CDK- the new standard in Caribbean Cuisine
By Joyette Mills-Ward
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts- CDK is the newest culinary experience in the downtown Basseterre area. Located in the TDC Mall in space previously occupied by Oasis Bar, it is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of A. U. Brown and Natalie.
SKNVibes.com spoke to Brown, who said that starting the CDK restaurant was an “opportunity which presented itself and not so much an idea which sprung to mind” for himself and his wife. Brown said he was approached when the premises were about to be vacated by the previous lease holder and asked if he would be interested in operating the Bar and Restaurant.
There was no looking back and at the beginning of June 2008, the power couple opened CDK. Brown said the name CDK was a compilation of his children’s first initials, a gesture befitting the significance of his children in his life.
CDK boasts a ‘seasoned’ Head Chef in Jasmine Saddler who has been in the Restaurant and Hospitality sector for over 10 years. Saddler is ably assisted by Rodelle Rawlins and Rochelle Morton, graduates of the Culinary Arts programme of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC). The day to day operations are supervised by Brown’s eldest daughter Chantal, who has one year left to complete the Law program at CFBC.
~~Adz:Right~~ “The restaurant business was something new for me, but I will be trying to create great tasting food and excellent service as hallmarks of the CDK brand. The restaurant specialises in Caribbean food made with quality ingredients, prepared and presented in non-traditional ways to create a line of distinction between CDK food and food bought elsewhere,” Brown articulated.
CDK restaurant is open Mondays to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offers about three or four different dishes prepared specially for each specific day as well as the standard a la carte menu. Presently the restaurant serves only breakfast and lunch, but according to Brown he plans to open in the evenings during the upcoming tourist season.
Brown has owned four different types of businesses within the last 15 years and said he thought it would be a challenge to try out his management skills against the world’s riskiest business ‘restaurants’.
“I say risky because I have seen restaurants go bankrupt in as little as six months,” the businessman stated.
Brown, who started Kyss FM 102.5 radio station in June 2005 said, “Businesses can succeed by being different so I am focused on trying to keep the menu and the activities that take place at CDK extraordinary.”
