Government House is on the lookout for a new chef -- someone who has `first class qualification and experience in traditional, nouvelle and gourmet cuisine'.

After all, this person does have to cater to the Governor, his wife and their many distinguished guests.

The Governor's Aide-de-Camp Capt. William White has begun advertising for a new chef as the current chef Jeff Patterson will be leaving in October.

Applicants for this job need to have a high standard of private catering, be able to work on their own preparing different types of gourmet cuisine and cater for large numbers and so on.

"This job demands a chef that can prepare quality foods that are well presented as they represent the Governor and the people of Bermuda. The chef also has to have a wide range of cooking skills with a wide variety of international and local cooking. He or she also has to cater to special dietary needs,'' Capt. White said.

He added: "The Government House chef is on the front line and he also has to make sure the Governor and his wife enjoy their stay in Bermuda.'' Come October Chef Patterson will be moving to South Beach, Miami where he will work for a private residence. "It will be a nice change,'' he said.

Prior to working at Government House Chef Patterson worked in the Newport Room at Southampton Princess. Before coming to Bermuda from London, England he worked at the world-renowned five-star Dorchester Hotel in London where he cooked for VIPs such as singer Michael Jackson and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

"Being the Government House chef is a nice position if you don't mind working single handed. You need good all-around kitchen knowledge. It can sometimes be stressful being the only chef,'' Chef Patterson said.

He added: "I do formal dinner parties for up to 32 people if it is above that I will bring in help. I do cocktail parties for 150, buffet for 100 and the largest function I've done is the Queen's birthday party which usually ends up being around 700 guests. For that particular function we normally get help from Stonington College chef students.'' Chef Patterson said day to day activities are much less stressful as he just cooks for the Governor and his wife.

"You really have to adapt to cooking for a crowd then cooking for two people,'' he said.

Chef Patterson said cooking for Governor Masefield and his wife means being able to whip up basic ethnic African dishes and spicy Asian -- as the Governor spent time in Africa and became accustomed to such dishes.

"That's what they are used to but they still like French and English cuisine.

They also like to have a traditional English breakfast.'' He added that when he is just cooking for the couple he basically has free range to prepare what he wants for breakfast, lunch and dinner but when he is cooking for a function he will prepare a set menu two to three weeks in advance and show it to the Governor's wife for approval. "Ninety-nine percent of the time she will go along with it.

"My first week here I served the Queen, that was good fun,'' Chef Patterson said.

He added: "During her royal visit I prepared beef tenderloin stuffed with stilton cheese. Dessert was a brandy snap basket filled with a butterscotch mousse.'' Chef Patterson has also cooked for the Duke of Edinburgh on numerous occasions, the Archbishop of Canterbury and lots of other British and local dignitaries including members of Parliament and the Police Commissioner.

"Being the Government House chef is a good opportunity to develop yourself because it gives you a chance to experiment with what you can do and different styles of cooking.

"You obviously need to know how to make a variety of different foods and you have to be aware of the Governor's programme for the day because if they have just come back from a cocktail party you don't want to put a big, heavy meal in front of them. In that situation, I would give them a lighter meal,'' he added.

Chef Patterson also said that he tries to utilise much of the fruits, vegetables and herbs grown in the gardens around Government House to enhance his dishes.

Those interested in applying for the job as Government House chef can apply in writing with references to: Captain William White Government House, 11 Langton Hill, Pembroke HM.