Meet the Masters by Susan Campbell The muses that catapult a dish from ordinary to extraordinary are often difficult to define and a mystery to those not privy to a chef’s creative vision. But whatever the inspiration to achieve excellence in the culinary arts may be, this island’s fine dining spots abound with world-class talent.
The journey from original vision to the final perfect plating of a delicious dish travels through myriad portals provided by each individual chef ’s life experience – with each step dependent on their talent, imagination, and what fresh products might be readily at hand. Most excellent chefs know how to tell their own story on the plate. Aruba’s chefs come from the world over which results in such a diverse range of specialties and flavors. Some even say that it is the island itself that inspires them to try to recreate the spirit of tropical warmth and endless sunshine into their creations, while others endeavor to bring their own home-style delights from afar to share on Aruba’s shores. But it’s the ability to take risks and set trends that separates the true culinary artists from the rest. And the ability to ensure that their personality shines through is often what makes a truly original signature specialty. However, this island’s epicurean elite is not always about serving up ultra fancy eats that cost a fortune. Some of the island’s most memorable dining might be borne of efforts to offer up authentic, ethnic comfort food, traditional local specialties, or to provide a dish designed to accommodate restricted diets or promote healthy eating.
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Of course, seasonally available fresh ingredients can also play a huge part in the creation of a superb special of the day. Always check the blackboards! Though there is no one thing you can say inspires all chefs, what the very best do have in common is a deep passion for food – pure and simple. And they also have an insatiable, inherent desire to share that passion with the world at large. So, let’s learn a little more about some of this island’s leading culinary visionaries, and what inspires them.
Here are a few of Aruba’s top food masters and their signature dishes. E
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Executive Chef Sandro Herold
Executive Chef Matt Boland
MANCHEBO BEACH RESORT & SPA
HILTON ARUBA CARIBBEAN RESORT & CASINO
Hailing from Stuttgart, having studied at top culinary schools and then working throughout Germany and Switzerland, Chef Sandro landed on Aruba 16 years ago and never looked back. After showcasing his skills at many of the island’s top dining spots, he joined Manchebo in 2016 as executive chef to oversee the exciting overhaul of all of their dining establishment’s concepts. Though steak and chops are a specialty, the new menus also have a laser focus on organic and locally sourced fresh and healthy offerings, and he gleans much of his inspiration from Manchebo’s on-site herb garden. A new menu of vegan specialties also shows off his creative genius.
American born, yet an Aruba culinary legend for decades, Chef Matt brought his considerable French cooking chops he learned in Paris to the island and combined it with a love for inspiring people to eat and cook healthier. In fact, he teaches local school children to cook and grow their own vegetables and gives workshops in the community. When he’s not busy in his new position of executive chef overseeing Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort’s signature restaurants, introducing stellar new specialties and forward-thinking styles to their menus, and giving cooking demonstrations on-site, you’ll probably find him underwater seeking out new spots to swim with sea turtles in the wild. S I G N AT U R E D I S H
Paella Night Though Chef Sandro is famous for his 4-course chef ’s tasting surprise menu at Ike’s Bistro, it’s the Paella Cooking night – where guests can watch the master at work preparing a massive pan of Spain’s incredible traditional dish over an open fire overlooking Manchebo’s beautiful beach – that he enjoys the most.
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Chocolate Soufflé Just because Chef Matt promotes fresh, healthy, and locally sourced dishes whenever possible doesn’t mean he doesn’t like decadent desserts too. He highly recommends the rich coconut crusted chocolate soufflé topped with vanilla ice cream he creates at The Sunset Grille when you really feel the need to indulge!
Chef Alejandra Maya
Chef Florentijn van der Paal
ALFRESCO RESTAURANT
BAREFOOT ARUBA
Fresh and delicious are the cornerstones of the cuisine coming out of chef/owner Alejandra Maya’s new Alfresco Restaurant with a focus on the trendy cuisine of California and her native, Bogota (hence California Style de la Casa), though she has lived on Aruba most of her life. Before entering into the culinary arena, Alejandra was famous on the island for passionate work in body health and training, and it was her loyal clients – who she often fed – who insisted she open her own spot. One can clearly see how she has brought this same passion to Alfresco. Her outstanding range of delightful dishes, as well as vegan and vegetarian plates, can all be served gluten-free as well.
Originally from the Netherlands, Chef “Flo” (as he’s now known) studied culinary arts in Belgium, worked in the Canary Islands, and in his hometown of Zeeland where the restaurant owner hunted the game himself. He moved to Aruba five years ago to experience Caribbean life for a few months, and never returned home. Today, he lends his talents to Barefoot with creative takes on local and international fare, and always with an eye to sourcing locally but thinking globally. He loves to experiment and compare notes with his fellow chefs on island, and during his time off you’ll probably find him fishing, kitesurfing, or simply enjoying time on the water. S I G N AT U R E D I S H
Alfresco Falafel Daily specials are very popular, but it’s her falafel that has customers raving. Alejandra says, “We make our falafel differently from anyone else because our main ingredient is sala Latina or the “spice of life” as we know it. They are guaranteed to make you feel que rico cha, cha, cha!” 28
Top photos courtesy of Manchebo Beach Resort & Spa. Bottom photos by Rob Arismendi
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Scallops & Bacon Chef Florentijn believes that any great meal should begin with a great appetizer, so he recommends the Scallops & Bacon starter, which is perfectly seared scallops and crispy bacon strips drizzled with hazelnut oil and dressed with a squid ink mayonnaise on a bed of gourmet lettuce and pumpkin puree. Bottom right photo courtesy of Barefoot Aruba. Other photos by Rob Arismendi
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