Exclusive: Celebrity chef Samuelsson excited about Bermuda's seafood

Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson has said that he will be making the most of Bermuda’s seafood and local produce when he opens the Fairmont Hamilton’s signature restaurant next year.

Speaking to the Bermuda Sun, the former guest chef for Barack Obama and winner of the 2010 Top Chef Masters also said his food will incorporate the flavours of Ethiopia, where he was born, and Sweden, where he grew up. 

He said: “We’re excited to work with local, fresh seafood, and we hope to work with as many local ingredients as possible. 

“I bring my experience and my profile of food with me to everything I do. 

“I grew up with water and fish in Sweden, and that’s something similar that I’ll be able to do here. If there is a technique that comes from Ethiopian cooking and it makes sense, I’ll use it.”

Asked whether any of the dishes from his New York restaurant Red Rooster would make their way to Bermuda, he said: “We will definitely be having our number-one-selling item at Red Rooster, our cornbread with tomato jam and honey butter.”

Samuelsson said he has already visited the island and is excited to make his return when he builds a pop-up restaurant to whet the public’s appetite.

“I will definitely be spending some time there during the pop-up and am looking forward to returning.

“It creates excitement for the guests. 

“We want to tell a story, and it’s a chance for the guests to taste what will come next year.”

Samuelsson explained why he decided to team up with the Fairmont Hamilton in Bermuda: “The Hamilton Princess is an iconic institution on the island and I’m excited to be a part of it. 

“At the Samuelsson Group, we like to work in a similar fashion with tradition in Sweden and in Harlem — the Hamilton Princess fits into that. 

“Knowing how committed the Green family is to not only hospitality but to Bermuda, it’s a privilege to work with them. Their passion for Bermuda comes through in everything they do — in the UK, the US, and the island.

“I’ve been before and I’m very excited. There’s been a lot of thorough research from my whole team, and we’ve had the Green family come visit us here in Harlem, too.” 

The award-winning chef and cookbook author is at the forefront of the international culinary scene. He was the youngest chef to receive two three-star ratings from The New York Times.