Dominica’s Secret Bay and Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort, two beloved Caribbean resorts committed to serving the “Nature Island” during the COVID-19 global pandemic, provided 1,454 meals to Dominica’s healthcare workers through “Koudmen Kitchen” since launching it in early April. ‘Koudmen’ is an homage to the Creole term that translates to ‘helping hand,’ and it served as an important mission as the hotels shifted from catering to overnight guests to feeding Dominica’s frontline healthcare workers.
Led by Grant Lynott, the executive chef of Secret Bay’s acclaimed Zing Zing Restaurant, along with Fort Young chefs Delma Cenac and Minavia Hazel, the initiative was designed to supply COVID-19 frontline workers and healthcare professionals with 50 no-cost meals a day at four locations across the island.
“We are all extremely grateful for our healthcare and frontline COVID-19 workers and their tireless efforts, and it was a joy for our hotel teams to prepare meals as a way to show our appreciation,” said Gregor Nassief, chairman of GEMS Holdings Limited, which operates and manages both Secret Bay and Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort. “I’m immensely proud of our staff at Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort and Secret Bay for using their talents and giving a helping hand to contribute to the community.”
“On behalf of the staff of Prince Margaret Hospital, Dominica China Friendship Hospital, Primary Health Care, and by extension the Ministry of Health, I would like to extend my profound gratitude to the management and staff of Secret Bay Resort and Fort Young Hotel for your tremendous generosity to our staff,” said Dr. Ruby Blanc, Hospital Director. “They provided over 1,400 meals to frontline staff both in Portsmouth and Roseau, and 10 rooms for emergency accommodations at the Fort Young Hotel. These interventions came at a very key point in time when our staff was fully occupied with provision of healthcare during those early dark and uncertain days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Dominica. Their kindness to staff provided much needed physical support and their expressions of gratitude provided motivation to staff.”
Koudmen Kitchen, which began its service on April 3, 2020, would not be possible without special support from Archipelago Trading, which is supplying food inputs, and 100% Green, which is providing biodegradable containers, as well as local farmers and fishermen, and the delivery teams in Roseau and Portsmouth.
In addition to donating meals through Koudmen Kitchen, Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort also donated 210 room nights to members of the healthcare community during the month of April.
Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort and its waterfront dining establishment, The Palisades Restaurant, are further supporting the community and aiding the island’s “stay at home” efforts in response to COVID-19 by offering takeaway, curbside pickup and food delivery every Friday from 11am to 5pm. The versatile menu was created by Secret Bay’s Chef Grant and includes pastas, burgers, pizzas, and more, as well as Happy Hour Specials that can be pre-ordered by 5:00PM on Thursdays. To place an order, call or WhatsApp 285.6377. View the full menu here.
About Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort
Located on the waterfront in Roseau, Dominica’s capital, Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort is the country’s landmark downtown hotel, affording guests unmatched proximity to the “Nature Island’s” vibrant culture, delicious cuisine, exhilarating activities and some of the island’s most prized attractions, like Trafalgar Falls, Middleham Falls, Freshwater Lake, segments of the Waitukubuli National Trail, Champagne Reef and world-renowned diving. Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort offers a luxurious sense of seclusion, fine dining and meeting facilities. www.fortyounghotel.com
About Secret Bay
Secret Bay features a limited collection of freestanding, secluded and sustainably-crafted villas that are immersed in nature and positioned on a breathtaking clifftop promontory overlooking the azure Caribbean Sea. Offering architectural residential-style villas, fine dining (including Zing Zing, a no-menu concept open-air restaurant), wellness facilities (including the treetop Gommier Spa), night and day access to remote beaches, and a wealth of transformational experiences, Secret Bay provides guests with the ultimate six-star hideaway experience. In late 2019, Secret Bay joined Relais & Châteaux, the most prestigious association of luxury hotels and restaurants in the world, becoming the first and only property in Dominica and just one of seven properties in the Caribbean to be affiliated with the elite brand. Secret Bay recently earned Green Global Certification and has received numerous accolades in its eight years in operation, most recently named “Dominica’s Leading Hotel” by World Travel Awards and “2019 Boutique Luxury Hotel of the Year” by Caribbean Journal. www.secretbay.dm
About GEMS Holdings Limited
GEMS is an impact-driven Caribbean-based company dedicated to owning, managing and developing world class, sustainable luxury properties and businesses in the hospitality and tourism markets. The GEMS portfolio includes Fort Young Hotel & Dive Resort, Secret Bay, The Residences at Secret Bay and Tibay Villas. www.gems.dm
