Chef Ron Hargrave was born and raised in Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia - the "Beef Capital of Australia" and the place to be for the best kangaroo carpaccio on earth! Yes, it's true: kangaroo is eaten in Australia - and exported all over the world. And why not–it's the leanest source of iron and protein in a red meat and because it's not farmed, there are no growth hormones or antibiotics; just free-range meat that tastes like a good beef fillet and has the leanness of skinless chicken. Sounds tempting - I think I'd chance it!

As a child, Ron enjoyed helping his Mom out in the kitchen and at 12 he became known as the family's chef when he presented his sister with a homemade cake for her birthday. At 14 he started working in restaurant kitchens until he graduated high school in 1987 when he then enrolled and completed two Professional Catering and Food Service Certificates in 1988. Once the culinary decision was made, he started a four-year program through the Ambassador Hotels Group who eventually transferred him to Melbourne in Victoria to finish his apprenticeship. From Melbourne to Portsea!–and to one of Victoria's most prestigious Boutique Hotels called Delgany Castle, where Ron worked hard as a Saucier and Entremiter chef in their 3 Hat fine dining restaurant for about three years.

Around 1995 Ron decided that his career plans should follow the hotel/corporate route instead of the private restaurants path so he moved back to Brisbane, Queensland, where he started at the Park Royal Hotel as a Chef de Partie. With an urge to learn more and further his career, he got the opportunity to open the luxurious Key West Hotel on Alice Street. About eighteen months later, Ron moved over to the Hilton where he gained further experience as their Junior Sous Chef in Victoria's fine dining Restaurant.

Everything changed by chance one afternoon in August 1998 while at the horse races with his mates. He saw a very small, two-line advertisement in the local paper that said "Cayman Islands needs chefs. Phone xxxxxxxxxx". With a direction to travel and broaden his culinary experience, Ron phoned and after a great telephone interview with Executive Chef Patrick Maloir of the Westin Casuarina Resort, he accepted an offer and moved to Grand Cayman in February of 1999. Ron started at the Westin as a line cook and worked his way to becoming one of their Sous Chefs.

Shortly thereafter, Ron started competing in local and international cooking competitions and actually won Chef Of The Year in 2001 (the first year he competed!) in the Cayman Islands Taste of Excellence Competition. Since then he has had the privilege of working closely with Chef Keith from Bacchus Wine Bar and Chef Shetty from the Hyatt on the Cayman Culinary Societies competitions and events. Ron has taken home an assortment of silver or gold medals won in the local competitions over the past few years and had the opportunity to Captain the Cayman culinary team in the Taste of the Caribbean against 12 other countries in Ocho Rios, Jamaica in October 2003. The team returned with a well-deserved silver medal for the team event as well as an assortment of individual medals from all on Team Cayman.

In 2002 Ron got the chance to be a private chef for a well-to-do family in Cayman. He enjoyed that experience for about nine months cooking both on and off property in all facets of cookery from designer buffets to 12 course degustation menus and got to travel with the family around the world and get to know them very well. Sadly this chapter closed as the family relocated to Miami and even though Ron was asked to relocate, he decided to stay in Cayman and look for another endeavour.

Playing a round of golf at the Hyatt with Steven Carl, the Executive Chef, set up the next set of challenges. Asked if he would work for them as Sous Chef in their Banquets department he declined, knowing the offer would still be there in another 6 months. He decided instead to work in Hemingway's and enjoyed working closely with Chef Justin Mayal. Ron was later moved over to the Garden Loggia or Main kitchen to work at the Hyatt's famous brunch with Chef Shetty as well as run the Hyatt's hot banquet department.

In October of 2003, Ron was offered the position of Executive Chef of the Marriott Beach Resort and to help rebuild the quality and culinary service standards required for this property. The first half of 2004 was a very busy time for the hotel with record occupancies and food sales every month, and with a generous low season to look forward to. Sadly,the arrival of Hurricane Ivan had different plans. Ron revealed that the post-Ivan period was the hardest challenge on a day-to-day basis he had ever encountered. Directing the kitchens and restaurants through hurricane Ivan and its recovery was a tremendous accomplishment especially given that they had more than 250 staff, hotel guests and displaced residents residing in the hotel. Ron's kitchen staff were outstanding in both the way they handled themselves with this natural disaster as well as the unselfish attitude of helping others by providing clean, sanitary eating conditions and healthy food. The management team, under Willy Gigers guidance, is to be applauded as they took 250 guests through the storm and then served them free meals twice a day for 2 months without a scratch or one case of illness. Throughout any disaster or crisis like Ivan, we saw the best and the worst from people, but Ron's experience of being part of a team whose first priority was to help and assist each other and their guests was, in his words, a truly a great experience. Keep in mind Ron also said he does not want to go through another storm like Ivan during his time here in Cayman!

The new Marriott Resort has since had a soft opening from the 1st of June this year and its $15 million renovation is turning heads along Seven Mile Beach. Showing off a new façade and color scheme, with state of the art rooms and a culinary department to match, this new property is sure to be a success. The grand opening will be on the 1st of November with the new restaurants and themes including the new lobby restaurant, The Red Parrot–a steak and seafood bistro which has a blend of a sexy, funky, fusion-feel featuring lobster, steak and ribs. Watch this menu for its delectable appetiser: Beef and Asparagus Roll - shaved seared tenderloin of beef wrapped around green asparagus tips, served on petiti salad with red onion confit, scotch bonnet and red pepper aioli. For a main course consider the Red Parrot Thermidor - whole Caribbean Lobsters steamed and tossed with sautéed peppers and mushrooms and finished with a creamy white wine sauce and gratinate. The Red Parrot's current dessert to indulge in is the Rum Baba - a delicate sponge soaked in spiced tortuga rum syrup served with whipped cream and strawberries.

The Peninsula Restaurant has been renamed SOLANA which will be the gourmet international alfresco dining restaurant on Seven Mile Beach.This restaurant will feature an intimate, relaxed, fine-dining atmosphere for connoisseurs of fine food and drink. The menu features an amazing appetiser of Cayman Turtle and Rock Shrimp Fritters served with spicy paw paw chutney and callaloo mayo. An entrée to tempt you is the Beef Tenderloin (Certified Angus Beef) set on fried spirelli onions with peeled white asparagus, seared eschallot spinach with bell pepper and tomato oil and a boursin jus. Dessert to top off the evening could be the house classic, Frozen Caylime Pie served with raspberry melba and mango coulis.

Soon to open will be Balboa's Tapas Lounge serving various snack-size savouries such as Seafood Cerviche in a citrus and ginger marinade, Seared Beef Filet served with chimi-churry, Marinated Artichokes with green and black olives and Spanish bread, and Salt Fish and Okra Fritters with tomato and bell pepper relish. All these Tapas and much more will be served in the lobby lounge and garden with a choice of 101 martinis!

Ron is an incredible, creative chef of great humility and humour.... and it was my lucky chance to have finally met him.