Senior group executive chef at Sandals Resorts International Glenroy Walker will bring his culinary expertise and intricate knowledge of Jamaican cuisine to the gastronomic offerings at Jamaica House Rio 2016.

Walker jets off to Brazil this week to join the team at the Prado Restaurant, where the exciting Jamaica House festivities will take place.

The Jamaica House Rio 2016 initiative, a project of the Jamaica Tourist Board, is designed to create an interactive experience for visitors, bringing Jamaican culture and flavour to Rio de Janiero, during the Olympic Games which will get underway from August 5 – 21.

With support from corporate sponsors including Sandals Resorts International and inspired by the massive success of Jamaica House in London 2012, Jamaica House Rio 2016 presents an opportunity to showcase all aspects of Jamaican culture to the thousands of global visitors who will flock to Rio for the Olympic Games.

Jamaican food, known the world over for its unique flavours and spices, will of course be a highlight of Jamaica House, and Walker, along with the team at the Prado Restaurant, located in the Southern Zone of Rio, will prepare authentic Jamaican meals for sale to an anticipated crowd of about 1,000 people per day.

Walker, who boasts an impressive 25 years in the culinary industry, with experience in Canada, the United States and of course Jamaica and the Caribbean, was invited to join the team by the Jamaica Tourist Board. Extremely passionate with a natural love for cooking, Walker worked as executive sous-chef at Sandals Royal Caribbean before being transferred to Beaches Sandy Bay as executive chef. He later returned to Sandals Royal Caribbean as executive chef before leaving to open and oversee the food and beverage operations at Sandals La Source Grenada. Chef Walker now works in the company’s corporate office alongside the Corporate Executive Chef creating new and exciting culinary concepts for Sandals and Beaches Resorts.

Excited about the opportunity, Walker said, “I am beyond honoured to have been chosen to be a part of Jamaica House 2016. To act as a culinary ambassador for my country and to showcase our amazing food to hundreds of thousands of people is indeed a privilege. I’m looking forward to this experience, to bringing the taste of Jamaica to Rio and of course to see us taking home some gold medals.”