Zeavola Tales June 2010 : Zeavola Welcomes Chef Tony
Gifts really do come from the sea! In November 2009, Chef Tony Wrigley made his way from the busy main island of Phuket to the serene, sunny shores of Zeavola Resort to become our new Executive Chef. In his new role, Tony is responsible for both restaurants: Taccada, our Western-style beach restaurant and Baxil, our breakfast and Thai dinner restaurant. Tony was born and raised in Manchester in the North West of England. He gained his passion for food from his mother whom he enjoyed helping in the kitchen when he was a young boy. "I grew up in a large family and my love of cooking came from the big family meals that we shared together, prepared by my mother who was a wonderful cook and the biggest inspiration in my life. We grew vegetables in our garden, so I grew up appreciating the flavors of the freshest foods."
Tony attended Tameside Catering College where his natural talent was quickly recognized, earning him "Student of the Year" in 1990. He soon relocated to Chester, in the North West of England, working for the highly-acclaimed Brunning and Price group of ‘gastropubs'. Later, moving back to Manchester, Chef Tony worked briefly at the critically-acclaimed Restaurant Bar and Grill before successfully opening its sister restaurant in Alderly Edge.
Swapping the rain of Manchester for the Spanish sunshine, Chef Tony moved to Marbella in the south of Spain, where he spent 3 years as Head Chef of Liquid Lounge and later as Executive Chef of 3 units as the company expanded. Tony's last 2 years in Spain were spent as the Personal Chef for a single family, travelling to Switzerland, the South of France, and various locales in Spain, often cooking on the family's yacht.
Tony arrived in Thailand in September 2008, beginning his Thai adventure at Rockfish in Kamala. While having an excellent grasp of Thai cuisine, Tony's cooking style can best be described as modern European with influences from North Africa, Asia and Spain.
Please join us in welcoming Chef Tony to Zeavola and treat yourself to a delicious gift from the sea!
