It's a long way from the six-year-old boy who, being the eldest of the brood of five, helped mother around the kitchen. Back then, it was almost a rite of passage, and many mothers did not discriminate because they wanted their boys to be able to 'help themselves' as adults. But McIntosh actually liked it.

"I discovered I liked it actually, and on Saturdays, given a choice between soup and a cake, I took the latter. Back then, baking was quite labour-intensive, I had to cream butter and sugar by hand," McIntosh told Food as he prepared spaghetti bolognaise for his teenaged son. But he learnt the process and after completing high school in England, enrolled at Henley College, where he studied catering, nutrition, food and health. The course included a five-month stint in Germany, where he learnt to appreciate strange foods and the importance of regional cuisine.

Ritz-Carlton

McIntosh returned to Jamaica in 1990 and headed to then Boscobel Beach Hotel in St Mary as executive sous chef before being promoted to chef. That lasted for three and a half years. "Next came the position of sous chef at Ritz-Carlton Rose Hall, where I set up the team. It was a step down, but the hotel had international branding and I had to select the team, train them and take them to a level where we became triple A five-diamond hotel," he said with more than a hint of pride. After the initial position, he spent three and a half years as chef at the hotel.

Although the original focus of the prestigious property changed post-9/11, McIntosh is proud that the talent trained there is now all over the world, having had the opportunity to grow and develop. In 1995, he left the Ritz and spent time focusing on ailing parents before stints at Sandals Royal Plantation and Walkerswood in St Ann. At the latter, his focus was on product development and helping them get the brand to markets overseas.

Since leaving last August, he has done consultancy work with Tryall Club and other major companies, as well as conducted cooking classes for persons in the industry who want to sharpen their skill. He also freelances, but is keen to continue hands-on training in hotels to remind chefs that the skills they learnt need to be kept sharp.

Right now, this first-rate chef is enjoying the contribution he is making at the grass-roots level, and future plans include becoming involved in companies, "... where food and its quality are the hallmarks of their brand. This way, we will give our young practitioners the opportunity to show their craft in the international arena."

He feels that local cuisine will benefit when international brands take interest in us. "We must improve what we have since people are coming here for our cuisine."

As far as the state of local restaurant industry goes, McIntosh is of the view that things are now moving from what obtained historically, when Jamaicans preferred to cook and entertain at home. However, now that more people are dining out, we need to get out of the 'cookshop' mentality and highlight brand Jamaica more. "Affordability and availability are key; you can't go to lunch and menu items are not available or ready for diners," he said.

On a personal level, Jamaicans can look out for brand McIntosh in the future, and that will include his classes for persons interested in learning/bettering the craft.

He lauds HEART/NTA and the University of Technology for the part they are playing in improving things, but feels the time is right for industry practitioners to make the connection between chef, customers, financing, taste and presentation. "We have enough legacy, but we need to better invest in our quality and identity," he said.