Rosemary Parkinson, Contributor

Slow roasted filet of Angus beef served with mousseline of Dijon mustard sage, scented gnocchi with a light jus de boeuf. - photos by Rosemary Parkinson

I met Eoghain O'Neill at the St Lucia Food & Rum Festival last year. He nearly crushed me with his welcoming bear hug; he has the most wonderful, warm disposition I have ever known in a chef. Could be his Irish and Trinidadian parentage. Born in Ballensloe, a little village in the heart of Galway, Ireland, Eoghain grew up in his mother's home country, Trinidad.Eoghain (pronounced Owen) went through his higher education in England, graduating from hotel and catering studies summa cum laude at Canterbury College. He went straight to Normandy, France, to work for the Michelin Star Restaurant La Manoir De Barville. There, he learned the exquisite opulence of fresh produce that only the French can teach.

Herbs, fresh fish from the river and animals home-fed nurtured his desire to create same into exquisite well-organised and tasty platters. Joining the culinary team at The Savoy Hotel in London for two years, he mastered the nuances of myriad kitchens, gaining a strong classical knowledge of cuisine. Later he would work with legendary gastronomic names - Roux Brothers, Gordon Ramsey's Aubergine and Gordon Ramsey's at Royal Hospital Road (three Michelin Stars). Gordon Ramsey taught his new upcoming chef about the five senses of cooking - taste, texture, appearance, consistency and the delectable marriage of ingredients. This has been the base for O'Neill's success.

Germany experience

After London, O'Neill moved to Munich, Germany, working for Restaurant Am Marstal (two Michelin stars). For one year he delved into the realms of German gastro-cuisine before returning to London as head chef for the famous celebrity hangout - Soho House. Having captured the essence of Soho, and now more in demand than ever, he found himself as head chef in Paris' La Pachyderme and receiving wonderful reviews from Le Monde, Le Figaro, Gault & Milan, L'Hotellerie, Zurban, Elle and Entrée magazines, just to name a few. Next, Jacque and Laurent Pourcel appointed him executive sous chef in their new W'Sen's in London. "This was a very exciting and interesting insight into launching a new restaurant," says O'Neill. And then Canouan Island.

Canouan Island, one of the many pearls in the St Vincent and the Grenadines chain, is 110 miles west of Barbados and south of Mustique, playground of the rich and famous. The famous Tobago Cays is right next door where visiting the underworld of the sea takes on a whole new meaning. Everything so surreal and large. Huge corals, plants that swirl in the currents, fish that peak out at every corner. The sheer beauty and silence simply relaxing and astounding.

Grenadines environment

The Grenadines are known for the various hues of blue, the crystal clarity of the water that simply takes one's breath away. "Just walking out of my front door gives me inspiration. I cannot believe the beauty every time I see it. Working in an environment like this is like spending time in heaven. No hustle, no bustle, lots of time to create new dishes. In fact one's creativity swarms here. Boredom is out of the question," says O'Neill.

Chef Eoghain O'Neill is passionate about bringing his wealth of knowledge back to his roots. When the highly acclaimed Raffles Resort Canouan Island offered him this opportunity, he took it without flinching. With a strong team of chefs who O'Neill has been personally nurturing with French and European influences incorporating local ingredients, his motto in the kitchen is simply: 'Essence and beauty'.

"I travel to St Vincent where we get most of our produce. I'm so impressed by the organic way of farming there. I love to discover new ingredients. When I come across a fruit or vegetable that was previously unknown to me, it's like having a new baby. I immediately create new and wonderful dishes - my favourite fruit being soursop. I love the amazing spices, so real and fresh. Even when I go diving, I see all the beautiful fish underwater and dream about what dishes I could make with them," he laughs.

Exclusive retreat

Mille feuille of bananas

Set in the luxurious Villa Monte Carlo, adorned with panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea, the ambience of refined and understated elegance makes the gourmet La Varenne perfectly suited for the very exclusive retreat from the sun-trenched island life that is Raffles Resort - a resort that has received several prestigious awards during 2005, its first year of operation.

Now O'Neill has personal ambitions for La Varenne. So far, there have been many accolades - Elle, Entrée, Cuisine Creative, SHE Caribbean, Modern Bride, MACO, Caribbean World, Sunday Times magazines, just to name a few. He has been filmed by Great Escape Travel Channel, F&B World, Boiling Point with Gordon Ramsey's; organised and executed tasting menus for Il Divo, Bill Gates, Leonardo Di Caprio, Town and Country magazine, Amsale and Princess Trust in London, Canouan Island and New York. O'Neill also had the honour of participating in The World Gourmet Summit 2007 in Singapore as one of the 11 worldwide master chefs. There's no doubt that the Caribbean can be proud of this son of the soil. Chef Eoghain O'Neill's fare can be tasted at The Taste of Barbados come October or just hop over to the gorgeous island of Canouan and enjoy!