NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Beautifully decorated to mimic an Oscar Awards ceremony, The Grand Ballroom at Sandals Royal Bahamian was the scene of the resort's Annual Prestige Awards. More than 150 team members waited with bated breaths to see who would walk away with the evening's most coveted title, the Diamond Team Member of the Year.

This award is issued to the team member who is deemed the most outstanding within a particular year.

You could hear a pin drop, moments before Naphteria Bridgewater's name dominated the sound system in the room. It was the 39-year-old sous chef who became the recipient of the prestigious award. 

Fighting through the tears and utter shock, the Bahamian native made an emphatic statement, "hard work pays off!" And it does. The mother of three shared that she has been ardently applying herself to her assignments within the company since she was 19 years old.  

"I was a teen mom and after giving birth to my son, I knew I had to get a job so I could take care of him. At the time, I had a cousin working at Sandals and she told me they were hiring for the kitchen. I always loved cooking but I did not have the required certification," she said.

"So I came in and was given the chance to work as a banqueting waitress. Every chance I got, I would wander off to the kitchen to observe the cooks and chefs. I remember one day, the then head chef, Eddie Johnson asked if I wanted to leave banqueting and come over to the kitchen and I did not hesitate," she added.

In just six months of working at Sandals, Bridgewater had already made a big move. She started in the pantry where she learned to make salads from scratch and where she mastered the art of proper presentations. She shared that this formed part of the chef's growth strategy for her.

"He was very intentional about my development. He knew exactly why he had me working in certain areas. He wanted to ensure that I learnt everything from the basic things to the more complex things. He took me under his wings and he trained me," Bridgewater shared.

She stated that she was given the chance to work in every restaurant on the resort but it was her time in the kitchen at the Royal Café, now Calico Café that changed the game for her.

"My chefs discovered that my strength was on the grill. I was a grill guru, a meat master," she said between chuckles. At the time I was the only female working the grill because for some reason the men were usually the ones to master that part," she added.

Bridgewater continued to work hard over the years moving from an entry level cook to more senior roles in the kitchen.

Following the pandemic, Bridgewater was offered the role of chef de partie for Butch's Chop House because of her many years of experience.

A chef de partie is a kitchen leader responsible for specific cuisines. With the Chop House being the restaurant for steak lovers, Bridgewater's grill mastery came in extremely handy but she was a tad bit daunted by what she saw as a mammoth task.

She credits Chef Tommy Reckley for helping her to adroitly matriculate into the role.

"Now that I was venturing into a leadership role, a little fright crept in but Chef Tommy who was one of my mentors worked with me and coached me so I could transition into that capacity smoothly," she explained.

She accepted the role and continued to excel. Guests often rave about the steak in Butch's commenting that it is the best they've had. 

While in her capacity as chef de partie, another opportunity came knocking. She was home one day when she received a call from Executive Chef Colin Watson informing her that she's being considered for a more senior role which was that of a sous chef.

"I could not believe it! I was so shocked but also over the moon. My chef saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself. But I told myself that I'm going to take it on and I am going to shine brightly," she shared.

Since then, Bridgewater has not slowed down, she has been executing her duties with pride and passion, racking up some of the highest scores in the resort.

"Nephy is a rock star! She's very consistent, a solid chef who is very good with her team. She puts herself forward for opportunities to develop her craft. What I admire about her is how she goes out of her way to recognize her staff for their hard work so I am truly delighted that she has also been recognized for all she does. She deserves it and I couldn't be more proud," shared Chef Watson.

She is also an all-rounder who makes the time to participate in the resort's community outreach initiatives, giving back to the children and to the needy.

She expressed that her latest and biggest accolade has inspired her to work even harder but she is more delighted that she has managed to make her children proud.

"One of the biggest things for me is how proud I've made my children. My son said, 'mommy, I want to be just like you'", she said. "He's in college right now pursing culinary arts and this award has lit a bigger fire in his heart. I love that this did not just inspire me but my children as well," she added.

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