash and asparagus

Ingredients
Fillet steak, 1 lobster tail, 1 cup beef stock, 3-4 large Idaho potatoes, 8 tbsp unsalted butter, 4-6 tbsp milk or heavy cream, 6 tbsp chopped garlic, 1 bunch asparagus, 1/2 cup red wine, 1 bunch thyme, 6 tbsp olive oil.

Directions
Turn on broiler to medium setting.
Place potatoes on stove to boil and cook thoroughly, once cooked strain from water and place back in pot.
Mash potatoes and add in the butter, garlic and milk/cream and mix.
Season with salt and pepper cover with lid and set to one side.
Put a medium saucepan on medium heat and add half of the olive oil. Once the oil starts to slightly smoke, place in asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes (until bright green).
Remove from pan, season with salt and pepper and set to one side.
Reheat pan on medium heat. Season beef filet with salt and pepper aggressively and add the rest of the oil to the pan.
Once the oil gets to the same point as before, slightly smoking, place beef filet in pan and cook 3 minutes on each side.
After 3 minutes cooking on each side add in 3 tbsp of butter and a couple sprigs of thyme. With a large spoon lightly baste the steak in the butter mixture for a further 3 minutes and then remove steaks from pan and let rest.
Cut lobster tail into half and place an even amount of seasoning and butter on each half face up on a baking tray and place under broiler and cook for 3-5 minutes or until done.
In the pan that we cooked the beef, reheat on medium heat and add in a couple sprigs of thyme and the red wine.
Let it come to a boil and reduce until the red wine is just about gone. Add in beef stock and let come to a boil a second time.
Let mixture reduce for about 2 minutes or until the consistency is to desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

The wine
With meat and fish why not try a couple of big reds, with Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise 2015 or Laurence Féraud ‘Gigondas’ 2012 perfect for a plate of surf and turf.
With a rich dark colour and hints of vanilla, cherry, chocolate and spice flavours the Purple Paradise is ideal for richly flavoured meat dishes. Similarly the Gigondas is big and rich, and while suited to strong cheeses also works well with beef stew.

The post Surf N Turf appeared first on RG Magazines.

The answer depends entirely on your preference and your budget.

A Laurent-Perrier Demi-Sec Champagne with its intense range of aromas could be the perfect finish to your date night dinner. The richness of the Demi-Sec naturally calls for sweet dessert dishes, such as pastries or chocolate, enhancing them with considerable depth.

Alternatively, the Petit Guiraud Sauternes gives you a lovely, well-balanced wine with citrus fruit and good acidity. Sweet but not cloying. The second wine of top Sauternes property Château Guiraud.

Ingredients
6 large egg yolks, 2 whole eggs, 1 cup sugar (with 4tbsp saved for plating), 1 tsp vanilla, 4 tsbp lime zest (with 1 tbsp saved for plating), 1 cup toasted sweetened coconut (devided into halves), 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup coconut milk

 Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a small bowl mix together reserved sugar and lime zest together and set aside for later.
In a medium sized bowl combine eggs with sugar and whisk until mixture is a pale yellow colour.
Meanwhile, heat cream with coconut milk, coconut and lime zest and let come to a boil and immediately turn off. (VERY CAREFULLY)
Slowly pour hot cream mixture into eggs while whisking vigorously until all is added.
Pour mixture into a measuring jug and set aside.
Place 6 medium sized ramekins into a baking dish and fill dish with boiling water until half of the ramekin is submerged.
Pour custard mixture evenly into ramekins and place in to oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until custard is set, remove ramekins from pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To Plate
Remove custard from refrigerator 30mins before serving and top with lime sugar and brûlée with blow torch until sugar is perfectly caramelized
Add top with toasted coconut while sugar is still hot.
Let cool and serve with light dust of powdered sugar.

The post Crème Brulee with a twist appeared first on RG Magazines.

Who better then to help us put together a menu that you can recreate at home when trying to impress a date. Jaelen’s tips will help you go from Average Joe to semi-pro in no time.

And if that wasn’t enough, Jonathan Leadley, the general manager at Discovery Wines, has put together a list of wines that will complement the meal perfectly.

He might have been helping us out in the kitchen, but that didn’t mean we weren’t going to take the opportunity to quiz Jaelen about his experiences of cooking on date night, and why the way to a girl’s heart can be through her stomach.

What’s on the menu today Jaelen?

“Well, we’re doing Shrimp and warm Couscous Salad as an appetizer, Surf N Turf as a main course, and a slightly tropical Crème Brulee for dessert.

“I’ve picked that because it has a good mix of something that’s a little bit sexy, something that’s a little bit adventurous, and something that’s a little bit different. You know something that’s for everyone.”

If you’re trying to impress a date what dish would you cook for her?

