Recipe: Chef Ron Duprat’s Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables

Before Chef Ron Duprat headlines a pop-up dinner and hands-on cooking school at Divi Southwinds during the 2026 Barbados Food & Rum Festival (November 5–8), he shared one of his go-to dishes with us: a roast chicken with root vegetables that’s equal parts technique and comfort. It’s the kind of recipe that shows exactly what he means when he talks about food rooted in memory as much as skill — simple ingredients, done with real precision. Want to meet him in person? Read more about his residency at Divi Southwinds and the full festival-week lineup.

Yield: 4 portions (¼ roasted chicken + approximately 250 g roasted root vegetables per guest)

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, 4–4½ lb (1.8–2.0 kg)
• 25 g kosher salt
• 5 g black pepper, freshly ground
• 6 garlic cloves, smashed (18 g), divided
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme (5 g), divided
• 2 leeks, trimmed (300 g)
• 3 rutabagas, peeled (600 g)
• 2 turnips, peeled (300 g)
• 4 carrots, peeled (300 g)
• 1 yellow onion (150 g)
• 8 red-skinned potatoes (400 g)
• 80 g canola oil, divided
• 56 g unsalted butter, room temperature

Instructions

1. Prep the Chicken: Remove the chicken from refrigeration 1½–2 hours before cooking to let it temper. Remove the neck and giblets, and remove the wishbone for easier carving later. Season the cavity generously with salt and pepper, then add 3 garlic cloves and 5 thyme sprigs, massaging to distribute the aromatics. Truss the chicken securely.
2. Prep the Vegetables: Trim the leeks, removing the dark-green leaves and tough outer layers, then slit lengthwise and wash thoroughly to remove any grit. Peel the rutabagas and turnips and cut into roughly ¾-inch wedges. Cut the carrots in half, quarter the onion (keeping the root end intact so it holds together), and leave the potatoes whole if they’re a reasonable size. Toss all the vegetables with the remaining garlic and thyme, about 60 g of the canola oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Assemble: Arrange the vegetables in a large cast-iron skillet or roasting pan, leaving space in the center for the chicken. Rub the chicken with the remaining oil and season the exterior generously with salt and pepper. Set the chicken breast-side up in the center of the vegetables, then divide the butter into a few pieces and dot it over the breast.
4. Roast: Preheat the oven to 475°F (246°C). Roast the chicken and vegetables at this temperature for 25 minutes, then reduce the oven to 400°F (204°C) and continue roasting for about 45 minutes more, until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature in its thickest portions. Verify with a calibrated thermometer in the thigh and at the breast/thigh junction, rather than relying on visual cues like clear juices.
5. Rest & Finish the Vegetables: Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest on a carving board for 20 minutes. While it rests, set the roasting pan over medium heat and turn the vegetables through the accumulated pan juices and glaze until hot and glossy again.
6. Carve & Plate: Carve the chicken into four portions. Arrange about 250 g of the roasted vegetables in the center of each warm plate, then place a portion of chicken over or alongside them, positioning the breast and thigh attractively. Spoon a little of the natural pan juices over the top and finish with fresh thyme leaves or a small sprig.

Good to know: as written, this recipe is gluten-free and contains no nuts, eggs, soy, or shellfish — the only allergen is dairy, from the butter. And per Chef Duprat’s own standard: always confirm doneness with a calibrated thermometer rather than judging by eye.