wine & dine
keeping it fresh From dishwasher to chef, Shawn "Fresh" Hodge charts his culinary journey. Interview by Orrett H. Wynter
At what age did you start? Probably between 18 and 19. Tell us the story. I started at Cinnamon Reef. I can’t even remember what year that was – it was a long time. I started washing dishes. George Reid and Vernon Hughes were there at the same time. Both of them trained me; they would take over washing the dishes and have me make a salad or something. Then, it was just working up from there. I worked at Reefside Restaurant (formerly Happy Jack’s) at Shoal Bay Villas. There I worked under “Smoke” [Leonard Sharplis], the executive chef here at Smokey’s. Ended up at Cap Juluca, again with George [Reid]. I was at Tasty’s with Dale Carty as well, then the Dune Preserve, where I was the head chef. I remember once, a few chefs 76
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went to New York with the Tourist Board to showcase local Anguillian cuisine… fried fish, Johnny cakes. We got to go to the Hamptons, which was a great experience. Afterwards, I was at Anacaona for a few years. I also do catering every now and again, through my Three Fs Catering – Fresh Fine Foods. How long have you been at Smokey’s? This is my third year. What do you like most about being in the kitchen? I love the challenge, but you have to put your heart into it. It’s always good to have guests say, “You cooked my food today? It was great.” Favourite thing to make? I love to make pastas. Seafood or chicken, usually. Do you cook at home? All the time. My wife doesn’t have to cook at all. I try out my cuisines at home, actually.
Oh, is she the guinea pig? [Laughs] Yeah. She and my son. He’s 16, and he does little things at home, too. Think he might be a chef too? I hope so. I teach him a few things… nothing too hard, though. He loves cooking. Favourite ingredient? Garlic. Can’t beat the flavour from garlic. Kitchen tool you must have? Knives. I got to have my knives, and I can’t use anyone else’s, either. I get accustomed to my own. I have a set here [at Smokey’s], and they stay here. I also have another set that I use when I cater events. Worst kitchen experience? I got burned in the face. Whoa! How’d that happen? I came in just before the
lunch rush. I went to light the stove, but someone had come in before me, tried to light it, couldn’t, and left the gas on. I checked, it wasn’t lit, so I when I went to light it... Poof! [Laughs]. It knocked me back onto a table; I couldn’t see for about ten minutes. Fortunately, I didn’t get badly hurt – just intense heat. If you weren't a chef, what would you be doing? I don’t know, because I love cooking. Was there ever anything else? No. All my life, I’ve been in the kitchen. My entire family… everybody cooks. Grandma, aunts, uncles, cousins. Even the food van next to the school, that’s my godfather. It’s a family thing.