Amiable chef Barnaby Jones has cooked for many famous people over the years - Jimmy Carter, Boris Becker, Robert Redford, David and Victoria Beckham, Prince Andrew and Demi Moore, to mention a few.
Now, with his appointment as executive chef at the luxurious Le Touessrok - set over an archipelago linked by bridges, or accessed by boat, on the east coast of Mauritius - he continues to serve dishes to the rich and famous.
Trained at Bournemouth College in the UK, and having thereafter spent a year at the Michelin-starred Chewton Glen Hotel, then three years at the three-Michelin-starred Michel Bras in Laguoile, France, Jones went on to work for three years at five-star hotels in Jamaica.
It was a homecoming of sorts, as he was born in Kingston, Jamaica.
He then spent three years working at Amandari in Bali, voted the world's No 1 hotel from 1997 to 1999, followed by two years at Amanjena in Marrakech, Morocco, then three years at the UK's Babington House Hotel, which was voted this year by Conde Nast as the best hotel in Britain.
Jones came to Le Touessrok after two years at the Carlisle Bay Hotel in Antigua.
His favourite cuisine has to be Thai, he says, pointing out that he opened a Thai restaurant at the Amanjena with a young Thai chef from the Sukhothai in Bangkok.
With so many wonderful choices at his fingertips over the years, what has been his most memorable meal to date?
"It has to be Jerk pork on Boston beach in Jamaica, with an ice-cold Red Stripe beer," he says with a smile.
Jones's favourite ingredient? That would be foie gras: "Served hot or cold, it can completely change its taste, texture and flavour."
Here are some of his recipe suggestions for other great tastes.
TUNA TARTAR WITH CHILLED PEA AND MINT PUREE
(Serves four)
320g fresh tuna loin
20g chopped parsley
30g scallion julienne
30g chopped shallots
40ml olive oil
16 mint-leaf stems
250g frozen peas
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Sauté the frozen peas with some shallots and mint tea.
Deglaze with water, bring it to boil, then immediately cool it down in ice water.
Blend the mixture to a smooth, thick puree and season.
Dice the tuna loin, then add the chopped parsley, shallots and a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the puree on to a glass plate.
Mould the tartar in a rectangular mould the place it over the sauce.
Garnish the plate with scallion julienne, whole green peas and mint.
Serve cold.
MAURITIAN JACK FRUIT CURRY WITH GOLDEN RAISIN AND BASMATI RICE
(Serves four)
600g jack fruit
30g curry powder
10g cumin powder
1 garlic clove
1cm ginger
1 cinnamon stick
2g cardamom
10g fresh coriander
189 English cucumber
20g raisins
200g cooked basmati rice
100g tomato
50g chopped onion
5g chopped parsley
Method:
Trim the jack fruit and cut into large dices.
Slightly deep fry them and reserve at room temperature.
Sauté some onion, add chopped garlic and ginger and cook until soft.
Add the rest of the spices and cook until fragrant, then add some water.
Once the oil starts to come to the surface, add the deep- fried jack fruit.
Cook for a while, then fold in the raisins.
Finish with fresh coriander.
Sauté the rice with the diced tomato, mustard seeds, chopped onion and chopped parsley.
Season the cucumber salad with lemon dressing.
Serve the rice on the left, followed by the cucumber salad and the curry in a small pot.
SEARED VENISON CARPACCIO, PARMESAN CRISP AND TOMATO JAM
(Serves four)
1kg venison rack
5g chopped parsley
5g chopped rosemary
5g chopped mint
5g chopped basil
80g mesclun salad (mixed leaves)
400g tomato
30g chopped shallot
10ml honey
10ml xeres vinegar (wine vinegar)
40g grated parmesan cheese
20ml olive oil
Method:
Debone and trim venison rack. Season with salt and pepper.
Rub on a little bit of mustard paste and fold in with the mixed, chopped herbs.
Wrap in buttered paper, then slightly pan-fry.
Freeze the loin, then slice into thin slices.
Bake the parmesan cheese in a pan, then make semi-circular tuiles.
Peel the tomato, dice it and cook with vinegar and honey until quite dry.
Toss the mesclun with lemon dressing.
Lay carpaccio ona plate and place parmesan tuile on the side. Spoon the tomato jam and top with the mesclun.






