Randie for Rainforest

Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter

For the new chef at Rainforest Seafoods, Randie Anderson, cooking brings out his artistic nature and the pleasure of using his creativity not only to satisfy people's taste buds, but to put smiles on their faces.

Chef Anderson has been in the kitchen since he was six years old. While he loved his mother's (Laura Parchment) and father's (Lloyd Anderson) cooking, he could not wait to whip up something for himself in the evenings after school.

But, in spite of his natural cooking abilities, he did not study it at high school, St Elizabeth Technical High. Back then, the school offered home economics but it was considered a girl's course, so he opted for auto mechanics and welding instead. However, after high school in 1997, he migrated to New York, United States of America, and got a job as a pot washer in a restaurant.

Promoted

"Within three months, I was promoted to prep cook and in another three months, I was made lead cook," said chef Anderson.

Anderson spent three years with the restaurant before going off to study culinary arts and restaurant management at the Art Institute of New York City. While studying, he worked at several restaurants, including Vong Restaurant, Footprints Café and Niños Restaurant.

The 30-year-old chef told Food that because of his outstanding performance while at the Art Institute, he was featured on the cover of the fifth edition of popular food author Wayne Gisslen's book, Professional Cooking. He said he also received several awards from the institution.

In 2003, he returned home and landed a job at Hedonism III. He had stints at some other hotels for next five years, then he moved back to the United States as executive chef at the Four Points Sheraton, Sebring Florida. After a year, he returned home and currently, he is with Rainforest Seafoods.

The chef said he loves to be in the kitchen and if he was not a chef he probably would be a doctor because he loves nutrition and caring for others. He also pointed out that though he is busy at work, he still makes time to cook at home.

"Most weekends, I buy some fresh produce, cook, call my friends and we all eat and have a good time,"

For the weeks leading up to Christmas, Food will share some recipes for Rainforest Seafoods alternatives to meat dishes for your Christmas menu.