The Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett is determined to drive tourism numbers through gastronomy. Those responsible for what visitors to our shores eat and, indeed, how they perceive our cuisine must now re-evaluate the offerings of each plate.

Thursday Life starts the big reveal at Sandals Resorts where the luxurious setting is rivalled only by its Five-Star Global Gourmet cuisine.

Rochelle Grindley

Chef de Cuisine, Sandals Inn

The first female chef de cuisine

In 2014, a 25-year-old Grindley was named Taste of Jamaica’s Chef of the Year. As chef de cuisine at Sandals Inn, Grindley consistently wows guests with her inspired creations which showcase culinary artistry and Sandals Resorts’ Five-Star Global Gourmet cuisine at its best. Holding herself to an extremely high standard, she is adamant that everything she undertakes must bear a stamp of perfection. A recipient of several accolades, including a Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards scholarship, Grindley views all of her experiences both inside and outside the kitchen as life lessons and uses them to motivate and inspire her team.“Figure out what lights your fire, then chase the match.” This is the quote which has inspired senior sous-chef at the Sandals Royal Plantation Lemar Lawrence, who fondly remembers when, at the age of seven, he and his grandmother baked side by side, making Jamaican delicacies such as drops, grater cakes and bread pudding for sale in his community. At fifth form he was placed at the Shaw Park Hotel for industry exposure. He joined the HEART Trust/ NTA’s six-month, on-the-job certification programme and was placed at Couples Sans Souci. Just two months into the programme he was employed as a casual worker. The 19-year-old carried out his role with gusto and even assumed the full position of the supervisor who had recently left. He did so for many months and was soon nicknamed the “casual supervisor”. Reflecting, Lawrence says, “I took my work seriously and I owned my area, so even though many may have chuckled at how comfortably I assumed the role without being remunerated for it, I was determined to garner the exposure. It was my preparation for greater things to come and it paid off in the end.” Lawrence was eventually promoted to kitchen supervisor before briefly leaving the company and then returning to hold the position as garde manger chef, leading his team and on many occasions representing his resort at myriad international and local culinary competitions, such as the JCDC Culinary Art Competition and the Chaine des Rotisseurs Culinary Competition in England. But he wanted more. International exposure was a must if he wanted to be well-rounded professionally. He migrated to England and landed a job at the Barnham Broom Hotel in Norwich, England, and later the De Vere Dunston Hall Hotel. After eight years, Lawrence returned to Jamaica and joined Beaches Ocho Rios as a sous-chef and more recently transferred to Sandals Royal Plantation, where he now serves as the resort’s senior sous-chef. Juan Morrison,Executive Chef Beaches Negril“Cooking Jamaican dishes is probably one of the most stimulating things for me.”Chilean native Juan Morrison is the executive chef at Beaches Negril Resort and Spa. His Spanish accent gets thicker when he speaks about his passion for food, especially local cuisine, and his joy becomes even more obvious when he talks about putting his unique spin on Jamaica’s celebrated mackerel run down and popular jerked dishes. “This cuisine has so much opportunity for gastronomic exploration and that is what fascinates me,” he shares withThursday Life.Growing up in a Chilean farming community, Morrison’s love for food took root at a young age as he watched his father till the soil to grow asparagus and wheat, and rear animals that he would both sell to the community and prepare for the family table. His culinary career began at age 20, when he sought to complete his technical chef certification from the DUOC, UC in Chile. Ramone Jackson,Executive Sous-Chef, Sandals Negril Beach Resort And SpaInspired by the wonders of a steaming bowl of his Grandma V’s rich pepperpot soup, Ramone Jackson decided fresh out of high school that he was going to take what he calls his family’s innate love for cooking to the next level. “Cooking runs through the veins of every generation in our household,” he tellsThursday Life.Ever since that fateful Career Day at St Mary Technical High School. where a representative from the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel and Training Institute encouraged him to get certified in what he loved, Jackson has never looked back. The now 30-year-old holds the designation of certified executive chef from the Culinary Institute of America, after completing his three levels of Food Preparation from the Training Institute. He is currently the executive sous-chef at Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa, where he consistently wows guests with his delectable five-star global gourmet creations.Jackson’s work ethic and job knowledge have earned him the respect of his colleagues; in turn he gives them the same respect. In fact, he shares that one of the highlights of 2016 was seeing his team of six chefs all medal at the Taste of Jamaica Culinary Competition; a prestigious event that saw him also winning his own bronze medal in 2014 for his innovative pork dish.Jackson’s signature dish is the lobster brulee. He says, “This dish fuses an all-time favourite dessert crème brulee with the highly sought-after lobster into a magnificently exotic entrèe.”Andre Eastman— Executive Sous-Chef, Sandals Ochi Beach ResortAndre Eastman is the executive sous-chef plating five-star global gourmet meals at the luxury-included Sandals Ochi Beach Resort, but his love for the culinary arts had humble beginnings — in his mother’s kitchen, by her side.Whether his mother was baking a cake or preparing a meal, he looked forward to helping her. Being in the kitchen, he says, gave him a rush that he could not resist.When he was not busy helping in the kitchen he would spend his days watching cooking shows on television, reading recipe books and observing chefs wherever he went. His passion to pursue the culinary arts bloomed in high school when his best friend introduced him to the Food and Nutrition course. After being successful in the course, Eastman decided that nothing would hold him back — he was determined to fulfil his dream. Shortly after completing his studies, he set off on a two-year internship in an Italian restaurant. This, he says, was an unforgettable experience that served to further fuel his desire to become a chef. He decided to further his studies at the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel and Training Institute, where he was successfully certified in Food Preparation. Armed with his new qualifications, Eastman set off on a journey that is now 15 years strong. Among his most memorable highlights is his 2009 bronze medal earned in the Taste of Jamaica Culinary Competition.

