... Sabor House?

When he first attempted to cook Sunday dinner (rice and peas and chicken) all by himself at age 12, he totally burnt it. However, at 27 years old, Richie Richards is no longer an amateur in the kitchen but the executive sous chef at the Sabor House, at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.

Chef Richards grew up in Old Harbour, St Catherine, with his three siblings - but only one sister. They all had to help out with the chores. Richards said he gravitated towards the kitchen from an early age and he loved helping his mother, Olive Richards, with the cooking or baking.

He told Food that he loved helping her to bake Christmas cakes and puddings, and eating the remaining batter from the container was his favourite part. Since then, his passion for cooking has grown.

Temporary sidetrack

While at Old Harbour High School, he was sidetracked about what he really wanted to do for a while. "I decided I was going to study agriculture like my big brother, Gasford Gordon, but my passion for food overcame that, so I decided to study home economics instead," said Chef Richards.

After graduating high school in 2002, he went to the HEART Academy Runaway Bay, St Ann, in 2004, where he studied food preparation and food and beverage service. Upon leaving, he worked at Sandals Dunn's River, but returned to HEART in 2006 to do level two of his studies.

Currently, Chef Richards is employed at Spanish Court Hotel and almost about to complete level five of his studies at HEART in a joint programme between the institution and the Culinary Institution of America (CIA).

Asian cuisine

Chef Richards' area of speciality is Asian cuisine. He said he loves preparing Asian dishes because they're different, elegant and eye- catching. But he also has a knack for French, Mediterranean and Caribbean cuisine.

This year is the second time The Sabor House will be participating in The Gleaner-sponsored Restaurant Week and Chef Richards said he is looking forward to seeing the crowds coming out for dinner.

"During RW, it gets busy around the kitchen, but I love the thrill of being behind the stove; the heat, the flavours of the dishes [romancing] the nostrils get me really excited. And I love it when guests enjoy my food."

For the future, Chef Richards said he sees himself as a restaurateur abroad.

- Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore