Vomo Island Welcomes New Executive Chef

Vomo Island Welcomes New Executive Chef

Vomo Island Resort has recently welcomed new Executive Chef, Geoffrey Crabbe to oversee the resort’s restaurant and bars. Geoffrey comes to Vomo with extensive experience working in the kitchens of luxury resorts and hotels, with international positions held at Small Luxury Hotels of the World and Relais and Chateaux properties. Geoffrey will work in the kitchen on a daily basis.

South African-born Geoffrey emigrated to New Zealand nine-years ago and after positions at internationally acclaimed high-end lodges such as Huka Lodge and Lake Taupo Lodge, Geoffrey most recently held the position of Executive Chef at Bedarra Island Resort, Mission Beach Cairns, QLD. Geoffrey believes his tenure at Bedarra will serve him well at Vomo because of his “effortless climate adaptation”, as Cairns is on a similar latitude to Vomo. Geoffrey’s innate understanding of presenting guests with fresh, clean flavours suited to the tropical climate of Vomo will mean that guests will continue to experience Vomo’s world class cuisine and enjoy its progression.

With a broad range of culinary experience, including seafood, Japanese and Italian, Geoffrey says he has had the pleasure of working alongside some extremely talented and knowledgeable figures in the industry, including Michelin-starred chefs, which has provided him with a wide knowledge of pure and fusion cuisines which he is eager to educate his team about and serve to Vomo’s guests. Innovations to the Vomo menu such as poolside dining options, a revamped breakfast vision and afternoon teas are being considered to sit alongside improved theme nights and the current high standard of fare and professional service. Geoffrey will continue to keep the daily-changing a la carte lunch and dinner menu format and will add a few surprises alongside new dishes, believing, “Every new Executive Chef strives to keep the dining experience evolving for guests and the resort. It is important that new styles of cuisine, preparation and service are introduced to the team to assist in their progression and of course, to keep our guests excited”.

Somewhat refreshingly, Geoffrey is unsure if he is foremost a chef or a lover of food, saying it is often hard to move away from his profession however he still derives immense pleasure from being a part of the dining experience. Geoffrey says, “I love the attention that diners receive in a restaurant; it’s part of their personal experience with the food. I enjoy watching the expressions as guests taste their selections and feel great satisfaction when I see their brains working through the progression of flavours. Then they have the lightbulb moment when it all falls into place - that for me is the essence of what I do”.

Vomo currently has one restaurant and two bars operating on the island. One of these bars, The Rocks has enjoyed a facelift in 2010 with it being extensively rebuilt to an impressively large structure with new soft furnishings and lounge areas. The Reef Restaurant has been undergoing a soft furnishing refurbishment and restaurant extensions are expected to start in early-2011. This will see a greater floor space and a group dining area.

Vomo Island Resort looks forward to Geoffrey implementing his new ideas and menu innovations and is confident about securing Vomo’s reputation as consistently serving the best food in Fiji.

ENDS

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