Two top local chefs will fly out to the United States tomorrow for an eight-day tour of restaurants in California and New York after emerging as winners in the third International Foodservice Competition sponsored by the US Meat Export Federation.

Pickled Onion's executive chef Steve Marston and Dave Garcelon, a chef at Southampton Princess Hotel, will join eight winning chefs from the Caribbean who will be touring restaurants in New York and San Francisco as well as the California wine country during their time in the United States. They will gain information to use back at their own restaurants. The competition ran for several months during which time the chefs were invited by the USA Meat Federation to be creative on both their regular menus as well as special and function menus when using the Federation's products, US lamb, beef, pork and veal.

"The more creative you are, in particular to the lesser used cuts, the more points you are awarded, meaning Prime Rib, New York steak, Fillet Mignon, etc. are low points," he explained, adding that he submitted two recipes. "High points were for leg of pork, shoulder of lamb, etc."

Proof of all sales, dates of purchase and company purchased from had to be sent in detail. The whole process started back in April and progressed until finishing on August 5.

"At this time you will have also had spot checks by the USA Meat Federation as well as submitted two unique recipes, utilising the lower end of cuts of meat, but at the same time being tantalising enough to entice the public to not only buy the product but buy the recipe book which will be published with all the winning chefs throughout the Caribbean," explained Mr. Marston.

"The USA Meat Federation came here this time last year and again in February, promoting their products, beef, lamb, pork and veal.

"It's more to do with diversity on your menu in using their products and then utilising some cuts of meat that a lot of people don't use, therefore broadening the spectrum of their market."

The chefs were also required to send in two of their The chefs were also required to send in two of their recipes, with Marston submitting recipes for Jamaican Seasoned Leg of Lamb and Sesame Teriyaki Beef Skewers.

"I had been asked last year to put some entries into a cookbook from California and was successful in getting three pages in the cookbook, and I adapted one of my recipes, which happened to be a lamb dish, to a Jamaican 'jerk' pork dish with a Mango Mojo," explained Mr. Marston.

An Englishman who trained at the Cambourne Technical College in Cornwall, England, began his career at the Fortfield Hotel in Sidmouth, Devon at the tender age of 12!

After finishing college, Mr. Marston moved to other properties in and around England, including the Inter Continental, Hyde Park Corner, the Papillon Restaurant in Knightsbridge and The Gloucester Hotel. He moved to Bermuda in 1987. He joined Picked Onion when the Hamilton Restaurant opened in 1998. Having recently visited San Francisco, Mr. Marston is looking forward to returning to that city, which has a reputation of having some of the top restaurants in the United States, as does New York.

"I feel very privileged, not only for myself but in trying to put Bermuda on the map as well. Hopefully that's what is going to happen. They have been pushing for various chefs to do things. I think a lot of people just think Bermuda is this tiny little place that doesn't do much at the cuisine level. I try to utilise local products and put different twists on it and have been successful in doing that."

Added Mr. Marston: "I was in San Francisco in February so it will be wonderful to go back. We're also going to be meeting with fellow chefs in these areas. Back in April of this year they had a couple of winners from last year's competition give a talk and demonstration. It wouldn't surprise me if one of us was to be invited to a seminar somewhere else later in the year as a representative of the winners of the Caribbean."

Mr. Gercalon, a Canadian chef who has worked in Fairmont Hotels for nine years and at the Southampton Princess for the last 18 months, is excited about the trip to the two major US cities.

"I'm really looking forward to it, it's a great opportunity to see what is happening in some top restaurants and come back with some good ideas that hopefully we can incorporate into our menus at our restaurants here," said the Southampton Princess chef.

"The competition is put on by the US Meat Export Federation and you just had to show that you are using US Meat products on your menu, beef, pork, veal and lamb, and of course we use a lot of that. It's a high quality product."