If you have had the pleasure of tasting the delicious and beautifully prepared food at Ristorante Primavera, the man responsible for your culinary pleasure is head chef, Ignatius (Iggy) D’Souza, who hails from Bombay, India.

He has been with the business just over a year and says he loves to cook. And cook he does — with energetic delight.

“Every day we plan our menus and determine exciting specials which appeal to the senses,” he says.

Chef D’Souza trained as a chef in Bombay several years ago. He says that he tried many things, such as electronics, then he worked in a restaurant as a waiter but disliked it immensely. By the time he was about 20, he decided to commit to becoming a chef. He enjoyed creating beautiful food and devoted three years of his life to train as a chef and found he had a passion for the culinary arts.

“Cooking gives me great pleasure. I love to see people enjoy their food. I like the food to make a great impression when it is presented to the client. The visual display is important and of course, the taste must satisfy and please,” he says.

Following completion of his training in Bombay, he joined the Carnival Cruise Line and lived well aboard ship. Ports of call such as Puerto Rico, Helsinki, New York, St. Maarten, Jamaica and Cayman Islands became his homes.

“It was an exciting life and St. Maarten was my favourite place. I met and married my lovely Maria and that same year, 1993, I obtained a work permit to Bermuda, such a truly beautiful place. I have been here since then and now we have a small daughter, age 5, Danielle,” he says with a smile.

He says that Bermuda has many friendly people and he loves the atmosphere. He and his family also love the natural beauty and enjoy the beaches.

“When I have time we go on family picnics and we are very fond of Horseshoe Bay,” he says.

Primavera Restaurant is one of Hamilton’s most romantic restaurants, decorated with a soft pink interior complimented by black wrought iron and champagne marble floors. The music plays softly and you feel like you are in a wonderful fantasy. Everything seems peaceful and perfect.

“Our delicious cuisine is a blend of everything. I particularly enjoy cooking the Bermuda fish — Bermuda Rockfish is very nice. We grill the fish and serve it with basmati rice pilaf, asparagus, trumpet mushrooms, lemon grass and ginger sauce in the evening for $ 28.75.

“Another very popular dinner choice is the `Scaloppine Di Vitello Alla Parmigiana’ which is breaded escalopes of veal with Fontina cheese and fresh tomato sauce served with a side of linguini marinara for $24,” he says.

The next time you visit Primavera, located on Hamilton’s Pitts Bay Road, be sure to compliment the chefs for a fabulous lunch or dinner.

Reservations are always recommended for lunch and dinner. From February 21 until the end of the month, patrons will receive a ten percent discount on the bill’s sub total. Please mention this when you make your reservation.