Lawrence Godinho was in the middle of a bachelor’s programme in computer science when his older brother Francky won Dubai Chef of the Year — twice.

Then another brother also won accolades for cooking in New Zealand.

Mr Godinho was so inspired that as soon as he finished his computer degree, he went back to school to get a diploma in culinary arts.

“Looking back at those days, I was proud of my family's achievements,” he said.

His brothers made it clear that cooking ran in their blood. Although Mr Godinho still believes computer skills are essential, he has never regretted changing course.

“I never felt this is the wrong place for me,” Mr Godinho said. “I kept on moving and climbing.”

Sixteen years later, he is executive chef at The Loren Hotel in Smith’s.

“I am responsible for all the menus on the hotel property,” he said. “I am the guiding force for the culinary team over here.”

Leading a staff of 25, one of his biggest challenges is making sure that all the chefs he works with are all at the same high standard.

When The Royal Gazette caught up with him, he was preparing for their “Palate to Palette” dinner on Friday, pairing masterpiece works of art with an eight-course tasting menu.

The Loren is working with Holly Mazar-Fox, of Mazar-Fox Art Consulting, to create the special dinner.

The exact artistic masterpieces and menu pairings are still a well-guarded secret.

Mr Godinho’s intention for the evening is to bring food and art together.

“It is going to be very fascinating to see the art and the food on the plate,” he said. “It will be paired very well. It is going to be exciting.”

This project involved a lot of research.

“The visual is important, but I also had to look at what the artist wanted to showcase in his painting,” Mr Godinho said.

He also looked for deeper connections. One pairing involves a chef and an artist who both died young, leaving behind famous work. This is the first time he has done a dinner quite like this one, but was confident it would be a success.

“When you are very passionate, you can achieve at a faster rate,” he said. “Even sorrow becomes joy when you are very passionate about doing something.”

Cooking is a matter of family pride for the Godinhos. When Mr Godinho goes home to Goa, India, everyone gets together to cook up a storm. However, because he cooks so much while working in Bermuda, he also enjoys just letting his parents cook traditional dishes for him.

Goa is a state on the southwestern coast of India within the Konkan region. It has 99 miles of coast on its western side, bordering the Arabian Sea. As a result, it has a strong seafood culinary culture.

“We don’t freeze lot of fish,” Mr Godinho said. “We don’t need to. Fresh fish arrives at our home on a daily basis.”

He also enjoys cooking European cuisine, and is well versed in Mediterranean, American and Asian food.

“I have a blend of everything within me,” Mr Godinho said.

Over the course of his career he has been mentored by chefs from many different countries.

He started out in 2009 working in India. Later, he practised his craft at Atlantis, The Palm, one of the biggest resorts in Dubai. From there it was on to the Maldives. There, he followed in his brothers’ footsteps, taking part in several cooking competitions.

“In 2012, for the first time, I participated in the live cooking competition category organised by Hotel Asia in Maldives,” he said. “I achieved silver medal, bronze medal, and an excellence certificate. Everything was made from scratch. I had to prepare three dishes in one hour.”

Mr Godinho did not enter the competition solely to win.

“I went to build confidence in myself,” he said. “That was the main criteria. Everything I do, I do passionately, and I want to achieve success.”

After the competition, a friend and former colleague notified him that there was an opportunity for him in Bermuda. Mr Godinho took him up on his offer.

“The friend has since moved from Bermuda to Canada,” he said. “Meanwhile, I am still here 12 years later. It is connections like that that support you and help you to grow.”

When he first came he never imagined he would still be here all these years later, but he loves The Loren’s environmentally friendly ethos.

“As chefs we have an obligation to protect the island,” he said. “We need to source food responsibly, taking into consideration the sustainability of the island.”

He finds working with local fishermen and farmers to be satisfying.

“These are my people,” he said. “I grew up on a farm.”

He said sourcing food locally helps to reduce carbon emissions, because less food has to be shipped here from overseas.

The executive chef is particularly proud of having lionfish on the menu at The Loren, an invasive species in Bermuda waters.

“When we put lionfish on the table, we are protecting the planet,” he said. “We are working towards ocean conservation, while feeding our guests.”

Before serving lionfish for the first time, he learnt all he could about it.

“I could not direct a staff in what to do with it without understanding it myself,” he said.

“I would like to call upon every Bermudian and visitor to visit the Loren Hotel for its scenic beauty and linger to cherish our cuisine, which is grounded on the pillars of local, seasonal and sustainability.”

• From Palette to Palate will be held on Friday at 7pm at Maree Restaurant at The Loren Hotel in Smith’s. Tickets, available onwww.ptix.bm are $245 plus gratuities and include a wine and cocktail pairing. Seating is limited