Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2008 | Page 108

life

FOOD & DRINK

the interview

Seasoned chef
at Liberty's to relax

“Yes, I’m fussy,” he grins.
He enjoys the variety that
daily specials offer:
“I can have a bit of
fun, make them a bit
more tarty!”

No-one will ever know, when
they are dining at Liberty’s
café-bar, that the practice
of adding huge quantities
of parmesan to a perfectly
turned out pasta dish, or
grinding salt and pepper
without even tasting the
food, causes the chef a bit of
angst. “Drives me mad!” he
laughs. They will never know
because chef Kevin Hendy is

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about as far removed from a
prima donna chef as you
can get.
“I’m like this all the time,”
he says, leaning back on one
of Liberty’s comfy leather
sofas. “I never get cross, I
find things get done quicker
if you’re relaxed. The lads
know when I’m not happy
with things – they’re good
lads, work really hard.”

Kevin, 27, is a local boy
whose tattooed arms and
easy manner belie his focus
on detail as appropriate to
his elegant surroundings.
Liberty’s is aimed at business
clientele, at ladies who
lunch, and work-based
party bookings. So the
menu isn’t over-long – “you
take more in when there’s
less to look at,” says Kevin

– and is brimming with
imagination. It focuses on
fresh ingredients, from local
suppliers where possible, and
good, clean cut flavours. “It’s
restaurant-style food in a
café-bar. People can actually
have dinner over business
meetings, so they don’t have
to rush. Then other people
do want to hurry – we have to
cater for both!”

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