“Well, my girlfriend’s favourite is my shrimp and mussels in a Thai curry bacon sauce.”

Did you ever have a dating experience where a female didn’t like your cooking?

“Yes! I was at home with Raeven White [my souse chef] and we were creating this whole elaborate menu and my girlfriend was here and so I said, ‘yeah, go ahead and taste it’. She tasted it and was like ‘it’s okay’, and I said ‘you don’t like it’ and she said ‘not really’. [From there] it was an argument, but that’s okay.”

Do you ever wish that someone would cook for you? And if so what would your ideal meal be?

“I would love it if someone cooked for me, and you know what the sad part is, people think that chefs are the pickiest people, but if you gave me a simple burger and fries that’s like my [thing], I’ll go with that any day.”

What tips would you give a guy who is just learning to cook for a lady?

“Don’t be afraid. Try whatever you haven’t done before. And don’t be afraid to try something you haven’t tried before. That’s my top three things I would say.”

What is your favourite cuisine?

“I would have to say is more like a Caribbean-Mediterranean type fusion, because you’re growing up on an island and you see all [the] fruit and pineapple and tropical kind of stuff. But, I also like refined [ingredients], like olive oil and balsamic [which] comes from the Mediterranean side of things. So it’s a little bit of both, like a fusion.”

If you had one meal to eat for the rest of your life what would it be?

“I’d have to say a nice roast chicken with some nice fluffy mash potatoes and a little bit of vegetables and some gravy.”

The post On the menu this evening appeared first on RG Magazines.

Roast Beef Stromboli

A stromboli is like a turnover, but instead of fruit, it is filled with meat, veggies and cheese.  A refrigerated pizza crust and deli roast beef make quick work of this quick and easy dinner. You can cut the stromboli into small pieces, and let the kids eat with their hands. About 15 minutes of prep time and 25-35 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients: 1 large egg; 1 package refrigerated thin crust pizza dough; 1 package deli thin sliced roast beef; 6 slices provolone cheese; 2 green onions, finely chopped; 1/2 cup sliced roasted red bell pepper; 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. In small bowl, with fork, beat egg.
Cut one 18-inch-long sheet parchment paper. Unroll pizza dough onto parchment paper. Press dough into 13 x 9-inch rectangle. Leaving 1-inch border around edges, arrange roast beef, cheese, onions, red pepper and basil horizontally down center of rectangle.
Brush edges of long sides of dough with some beaten egg. Using long sides of parchment paper, lift dough over filling so edges meet in the middle; pinch dough to seal. Pinch dough on short ends to seal. With sharp knife, cut 4 slits in top of stromboli. Transfer parchment with stromboli to cookie sheet; brush stromboli all over with additional beaten egg.
Bake stromboli 18 to 20 minutes or until brown, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking. Cool 5 minutes before cutting crosswise into 8 slices to serve.

Crockpot Chili

What’s not to love about crockpot cooking? Throw all the ingredients together, leave for eight hours and away you go.

A healthy take on a dinner favourite, it’s just the right side of spicy for children of all ages.

Ingredients: 1lb lean ground beef; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 1 medium green pepper, diced;  2 tbsp chili powder; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 can diced tomatoes with juices; 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 can chili beans, undrained; 1/2 cup ketchup; 1/4 cup canned sliced jalapeno peppers (optional); K​osher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste; Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh cilantro for garnish.

Directions:

Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Drain and transfer beef to the slow cooker. Add the next 10 ingredients (through jalapeno peppers) to the slow cooker.
Cook on high, 4-5 hours or low, 6-8 hours.​
Just before serving, taste and add salt and pepper, as needed. If chili appears too watery, remove 1/2 to 1 cup of the liquid, stir in 1 Tbsp. of cornstarch and return it to the slow cooker. Cook until thickened, about 15 minutes.
Serve garnished with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Pesto Meatballs with Fettuccine

This delicious and hearty main dish pasta skillet recipe takes just minutes to put together and serve. One of the best things about this recipe is that you can easily keep all of the ingredients on hand so you can make it in minutes instead of going for burgers or fried chicken strips.

Ingredients: 1lb cooked meatballs; 1 pack of fettuccine; 1 pack bell pepper and onion stir fry mix; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 container pesto; 1-1/2 cups of half and half

Directions:

Bake the meatballs as directed on the package or in recipe. Set aside. Cook the fettuccine as directed on the package. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook the bell pepper and onion stir fry (or any other frozen vegetable combination) as directed on package, about 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender.
When the veggies are cooked, stir in the meatballs, the cooked and drained fettuccine, the pesto, and the half and half.
Cook this mixture over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly, until the food is hot. Serve immediately.

The post Dads can cook too you know appeared first on RG Magazines.