Fine-dining first for Falkland Islands

The 2,500 Falkland Islanders will get their first upmarket restaurant in May when the Falklands Brasserie opens in the capital, Port Stanley. Operations manager and head chef Alex Olmedo is a Chilean who has worked on the islands for several years. He will oversee the menu at the 45-seat restaurant.

The existing restaurants on the islands are either in hotels or concentrate on simple food such as mutton and potatoes or fish and chips. Olmedo's brasserie intends to introduce the islanders to dishes including pâté of Upland goose and chicken livers with Madeira and port.

The shortage of staff in the Falklands means that the brasserie must recruit from St Helena. Another problem, said Olmedo, is the expense of sourcing supplies, which cannot come in from South America unless they comply with European regulations.

Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 17-23 February 2000