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From:TheBahamasWeekly.com Grand Bahama The fundraiser showcases exquisite creations by top chefs and recognizes their extraordinary culinary accomplishments. Proceeds from the event will support scholarship programmes for students pursuing a degree in the fields of Hospitality or Culinary Arts.
The event will be staged at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta and hosted by Emmy Award-nominated television host, author and celebrity Chef Marvin Woods who is known for his infectious personality, signature bandana and creative twist on food. Chef Hall, whose trip is sponsored by Immerse Bahamas, a destination and project management company, and Dolphin Cove Bahamas, both in Freeport, will be the highlighted chef, having traveled the farthest this year. For Immerse Bahamas president and CEO Ginger Moxey, jumping on board when the idea of having a Bahamian chef participate in Chef of the World (COTW) 2015 was pitched to her last year was a no brainer. “We were thrilled when the invitation by Thomas W. Dortch, Jr., Founder and Chairman of the Board of the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Foundation, was extended upon the introduction of Randy Rolle, Bahamas Consul General in Atlanta, and we are so excited about where Chef Hall has taken The Bahamas with his authentic culinary style and the world of possibilities that lie ahead,” Moxey said. “We are also pleased to partner with Dolphin Cove Bahamas and to be working with the Consulate of The Bahamas and Bahamas Tourist Office in Atlanta to ensure that Chef Hall gets maximum exposure as he takes The Bahamas to the world.” Chef Hall wears many hats, among them he is also an author and entrepreneur as he presently serves as the chef/owner of Simeon Hall Restaurant Managing Group Ltd., a food service consultation and restaurant design firm in The Bahamas. Chef Hall has more than 20 years of experience in the culinary industry, is well known in the local and international culinary world and has a unique style which has afforded him the opportunity to work and consult in the Americas, Europe, Asia and throughout the Caribbean. A true Bahamian culinary ambassador, Chef Hall is also an avid food writer and blogger and was featured last September at the Food Network in Concert’s “Eat, Drink, Rock!” event in Chicago, Illinois, as a celebrity chef when he again represented The Bahamas. “I’m excited about the trip. I want to say a heart-filled thank you to Immerse Bahamas and Dolphin Cove Bahamas for believing in my talent. My goal has always been to share food culture from The Bahamas with the world and I think a forum like this, with a diverse audience, will enable us, myself and the entire team helping to execute this, to showcase Bahamian culture,” Chef Hall said. For the first time in COTW history, the chefs will be working with a theme which, Chef Hall noted, ties in perfectly with his cooking style and the fact that it is to benefit aspiring chefs extends his reach with the work he already does with young, up and coming chefs at home, making the experience that much more rewarding. “My entire mantra has been what I have called present day history. To me, present day history is a modern interpretation of traditional and classical Bahamian food culture and that’s what we’re going to be emphasizing at the event,” he said. In the meantime, Chef Hall is cooking up a succulent five-course menu for the event. Event Coordinator Esther T. Brown revealed that the decision to “step it up a little” this year and make old Hollywood glitz and glamour the theme allows the 20-odd chefs and their team to go beyond the dishes with their creativity. “Each of the tables will be sold to a sponsor and all of the monies will go to a scholarship fundraising pool,” Brown said. The scholarships range from $500 to $3,500 and, to date, the NBCA Hall of Fame Foundation has issued 70 scholarships to deserving students who have since opened their own businesses, are employed at high-end restaurants or are caterers. Chef Hall travels to Atlanta for the event on Saturday, February 28.
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