Chef Rhea Gilkes

Chef Rhea Gilkes is a committed epicure, taking delight in all things related to food. Her cuisine is eclectic and reflects a career spent exploring. For the last five years Chef Gilkes has spent her time in pursuit of culinary excellence, as Executive Chef at the Asian fusion restaurant Fusion Rooftop in Limegrove Lifestyle Center.

Previously she split her time between Jamoon House, Sandy Lane in Barbados and The Rousseau, JW Marriott Resort and Spa in Muskoka, Canada.

Chef Gilkes culinary career began in 2001 with a stage in The Cliff Restaurant, 6 months later she landed her first commis position at L'acajou , the signature  restaurant at the Sandy Lane hotel. During the next four years Rhea trained with talented Chefs like Freddie Foster, Roux Scholar and now Head Chef at the Boundary in London and, Michael Hinds a national and international award winning Chef and Ice carver. In addition, during this period Rhea was able to undergo brief training with the Nobu Miami team as they transformed L'Acajou into Nobu Barbados for a number of weeks. Chef Gilkes also spent a season at Wildfire,with talented Chefs Jay Scaife and Michael Pataran; the signature restaurant of the Taboo Resort, in Muskoka Ont. Canada.

As recently as 2017 Chef Gilkes was able to train with fellow Bajan Chef Andre Sterling at Brassarie T in Montreal Canada. Bra T is the sister restaurant to restaurant Toqué owned and operated by renowned chef Normand Laprise. Chef Laprise is a leader in fine dining but also a Chef dedicated to Quebecois cuisine and the inventive use of local produce for an authentic Farm to Table dining experience.

Rhea has participated in National

Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) since 2002 and holds several medals including a Silver (2003) and Gold (2004) for the Mystery Basket Cook Off ( Professional Category). Chef Gilkes also received the Prime Minister's Scholarship for Culinary Arts in 2003.She is also the 2014 Farm-to- Chef Champion awarded by Slow Food Barbados in it's Iron Chef competition.

In 2018 Chef Gilkes was featured in the Barbados Food and Rum Festival and  entertained international journalists from the North America and Europe on behalf of the BTPA, while also headlining the Taste of the Exotic extravaganza held at Limegrove during the Festival.

As a  member of Slow Food Barbados, Chef Gilkes is committed to the use of fresh, seasonal, indigenous ingredients and this is reflected in her work with the BADMC to promote the Carmeta's line of  100% Barbadian products,especially the gluten-free cassava, sweet potato and breadfruit flours; as well as Hatchman's Cheeses, Barbados' first international standard,local cheese maker.

Chef Gilkes is delighted as apart of  the Slow Food team to promote Good, Clean and Fair food in Barbados. This is reflected in the recent opening of her cafe The Edible Garden Cafe in Orange Street, Speightstown. The Cafe provides tasty, locally sourced meals to patrons. The Cafe not only sources locally but is also in the process of creating an actual edible garden to provide ingredients for various menu items.

As the director for the Slow Food Barbados Chef Alliance, Chef Gilkes is currently engaged in the organisation of the #slowsoupdrive. This outreach necessitated, by the COVID 19 pandemic, has seen local producers/ farmers and Chefs come together with community groups in St Andrew, St Lucy and St Joesph to provide hearty delicious soups to the vulnerable in the community 3 times a week.