A Day In The Life of a Chef

By Dana Cohen-Sprott

To be a chef in St. Maarten/St. Martin requires a combination of the zeal of a detective, the creativity of a master mystery writer and the tenacity of a marathon runner. There is no master cookie-cutter mold for the island chef — they come in all nationalities, shapes and sizes. They could come in the form of a dazzling French femme fatale — like Cecile Bertrand, a wife and mother and the creator of "L'Innomable," an unnamable and fabulous dessert — or Dino Jagtiani, island raised of Indian descent who was pulling vegetables into his mother Asa's grocery cart at the age of 3.

From classically trained French chefs to self-taught cooks like Julie at Rainbow Café at Loterie Farm, the chefs of the island tease, tantalize, tempt and dazzle diners each night. One thing is for certain — they follow the age-old adage of "Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen."

It starts with something basic like PDG — sort of a chef's fantasy candy shop with everything from precision German knives to Belgian flatware, French crockery and American skillets. It continues with purveyors like Guishard, Le Grand Marché and Merchants Market. There you can meet Andre Fresco, a native of Curaçao with an infectious smile. He handles phones ringing, the fax churning, orders flying in, anxious chefs and a fleet of trucks that deliver the finest meats, fish and fresh vegetables with the aplomb of a seasoned master supply officer.

Although comrades under the apron, the chefs engage in a not-so-secret competition of who can prepare the special of the day in a more creative way, using indigenous ingredients from the markets. There is pineapple that tastes like candy and melon that smells like perfume and tastes sweeter than sugar.

There are the freshest of meats, poultry, fish and produce that arrive by air daily from around the world. Whether it is the search for that pinch of saffron from India, Kobi beef from Japan or sweet oranges from Israel — and whether it's paid for in guilders, dollars or euros, the price is no object. The only things considered are who can do it better and who can serve it in a more creative way.

Challenges abound for the island chef — just ask Dominique Dutoya of the famed Le Saint Séverin in Bellevue in Marigot. His committment to quality is legendary and he has scores of fans, both tourists and residents, to attest to his incredible cuisine. He personally orders his foie gras, duck breast and fresh fish from France weekly. Pascal Narme, formerly with Royal Caribbean Cruises, is the owner of three successful restaurants on the island: Le Montmartre in Cupecoy, and L'Auberge Gourmande and Sunset Café in Grand Case. "If the mussels were harvested in France yesterday, they will be on your plate in less than 24 hours."

But today's great chefs take a cue from their older counterparts. Lara Bergmazco, whose parents Christine and Livio ran the famed Da Livio restaurant on the Great Bay Beach in Philipsburg, has the restaurant business in her blood.

Along with her Italian husband Ciro, they run Spiga (which means wheat), a cutting-edge Italian restaurant in the gastronomic village of Grand Case. Along with her London flatmate, Dino Jagtiani of Rare and Temptation restaurants in Cupecoy, they share a similar philosophy that is part of the chef's creed.

When the doors open at 6:30 p.m., it's like the curtain raising on a great play, where the chef and waiters are the actors and the diners are the audience, there to be dazzled and entertained. The chefs bask in the admiration of the audience and the travails of the day melt away. "What I like best is playing a role in the happy times in peoples' lives," said Jagtiani, the first St. Maarten/St. Martin chef to graduate from the Culinary Institute of America. "I love playing a part in peoples' memories. That is the rush for me."

You'll just have to ditch the diet and enjoy more than three meals a day while in St. Maarten/St. Martin. Check out our Dining Guide to plan ahead and get the full details and contact information for reservations for the islands great restaurants!