In an industry, where hard work and long hours were the norm
Creig was soon chosen to participate in the National Independence
Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA), and in his first year, entered the
Professional Cook Off. He placed ninth and although feeling
quite dejected, received positive feedback that he used as
motivation. He re-entered the following year, and took
first place. This was just the beginning of his foray in
competition, as he then entered the Barbados Hotel &
Tourism Association’s (BHTA) Chefs Cook Off, winning
gold, the title of Chef of the Year and also becoming a
member of the Barbados Culinary Team.
This exposed him to yet another area of the
culinary arts, as he travelled to the United States,
Britain, Brazil and Ireland to compete. A tenure
spanning over nine years, bringing home either
gold or silver medals each time, meant that Creig
and the rest of the team knew what success tasted
like and there is no better feeling than victory. Creig
also had the opportunity to coach on the team,
adding another element to his already extensive
portfolio. Highly respected by the international
chefs, he embraced the exposure and used it to
broaden his network while he continued to hone
his craft.
Creig has also represented Barbados at a
number of food festivals, including Rum & Rhythm
in New York and continues to be a featured chef at
the Food, Wine & Rum Festival, held here annually.
With a destiny greater than the confines of a
commercial kitchen Creig yearned to explore the
world of entrepreneurship and in 2008 he established
CM Catering and positioned himself as Executive Chef.
12 | BIM ROCK | FOOD ROCKs