Moveable Feast’s Michele Williams is back in Jamaica (after spending almost two years in Canada) and is understandably brimming with ideas. “What I’m really interested in sharing,” explains Williams, “is how we can save money by focusing on preparation. I worked for a year at Harmony Creek Golf Club located in Oshawa, 45 minutes east of Toronto, alongside head chef Ebenezer who was incidentally trained by a Jamaican chef from the United Kingdom. Preparation was key with us doing as much as possible days prior to the event. Persons were not contracted to assist, this was done in an effort to keep cost to a minimum. Planning for a party of 200 was our responsibility, mentally and physically. Naturally these events were always executed flawlessly.” Williams discovered the many behind-the-scenes tasks that went into getting dishes out as quickly as possible and the absolute necessity of a freezer and a microwave for quick service, the importance of multi-tasking, maximising time and always having a work plan.

Then there was cost-efficiency. “If, “she explains, “you are opening a refrigerator to take out for example carrots for a salad, then take out cucumbers and tomatoes and wash all vegetables at the same time. This conserves both time and energy.”

The effective use of ingredients such as tomatoes in abundance to maximise profits -tomatoes for example prepared and not consumed were used in soups and offered as a special the next day. Marinara Sauce, a flavourful tomato base sauce, was made every Monday morning cooled, refrigerated and used in a variety of dishes: sauce for lasagna, base for tomato vegetable soup, pizza sauce, pasta sauce and veal and chicken parmigiana.

Williams honed additional culinary skills working alongside Trinidadian Chef Chad at the renowned Shrimp Cocktail. “This,” she shares, “was cuisine at its best.Chef Chad uses only the best and nothing out of a can. Service while you wait is at the seafood/oyster bar”. Williams worked on all cold dish (salads and desserts) preparation, making salads and wraps which included poaching chicken, deep frying rice paper which all salads were served in, plating dishes with garnishes such as roasted eggplant, mandarin beet and carrot salad, fruit and vegetable salsa.

Back in Jamaica since March 2006, Williams has lent her expertise to the Goddard Catering Group (GCG) who won the contract to be “Catering Solutions Providers” at Cricket World Cup 2007 and is now set to add a new dimension to the local catering landscape. “The knowledge I have gained in the culinary arts,” Williams explains, “I would like to utilise in menu planning for my clients and their guests. As a caterer my goal is simply giving clients what they want by providing bold, creative and exciting dishes. Everyday dishes such as creamed potatoes can become quite impressive by adding a few cloves of roasted garlic and the stylish name of “Roasted Garlic Mash,” you could even offer freshly grated cheese as a topping. Familiar yet bold; stimulating one’s senses and making them yearn for more.”

Thursday Food asked the Moveable Feast caterer to share a few of her summer inspirations…she was more than willing but not before sharing these thoughts…

Summer is a wonderful time of the year. Many professional cooks and chefs are inspired and you can be too. There is a desire for light dishes and in Jamaica we are blessed with an abundance of vegetables, fruits and herbs all year long.

Our weather provides the perfect opportunity for al fresco dining, particularly outdoor cooking in the form of barbecues and summer parties where the art of cooking becomes a social act of love.

My love for cooking is not limited only to freshly picked vegetables and fruits but to the challenge of how to use ingredients that most of us tend to discard habitually such as the stalks (base) of cauliflower and or broccoli. Often neglected, these parts can be rich sources of essential nutrients and may contribute to the creation of a flavourful casserole or soup such as cream of vegetable soup or cream of broccoli soup.