THERE is no sincerer love than the love of food said famed Irish playwright and essayist George Bernard Shaw. And foodies here in Bermuda are having an indulgent love affair with the menu at Chef Jean-Claude Garzia's new restaurant Beau Rivage. Located at the Newstead Belmont Hills Hotel, on Harbour Road, Paget, the restaurant (its French name translates as "Beautiful Shore") overlooks scenic Hamilton Harbour and offers some of the finest cuisine anywhere in Bermuda.

The restaurant is owned by Chef Garzia and his business partner Lee Uddin, former owners of the Lemon Tree restaurant in the city of Hamilton.

After planting their Lemon Tree they moved on to the Beau Rivage to create a unique dining experience.

In an exclusive interview with the Mid-Ocean News, Chef Garzia spoke about his long career in the culinary arts and his new venture.

Chef Garzia is no stranger to cooking.

As a child growing up in France he first discovered his passion for food when he helped to prepare sumptuous family meals - an experience which left a permanent impression on the young gastronome.

His early love of cooking notwithstanding, at age 18 he wanted to be a jeweller. But fate had other plans in store for him. When he was working as a bartender in a restaurant in France in the summer of 1972, his life and career path took a very different course.

"I was working in a restaurant in the south of France behind the bar," said Chef Garzia. "I was cleaning glasses and making juices and things like that.

"Some guy comes out from somewhere with a white hat and dressed all in white and I looked at him and I was very impressed.

"He goes: 'I need some help. I need some help right now or we can't make it today'. He seemed real nervous."

Being the kind of person who doesn't waste an opportunity that presents itself, Chef Garzia heeded the call and as he recalled: "I offered my services and I opened the kitchen door and there were about 14 guys all dressed up and I was impressed once more.

"I stayed there all afternoon and helped and then went home. The next day when I came back to bartend the chef asked if I could work with him in the kitchen for a while.

"It inspired me because I saw potential. Even though I was young, one thing I saw was the ability to travel. My father had done a lot of travelling and I guess I got that from him. He was from Italy and had met my mother while in the military stationed in France."

Enthused by the prospects of a career in cooking, the aspiring chef applied to culinary school École hôtelière de Nice.

Out of 400 applicants only 50 were selected to attend the prestigious school and Chef Garzia was among them. Three years later Chef Garzia graduated and his dream of travelling the globe came true.

"In 1975 at age 22 I left France and moved to Canada," remembered Chef Garzia. "I worked in Montreal at first and then in 1976 I worked at the Quebec Hilton in Quebec City.

"From there I stayed in Quebec City and went on to work at the Château Frontenac followed by the Four Seasons Hotel. I had five great years in Canada."

Following his success in Canada the seasoned chef moved to Bermuda in 1981 and became head chef for the Princess Hotel in Hamilton until 1985.

From 1985 to 2002 he was the head chef for Cambridge Beaches Resort in Sandys.

On July 15 2002 Chef Garzia opened The Lemon Tree Cafe in the city of Hamilton along with his business partner Mr. Uddin.

The Lemon Tree offered some of the tastiest food in Hamilton and brought new nightlife to town on Friday nights with their popular happy hour party on the fringe of Par-La-Ville Park.

The restaurant grew in size and popularity and eventually another Lemon Tree restaurant sprung up at Terceira's Shell Gas Station on North Shore Road.

In July 2008 Chef Garzia and Mr. Uddin sold both Lemon Trees and opened Beau Rivage at the Newstead Belmont Hills Hotel.

"Here what I have is the opportunity to make people happy," explained Chef Garzia. "In the beginning it was quiet, but now that word is getting out it is becoming more and more popular.

"Our Sunday brunch is a now huge hit.. At first we had around 15 to 20 people and now it is up past 150! We have live music with a jazz band and the atmosphere is really great.

"The Beau Rivage is unique. We are the only French restaurant in Bermuda and our pricing is great. Our prices are very reasonable and very competitive. We are one of the places that offer not only quality but also time for yourself, time for your family or time for people who want to enjoy a relaxed afternoon for a great price."

As word spreads people are coming to dine at the Beau Rivage from all over. Recently Chef Garzia and Beau Rivage was host to 54 people from Chaine Des Rotisseurs - a food and wine society founded in Paris, France in 1950.

There are many unique delights featured on Beau Rivage's menu."The food is very simple and light. We have soups such as lobster bisque. Here you will find our famous lobster ravioli. Everyone loves the lobster ravioli. We have fresh fish and veal, lamb, beef tenderloin and all kinds of goodies such as our chocolate soufflé."

Chef Garzia said that instead of driving to the restaurant for lunch, patrons can take the private ferry from Hamilton City across the harbour

"The ferry named Carolyn picks you up every half an hour from town and brings you here. You can come and have a business lunch or a special dinner for a good price point."

Chef Garzia had some inspiring words for budding chefs in Bermuda. "I wish I could see more Bermuda chefs," said Chef Garzia. "We hear such things as Bermuda chefs, but we don't see enough of them.

"Lack of interest has something to do with it. Being a chef is a commitment. You have to make sacrifices. When everyone else is off you are working.

"Holidays such as Christmas or Cup Match you name it you are working. The young people are not too keen on that. But the reward is worth it.

"My advice is to do your studying and travel. Get some world experience. Either in the States or Canada or even Europe, anywhere - get out of here and go get some experience somewhere else. Then come home and excel.

"Work with people who will inspire you and you will see the joy of making people happy through your work. When you create something and you cook you are making people happy. About 70 percent of your business is that. Advertising is good, but people talk and word of mouth is the best form of advertisement.

"One person talks to 10, 10 talks to 20 and so on and so forth and your business will grow."

Chef Garzia said Bermuda is the perfect place for experienced cooks to continually hone their culinary skills.

"Bermuda is really an island for cooking because you have peace, quiet and you have time to do things," he said. "You are not in a city where everything is going 300 miles an hour.

"In Bermuda you can create more."