Rochelle Grindley doesn’t cook, she creates…

In 2014, a 25-year-old Grindley was named Taste of Jamaica’s Chef of the Year.

As chef de cuisine at Sandals Inn, Grindley consistently wows guests with her inspired creations which showcase culinary artistry and Sandals Resorts’ Five-Star Global Gourmet cuisine at its best.

Holding herself to an extremely high standard, she is adamant that everything she undertakes must bear a stamp of perfection.

A recipient of several accolades, including a Jamaica Observer Table Talk Food Awards scholarship, Grindley views all of her experiences both inside and outside the kitchen as life lessons and uses them to motivate and inspire her team.

Lemar Lawrence

– Senior Sous-Chef, Sandals Royal Plantation

“Figure out what lights your fire, then chase the match.”

This is the quote which has inspired senior sous-chef at the Sandals Royal Plantation Lemar Lawrence, who fondly remembers when, at the age of seven, he and his grandmother baked side by side, making Jamaican delicacies such as drops, grater cakes and bread pudding for sale in his community.

At fifth form he was placed at the Shaw Park Hotel for industry exposure.

He joined the HEART Trust/ NTA’s six-month, on-the-job certification programme and was placed at Couples Sans Souci. Just two months into the programme he was employed as a casual worker. The 19-year-old carried out his role with gusto and even assumed the full position of the supervisor who had recently left. He did so for many months and was soon nicknamed the “casual supervisor”. Reflecting, Lawrence says, “I took my work seriously and I owned my area, so even though many may have chuckled at how comfortably I assumed the role without being remunerated for it, I was determined to garner the exposure. It was my preparation for greater things to come and it paid off in the end.”

Lawrence was eventually promoted to kitchen supervisor before briefly leaving the company and then returning to hold the position as garde manger chef, leading his team and on many occasions representing his resort at myriad international and local culinary competitions, such as the JCDC Culinary Art Competition and the Chaine des Rotisseurs Culinary Competition in England.

But he wanted more. International exposure was a must if he wanted to be well-rounded professionally. He migrated to England and landed a job at the Barnham Broom Hotel in Norwich, England, and later the De Vere Dunston Hall Hotel. After eight years, Lawrence returned to Jamaica and joined Beaches Ocho Rios as a sous-chef and more recently transferred to Sandals Royal Plantation, where he now serves as the resort’s senior sous-chef.

Juan Morrison,

Executive Chef Beaches Negril

“Cooking Jamaican dishes is probably one of the most stimulating things for me.”

Chilean native Juan Morrison is the executive chef at Beaches Negril Resort and Spa. His Spanish accent gets thicker when he speaks about his passion for food, especially local cuisine, and his joy becomes even more obvious when he talks about putting his unique spin on Jamaica’s celebrated mackerel run down and popular jerked dishes. “This cuisine has so much opportunity for gastronomic exploration and that is what fascinates me,” he shares with

Thursday Life.

Growing up in a Chilean farming community, Morrison’s love for food took root at a young age as he watched his father till the soil to grow asparagus and wheat, and rear animals that he would both sell to the community and prepare for the family table. His culinary career began at age 20, when he sought to complete his technical chef certification from the DUOC, UC in Chile.

Ramone Jackson,

Executive Sous-Chef, Sandals Negril Beach Resort And Spa

Inspired by the wonders of a steaming bowl of his Grandma V’s rich pepperpot soup, Ramone Jackson decided fresh out of high school that he was going to take what he calls his family’s innate love for cooking to the next level.

“Cooking runs through the veins of every generation in our household,” he tells

Thursday Life.

Ever since that fateful Career Day at St Mary Technical High School. where a representative from the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel and Training Institute encouraged him to get certified in what he loved, Jackson has never looked back. The now 30-year-old holds the designation of certified executive chef from the Culinary Institute of America, after completing his three levels of Food Preparation from the Training Institute. He is currently the executive sous-chef at Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa, where he consistently wows guests with his delectable five-star global gourmet creations.

Jackson’s work ethic and job knowledge have earned him the respect of his colleagues; in turn he gives them the same respect. In fact, he shares that one of the highlights of 2016 was seeing his team of six chefs all medal at the Taste of Jamaica Culinary Competition; a prestigious event that saw him also winning his own bronze medal in 2014 for his innovative pork dish.

Jackson’s signature dish is the lobster brulee. He says, “This dish fuses an all-time favourite dessert crème brulee with the highly sought-after lobster into a magnificently exotic entrèe.”

Andre Eastman

— Executive Sous-Chef, Sandals Ochi Beach Resort

Andre Eastman is the executive sous-chef plating five-star global gourmet meals at the luxury-included Sandals Ochi Beach Resort, but his love for the culinary arts had humble beginnings — in his mother’s kitchen, by her side.

Whether his mother was baking a cake or preparing a meal, he looked forward to helping her. Being in the kitchen, he says, gave him a rush that he could not resist.

When he was not busy helping in the kitchen he would spend his days watching cooking shows on television, reading recipe books and observing chefs wherever he went. His passion to pursue the culinary arts bloomed in high school when his best friend introduced him to the Food and Nutrition course. After being successful in the course, Eastman decided that nothing would hold him back — he was determined to fulfil his dream.

Shortly after completing his studies, he set off on a two-year internship in an Italian restaurant. This, he says, was an unforgettable experience that served to further fuel his desire to become a chef. He decided to further his studies at the Runaway Bay HEART Hotel and Training Institute, where he was successfully certified in Food Preparation.

Armed with his new qualifications, Eastman set off on a journey that is now 15 years strong. Among his most memorable highlights is his 2009 bronze medal earned in the Taste of Jamaica Culinary Competition.