Nashauna Drummond, Staff Reporter
Max Marklawes, a chef at Cuddyz, shows off two of his specialities, Shrimp in Coconut Sauce and Jerk Chicken Burrito.
IN HIGH school he was teased as one of only two males who were in the home economics class at Papine High School. Today, Max Marklawes has 10 years under his belt as a chef. Marklawes loves everything to do with food: garnishing, cooking and tasting.
When not at work, he eats stuffed chicken breast with callaloo or with a cream sauce with tartar salad. He does a lot of experimenting at home to perfect his skills. His reward? When he hears his customers say: 'That was good'.
According to restaurant manager Jeanelle Waddell, Marklawes is a genius in the kitchen. "Max is definitely a genius when it comes to cooking. Some persons are born to do certain things; Max was born to cook and he takes a lot of pride in what he does."
Marklawes has only been at Cuddyz for a year but prior to that, he tantalised the taste buds at Whyndam Hotel (now Hilton Kingston). He also worked in Grand Cayman. He also did the
catering for the funeral of Edna Manley, wife of the late national hero and founder of the People's National Party, Norman Manley.
His local and regional experience fits perfectly in the cuisine at Cuddyz, which is a mixture of Jam-aican, Caribbean and international fare. Waddell explained that at Cuddyz, they try to tie in the cuisine with the personality of proprietor Courtney Walsh. They have kept it local with an international flavour.
At Cuddyz, you can enjoy the great balance between food and vibe. "Nice energy for customers who want to relax," noted Waddell. For the recently-concluded Gleaner sponsored Kingston Restaurant week, Cuddyz launched its new menu. Waddell explained that what they did was enhance what they currently had based on customers' comments and suggestions.
