mistake'', led him to making a lifetime dream a reality.

He and his wife Susan, now Lady Waddington's social secretary and assistant at Government House, have years of experience in many facets of the catering industry.

The 44-year-old Irishman came to the Island in 1989 after being offered a job as manager of Fourways Inn while working for the Wheeler's chain of seafood restaurants in England.

He was general manager of the Soho Wheeler's. And he had previously worked as a chef and headed the banqueting departments of several major hotels, including Trusthouse Forte hotels.

While he was at Fourways, it rose to four-diamond status and branched out further into catering and pastry making.

He felt the Fourways Grill at Windsor Place was ill-fated because of its tucked-away location.

Mr. Le'Strange also had the honour of seeing that one of Fourways Inn's more famous guests, former US president George Bush, enjoyed his meal -- and lived through dessert.

He recalled having to let security officers into the kitchen to check for bombs and inspect all the president's menu choices, while helicopters hovered noisily overhead.

He also had to calm the nerves of staff, who in the end, he said, managed to carry off the task professionally and without a hitch.

But when recession hit and Fourways began to feel it, Mr. Le'Strange's job fell under the ax.

He left his job sadly but determined to remain in the industry he loved. He moved to the Princess Hotel in Pembroke, where he headed the banqueting department for 18 months, until the end of February.

The move was his "biggest mistake'', he says.

It was then that he began thinking seriously of owning his own restaurant. His wife Susan had worked for years in the sales and marketing departments of both the Southampton Princess Hotel and Lantana cottage colony.

And for a brief spell, after taking her real estate exams, she worked for Jones Waddington realtors until she was offered the position at Government House.

The Waterside Inn's head chef is Englishman Mr. Adrian Hornsby, who has worked for several top hotels in Britain. The maitre d' is Mr. Kim Ooi, formerly of Henry VIII.

The manager is Mr. Michael Wilkie, who was head grill chef at Fourways Inn.

And the dining room captains are Mr. Steven Shorter and Mr. Stephen Harney.

The restaurant can seat up to 150 and has a huge adjoining tent adorned with a chandelier for receptions and other functions.

So far it has a staff of 16, of whom three are non-Bermudians. Mr. Le'Strange noted there had been 60 applications for the 16 jobs.

WHAT'LL YOU HAVE? -- Waterside Inn owner Mr. David Le'Strange stands behind his canopied bar, which offers a wide selection of frozen drinks and exotic cocktails.

MAITRE D' Mr. Kim Ooi stands ready to welcome patrons to Waterside Inn.