SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA – November 2019: Valerio Pachetti has been named Executive Chef at St. Lucia’s most iconic resort properties, Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet, where he will be responsible for overseeing daily food & beverage operations, menu conceptualization, managing back-of-house operations, and implementing new culinary programming.
Chef Pachetti hails from Colombia, born to an Italian father and a German mother, and credits his parents with instilling his appreciation of great food from a variety of cultures. Pachetti brings more than a decade of industry experience to the resort’s talented culinary team. After completing his culinary education in Rome, Pachetti helmed kitchens in Michelin star restaurants and five-star luxury resorts across the globe, from Italy, Brazil, and Colombia to Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, United Arab Emirates and Thailand. Most recently, Pachetti was Executive Chef of two five-star properties in Phuket, Aleenta Resort & Spa and Akyra Beach Resort. He speaks six languages – Italian, Spanish, English, French, Portuguese, and Vietnamese/Bahasa – and is currently studying others. When he’s not in the kitchen, Pachetti practices yoga and showcases his deep respect for nature in his culinary philosophies.
“I love the farm-to-fork concept at Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet,” said Pachetti. “At our (on-site) Emerald’s farm, nature gives us so many amazing ingredients to work with, which allows us to create menus that are really sustainable. With sustainability being one of the biggest growing trends in both the culinary and travel industries, we’ve been dreaming up innovative creations using our local resources to help transform the way guests think about eating while on vacation.”
Chef Pachetti joins the resorts’ James Beard Award-winning Consulting Chef, Allen Susser, who oversees menu conceptualization and culinary special events, such as Jade Mountain’s annual Mango Festival and Discover Chocolate Festival. This year, Anse Chastanet converted its Emeralds restaurant into an entirely vegan eatery; the resort also regularly invites guest vegan chefs to participate in on-property culinary events. Recently, Jade Mountain debuted a dedicated Wellness Guru who helps guests determine their Ayurvedic body type and recommends customized menus and spa treatments. Chef Pachetti also has experience in Ayurvedic cuisine, which is something else he plans to leverage in culinary planning for 2020.
