Serving up a royal menu

FOR_the past 28 years Seychellois Antoine Gui Kilindo has been preparing a royal feast in Bahrain ... in more ways than one.

He is currently the resident European chef at one of the homes of the Royal Family.

Wanting a challenge from his normal routine and surroundings back in the Seychelles, he struck a lucky chord when a Bahraini friend suggested that he tried his culinary skills in the kingdom.

He explained: "At the time I was looking for a change and this seemed like a good choice."

It was a long journey from Chef Kilindo's first ever stint in a kitchen as a teenager fresh out of school looking for a career to take him around the world.

Starting as a baker, he worked his way to become a cook and before commanding the position of sous chef at the Le MŽridien Barbaron Hotel.

Prior to coming to Bahrain, he was the head chef at the Berjaya Beau Vallon Bey Hotel.

Shortly after arriving here, Chef Kilindo attended a special three-month long course at the former catering school in Muharraq on the preparation of pastries.

His skills at preparing authentic European dishes have quickly acknowledged by the Royal household and he has enjoyed every moment cooking up delights for the family and their distinguished guests.

He explained: "Of the most common ingredients that I use are mutton, seafood, chicken and vegetables such as egg plant, cabbage, cucumber and carrots. I prepare the European dishes and there is an Arab chef preparing the Bahraini meals.

"In all these years being with the Royal Family I have never encountered a problem. Nobody tells us what to do in the kitchen - we are allowed to create our own thing.

"They are very good people and I am where I am today because of them."

His personal favourite dishes are still a reminder of his former life - homemade Creole food. "It is very similar to Indian cuisine. We use the same spices and make the similar curries."

At home, however, it's his wife, Jennifer who does all the cooking. "Every Sunday we ritually have a family dinner with our two daughters, Vicky and Peggy."

Although he loves his life in Bahrain he hopes one day to return to the Seychelles and open a restaurant in his homeland.

Chef Kilindo, pictured above left, shares one of his favourite Creole dishes with the GulfWeekly readers.

Turtle steak

Ingredients

Turtle (red meat) 1kg

Onions 100gm

Garlic 20gm

Ginger 10gm

2 lemon

2 tbsp oil

Salt, pepper and thyme

Parsley

Preparation

Cut the steak and set aside. Peel and wash the onions, garlic and ginger

Wash the parsley (whole) and set aside. Sqeeze the ltwo lemons and keep its juice aside.

Preparing the marinade

In a large dish put in the turtle steak with garlic, ginger, lemon juice, pepper, oil and thyme

To cook the steak

Remove the steak from marinade. Season with a little salt. Cook in a very hot pan (high heat.)

Dressing

Place the turtle steak in a serving dish (two per person).

Garnish with parsley.