University of The Bahamas (UB) announces the appointment of Mr. J. Desmond Keefe as Executive Director, Culinary Arts and Tourism Studies, Faculty of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies.

Mr. Keefe has over twenty years of experience in the field of Culinary and Hospitality Education. He has focused on professional development and scholarly activity and has extensive experience as a Culinary Educator and Administrator. These have been as a direct result of his expertise in Culinary and Hospitality Education and his commitment to personal and professional excellence as illustrated by published textbooks and other writings and presentations.

Prior to his career in higher education, Mr. Keefe spent over twenty years as an Executive Chef in Boston and the greater New England area, working at such fine establishments as The Bay Tower Room, Top of the Hub and Seaside Restaurant. He has also served as the Executive Food Service Director for the Gloucester Seafood Festival, coordinating business and non-profit organizations in a joint effort to produce the first nationally produced Gloucester Seafood Festival. 

Mr. Keefe is a strong leader, collaborator and organizer. He has been involved with the American Culinary Federation throughout his career as a national board chair, presenter, and evaluator for accreditation visits. He has led an accreditation self-study for his own programme at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA. For many years, he has coached student teams that have competed at regional and national levels in the United States.

Mr. Keefe has a Master of Education Degree with a concentration in Nutrition from Cambridge College and an undergraduate degree from Johnson & Wales University. He is a Certified Culinary Educator (CCE); Certified Executive Chef (CEC); Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE); and a Certified Leadership Instructor, Phi Theta Kappa.