Denis Rosembert - Taste of the French Caribbean

In 1975, I was transferred from St Lucia Holiday Inn Hotel to the Swiss Cottage Holiday Inn - in London - where I flourished as Chef de Partie. I stayed there for 10 months. In 1976, I started working at the Tower Hotel, also in London, as a Grill Chef. After 6 months, I was promoted to First Commis Chef on the Sauce section. A year later, I was Chef de Partie in charge of the Sauce section. Four years later, I was offered the Sous Chef position.

I left the Tower Hotel in 1984 and pursued my career at Trocadero Restaurants (owned by Kennedy Brooks Company) as a Sous Chef. Within the company I successfully applied for the Head Chef position at Wheelers fish restaurant on the Kings Road, Chelsea. I stayed there for 2 years. I left to take up a position as Head Chef within a family run Italian restaurant in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA. Within the year, I had returned to England and worked at the Coconut Grove Restaurant for a year as Head Chef. In 1989, I was offered a position as Head Chef at the Sports Village Hotel in Norwich, where I stayed for 3 years.

I opened my first restaurant in 1992 in Orford Yard, Norwich City Centre, which I named Cafe des Amis. I had 6 successful years there. I moved to a new premises in the Village of Easton, Norwich. The new restaurant was called Chez Denis and it has been running for 17 years. In 2012, we moved the restaurant back to the City Centre in Orford Yard, Norwich.

Chicken or vegetable stock can be used. Corn flour, yam flour, rice flour, potato flour, arrowroot all these can be used as a thickening agent. The cream soups are blended and passed through a sieve. Use arrowroot or corn flour to thicken the clear soups.

Chop the carrot, leek, celery onion and garlic. Place the chopped vegetables and bay leaf and 2 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan over a low heat with a lid, allow to sweat for 5 minutes, stirring to avoid browning. 3. Add the roasted pumpkin to the vegetables with one litre of vegetable or chicken stock, simmer for 20 minutes 4. Place softened butter and rice flour in a bowl and mix until creamy. 5.

Whisk in the butter and flour mixture, add salt and pepper to taste and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the stove, blend in a food processor and serve.

Add the roughly chopped courgettes, simmer for 15 minutes. 3. Add the chicken stock or vegetable stock and cook for 20 minutes. 4. Place softened butter and flour in a bowl and mix until creamy. 5.

Whisk in the butter and flour mixture and chopped mint, add salt and pepper to taste, cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and blend. Ready to serve.