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MONTEGO BAY, St James - "If I could give one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be to get all the skills and education you can" - words from newly minted Executive Chef at Sandals Royal Caribbean, Junior Mowatt.Mowatt's rise to the top of his profession continues to highlight Sandals Resorts' commitment to providing growth opportunities from within for team members with the requisite skill sets to attain senior leadership positions.In his Sandals career Mowatt has prepared meals for heads of state, royalty, celebrities, and prominent business tycoons, and worked at such prestigious events as the World Travel Awards.The younger self he refers to is a young man who started his working career at just 16 years old. He shares that after his father died when he was just eight, going to school consistently was a challenge for his family and therefore he had no choice but to obtain a job.Though a common story for many, Chef Mowatt has strived over the years to beat the odds and to show that there is nothing common about him at all. Starting his journey in the culinary arts as a scullion at Butterflakes Pastries in Montego Bay, Mowatt shared that this was the starting point for the development and structure in not only his career, but also his character.Quickly promoted to the pastry department, he worked the next four years to hone his craft. This helped in him attaining a job at Sea Gardens Beach Resort, also in Montego Bay. There, Mowatt worked as a pastry cook before his skills and determination scored him yet another promotion, this time as pastry chef after just two years.The year 1996 was the golden year for Mowatt when he joined the Sandals Montego Bay Resort team as a pastry cook. "Within a year I was promoted to assistant pastry chef and went on to receive the Most Improved Award in the kitchen department that year," he noted. This was clear indication to anyone who paid close attention that Mowatt was one to watch."I was soon given the opportunity to work in The Bahamas through the Sandals Team Member Exchange Programme, where I got a whole new perspective on what I wanted out of my career and the operational side of things. This helped me to see the bigger picture and to realise I could reach any goal that I had set for myself," Mowatt shared.He thought it was important to note that his training did not stop at his experience in The Bahamas, but that he was also given the opportunity to attain a certificate in chocolate work and pastry art at the George Brown College in Toronto, Canada through Sandals Resorts International. This, according to Mowatt, aided tremendously in building his skill set.Though he had to step away from the company for a few years when he decided to live overseas, Chef Mowatt shared that neither his love for pastry and food, nor for Sandals, ever left. Upon returning to Jamaica he rejoined the team at Sandals Royal Caribbean where he worked as pastry cook, and almost like second nature he gradually worked his way up to senior sous-chef and was later offered the position of executive sous chef back 'home' at Sandals Montego Bay.So as a man for whom excelling is part of his nature, Chef Mowatt has now started his new chapter as executive chef, once again back at Sandals Royal Caribbean - a big achievement for him as this is the highest level in his department in the hotel industry. Many of his team members, both in and out of the kitchen department, shared that this has been a long time coming and that Mowatt is more than deserving of his latest role and assignment."Chef Mowatt has been a beacon at Sandals Montego Bay, an ambitious and determined man, and I can truly say his promotion to executive chef at Sandals Royal Caribbean is well-deserved. I am proud of his resilience. And just as he has excelled here, so will he in his new role," shared his former boss, food and beverage director at Sandals Montego Bay, Nana Chandrasekar.General manager at Sandals Royal Caribbean, Dawn Smith was effusive in her praise for the Sandals veteran. "We are over the moon to have Chef Junior as a part of our team," Smith said. "Of course, he is not a stranger to this resort, but his culinary skills and ability to work with and grow his team is something that will serve our kitchen department well."Smith said she was pleased to see team members of Mowatt's quality continually being elevated to leadership positions within the company's food and beverage industry, as she looks forward to working alongside him in making a difference at the resort.For Mowatt, he looks forward to continuously training young chefs and cooks to reach their greatest potential as he believes it was with the help of those before him that he was able to gain a clear vision of his strengths and how he could maximise on them."It has been a long journey but I give thanks for all the experience and the tough times. [I] simply [want] to say, I love what I do. I have grown a lot, thanks to Sandals. I have had the opportunity to train a lot of team members, and seeing their growth has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job," the chef shared.Even with all his growth and accomplishments, with what his team considers great humility Chef Junior Mowatt still resonates with that little 16-year-old boy - the young man who had a burning desire to change his life, to learn, and to show other young men that they do not have to be defined by their challenges in life.