Director of Club Operations Richard Ferdinand marked 30 years at the iconic Tryall Club last Saturday with a delightful fund-raising dinner hosted at the club’s Ooshan Restaurant, expertly guided by culinary artistry from the renowned Rousseau sisters and wines from CPJ.

The four courses were a combination of plated and family style service that included a first course of family style servings of organic greens and garden tomato with arugula, mustard vinaigrette, whipped chevre and herb oil. This was paired with grilled coco bread focaccia with crispy garlic, charred thyme and Scotch bonnet oil. The second course of callaloo ricotta ravioli is one of the signature dishes from the Rousseau sisters and went over well with guests.

For the third course guests had the choice of pan seared Caribbean snapper with ginger, lemongrass, coconut soubise, herb salad and callaloo crisp or seared Jamaican beef tenderloin, crispy leeks, aged rum and charred mushrooms paired with family style servings of roast plantain and charred local vegetables. The fare was topped off with a cornmeal olive oil cake, honey ginger gelato with candied citrus and pistachio crumb. Wine pairings from CPJ included the Napa Valley Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon and Marquis de Goulaine Sancerre.

Suzanne Rousseau spoke with Thursday Food on the preparation going into the evening’s menu and cuisine choice.

“For us it was how best to commemorate the 30th anniversary for Richard combining our signature style of service with a more elevated style of service. We’re very vegetable-and herb-forward with our ingredients and cuisine and that came out in the menu options. We worked with the team at Tryall, including the head chef, in this beautiful restaurant to really execute a meal worthy of the occasion and very much representative of our style of cuisine,” Rousseau stated.

The evening belonged to Man-of-the-Hour Ferdinand as the celebration continued with family, friends, colleagues and well-wishers paying tributes. He also took the opportunity to thank guests, members of the Tryall Club and speak on the motivation to raise funds for his passion project.

“A group of Tryall members — Tristan and Laura Alvarado, Kelly and Nicole Summerfeldt, Shelley Hoon-Keith and Manuela Goren — organised the celebration. I didn’t want the focus to be on me. It seemed a perfect moment to host a special fund-raising dinner for the community summer camp I started 30 years ago. The camp is close to my heart, and channelling the celebration into support for the children felt right,” Ferdinand said.

“The community summer camp was born of a belief that every child in the local community deserves a safe, fun place to learn and grow. The camp has invested J$64m and reached more than 4,500 children. Introducing youngsters to sports, water safety, arts and crafts, team building, maths, English and leadership,” Ferdinand added.

Ferdinand has held a myriad of other roles at Tryall, including tennis director, recreation director, and guest services director. Over the years, he has overseen tennis, water sports, food and beverage, sales and marketing, and events, and has been a part of Tryall’s continuous expansion of its facilities and offerings — adding a kids’ club, gym, the Livity Spa, signature events and Ooshan Restaurant and Bar. Hosting world-class tennis with visits from Serena and Venus Williams, earning Hospitality Assured and Green Globe Platinum certification and coaching German-Jamaican former tennis player Dustin Brown as a junior player were some of the proudest moments Ferdinand highlighted.

Text and photos: Aceion Cunningham

Garden tomato with whipped chèvre, micro greens and drizzled with herb oil (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Manchester North Eastern Member of Parliament-elect Audrey Marks is greeted by Richard Ferdinand. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Roast plantain and charred local vegetables (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Pan-seared Caribbean snapper with ginger, lemongrass, coconut soubise, herb salad and callaloo crisp (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Laverne Campbell, villa manager, pays tribute to Richard Ferdinand, recalling her first interaction with him 30 years ago. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

A section of guests who turned out to join in the celebrations. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Rockhouse Foundation members Paul Salmon (left) and brother Damian Salmon (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Michelle Rousseau adds finishing touches to the garden tomato with whipped chèvre, microgreens and herb oil. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Organic greens with arugula and mustard vinaigrette (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Grilled coco bread focaccia with crispy garlic, charred thyme and Scotch bonnet oil (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Cornmeal olive oil cake, honey ginger gelato with candied citrus and pistachio crumb (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Callaloo ricotta ravioli with scotchie arrabiata, roasted garlic cream, parmesan and basil (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Seared Jamaican beef tenderloin, crispy leeks, aged rum and charred mushrooms (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon and Stacey Silvera, physical planner, also shared in the celebrations. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

From left: Sharon Hislop-Holt, commercial director, MBJ Airports; Chevaughne Miller, sales and marketing director, Caribbean Solar Life and Stayce Ingram-Russell, group and meetings manager, Royalton White Sands (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Lisa Lake-Epstein (left), group CEO, Restaurant Associates Ltd, and husband Yoni Epstein, CEO, Itel BPO, were out in support. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Dr Carey Wallace, executive director, Tourism Enhancement Fund, and wife Vivene Levison, managing partner, Great Huts (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Jason Russell, president, Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is flanked by attorneys-at-law Shanae Warburton (left) and Danique Gooden. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Sandra Onwikanjo flew in from the United States to support, as well. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Melissa Chang (left), director, HC Investments, and Mollie Plummer-Henry, senior director, PICA, opted for the Marquis de Goulaine sancerre. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)

Michelle (left) and Suzanne Rousseau take guests through the intricacies of the evening’s menu. (Photo: Aceion Cunningham)