A Cut Above the Rest: Maria Cash Williams, BTC’s Lead Butcher Shares Her Journey
- NewslineTCI
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
How did a young girl from a small Caribbean Island grow into a skilled butcher and a leader in one of the most cutting-edge hospitality teams in the Turks and Caicos Islands?
This is the remarkable story of a woman who, for over a decade, has mastered her craft in a field traditionally dominated by men—transforming raw cuts into culinary art. With precision and passion, Maria Cash Williams has carved a path of her own as a respected kitchen supervisor in the butcher shop at Beaches Turks and Caicos.
Williams was employed at the leading family resort for more than 18 years. Her journey in the hospitality industry at Beaches Turks and Caicos started in 1995 at the then Royal Bay Resort as a cook. Due to a loss within the family Maria took a hiatus in 2013 to focus on her family and herself.
She rejoined the Beaches team in 2022. “One of my most difficult periods was when I lost my husband and decided to take a break to focus on providing emotional and physical support for the rest of my family. This period gave me a chance to task myself to rise above every obstacle. I’m happy for the continued support that I have received from friends and family,” Maria shared.
When asked what she loves most about her job, according to Maria, “I adore the motivation my profession gives me to improve my skills daily. While I’m passionate about growth, I also enjoy assisting my team members in enhancing their abilities. I also have a profound desire for butchery because it allows me to be creative in how I prepare meat for guests’ consumption,” Maria said.
She also indicated that her passion for the field developed as she managed the butcher shop for more than 10 years.
Maria furthered her education through the Sandals Corporate University (SCU) where she completed a total of 10 certifications including Certified Hospitality Supervisor, Train the Trainer, Safe Surf and Customer Service. Some of the leaders who have had the most profound impact on Maria since she started working at BTC are Collin Watson, former executive chef, for the way he molded her into who she is today and a former manager Caston Carr who also encouraged her to never settle for less as he constantly reminds her that she is capable of achieving anything she puts her mind to.
“The qualities that Mr. Carr embraces and demonstrates as a manager, seeing that from a supervisor’s stand point is what encourages me every day to improve my abilities which shows in the work that I produce. I would say Mr. Carr was a mentor to me, someone I can go to for guidance, and to get clarity on whatever I found to be unclear,” Maria noted.
“She’s an outstanding role model who leads by example and brings her best to work each and every day. Maria is dependable and a committed team player whose passion for the industry helps in creating a healthy working environment,” shared Executive Chef Craig Nazareth.
Lawrence Haye, cook in the banqueting unit added, “the quality of Maria’s work can be seen in everything that she does. She is a mentor to the culinary team in the kitchen and around the resort. She’s approachable and sports a smile at all times. She is truly a gem.”
Maria noted, “my most memorable experience at BTC was meeting my new team members and getting to know their cultural backgrounds, and helping to enhance their present skills.”
She shared that if she wasn’t working as a kitchen supervisor she would be working as a bartender since she started out working at the bar in the early 1980’s.
When asked what she loves to do in her leisure time, Maria highlighted that she enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, listening to music and relaxing with a cold drink while watching her favourite television shows. If she had one day to live she would spend it by giving God thanks and enjoying quality time with her children and grandchildren, whom she loves dearly. Maria describes herself as a bubbly person; someone who is funny, joyous and high spirited.
Maria Cash Williams, a veteran in the hospitality field of butchery, still enjoys what she considers to be her first love.