A Local’s Guide to Cayman Cookout
Cayman Cookout 2020’s Headline Chefs & Beverage Experts
I have attended Cayman Cookout as a local food blogger for the past three years alongside the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman and I feel pretty confident in saying that I have a good grasp on how it all works. This year in particular I noticed that tourists and residents would ask me what events they should attend based on a multitude of factors, such as the best “bang for their buck” or how to get a photo with a celebrity chef. This inspired me to put a spin on my annual Cayman Cookout blog. Instead of pricing everything out (as seen in my 2018 and 2019 posts) I wanted to use the knowledge I’ve gained over the past three years and highlight this year’s events to create a guide that will help you plan your ideal Cayman Cookout. The only thing I need for you is to be honest when you ask yourself if you a Groupie hoping to snag a picture with lots of celebs, an Epicurean searching for only the best dining experiences, a Party-Goer on the hunt for all things boozy, a Locavore exploring all that Cayman has to offer or like me… all of the above. You’ll have to keep reading to find out…
The Groupies
Obviously the main draw and reason why Cayman Cookout is so successful is the caliber of chefs and beverage experts that they bring to the island every year. It’s completely normal, and expected, that as a fan you would want to ask a question, have a chat or take a photo with them. Now, you may be able to get a picture with a chef, mixologist or sommelier at an event they’re a part of, but I want to tell you about the three events that will give you the best opportunity to meet, eat and drink with a lot of them at once - Barefoot BBQ, The Beach Bash and Ripert & Pétanque. Both Barefoot BBQ and The Beach Bash each have their own unique vibe and the reason they cost so much is due to the amount of food, drinks and star power. Barefoot BBQ is a massive beach party with curated cocktails, dancing, fireworks and fire-based chef’s dishes that range from delicate seafood to smoky tomahawks. The Beach Bash on the other hand is a more intimate daytime event with refreshing cocktails, free flowing Moët Ice Imperial and the chef’s innovative beach-worthy bites. The chefs at both events have their own stations and are more accessible for photos and conversations because they have an entire team working alongside them. I should note that if you want to have more time with Chef Eric Ripert and other chefs at The Beach Bash you should opt for the catamaran as it leaves the Ritz-Carlton earlier so they can make a pit stop at his favourite site in Cayman, Stingray City.
Then there’s Ripert & Pétanque, an event that literally transports you to France thanks to the French music, French-inspired small plates, French wine/cocktails and a lot of French chefs. It is the only event in the lineup where you will see the chefs unwind and bring their competitive spirit outside of the kitchen. As I’ve watched this event evolve over the past few years, I would say nowadays guests are paying moreso to watch the chefs compete, but there have always been a handful of guests who have joined a chef’s team because they arrived early enough. So who knows, you could be playing alongside, against or simply cheering on the sidelines for your favourite chef.
The Beach Bash 2019 with Chef Thomas Tennant of Tomfoodery Kitchen & Chef Nancy Silverton of Osteria Mozza
Kathryn Proctor and I snagged a photo with Chef Pano Karatassos after his Mediterrean Meets Caribbean lunch
Barefoot BBQ with Chef Frederic Morineau of the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman and Chef Dean Max of DJM Restaurants
Team ‘Bisou Bisou’ at Pétanque (L-R: Chef Philippe Haddad, Benjamin Bragard & Chef Bernard Guillas)
The Epicureans
If your ultimate desire at Cayman Cookout is to try a dish or enjoy a meal by a chef that you admire then there are two options; attend their culinary demonstration or multi-coursed lunch. If you are looking to save a few bucks then I’d suggest attending their culinary demo, an event I was unsure of initially but now really enjoy. For only being an hour-long culinary demos actually have quite a lot going on. Not only will you watch a chef cook one or two dishes, but you’ll have your questions answered throughout, enjoy a sample of their demo dish, sip on a cocktail and have the chance to get a photo afterwards. This year’s culinary demos included our regular faves, the rambunctious Chef Jose Andrés with his paella and the inspiring Chef Dominique Crenn who always showcases challenging French techniques (hello potato soufflé!). I really enjoyed getting to watch Cayman Cookout first-timers Chef Clare Smyth of Core , as she was hilarious throughout her demo while making one of her favourite go-to dishes, and also the pleasant Chef Laëtitia Rouabah who served us Benoit New York’s popular summer dish, a beignet style crab cake with a corn velouté. If you want the full experience then you’ll need to spend a bit more moolah, and book a lunch. All of the headline chefs host one lunch over the weekend, which consist of 4+ courses with wine pairings. I was lucky enough to enjoy two incredible lunches this year where I learned something new. Chef Pano Karatassos of Kyma hosted a Mediterranean Meets Caribbean meal that was unique and expanded my knowledge of Greek cuisine and wines, whereas Chef Thomas Seifried of Blue by Eric Ripert prepared an exquisite and delicate Caviar Lunch featuring the renowned Paramount Caviar in each course. And if you really want to go all out then you’ll have to attend The Grand Gala, a one-of-a-kind evening featuring 10 courses, one from each of the headline chefs with top-notch wine pairings. Miraculously I attended this event in 2018 (thanks for the tickets Jerome!) and I loved that it was extravagant, fun and memorable, but it will run you about US$1000 to be fair. Still unsure of which one to choose? I personally feel that when you attend a culinary demonstration you get a chance to understand the chef as a person, while the lunches (and gala dinner!) will help you understand the chef on a plate.
Trio of Paramount Caviar from Chef Thomas Seifried of Blue by Eric Ripert for the Caviar Lunch
Chef Thomas Seifried’s Nantucket Bay Scallops with Yuzu Vinaigrette and Imperial Hybrid Caviar from the Caviar Lunch
Chef Pano Karatassos’ Calamari “Pasta” from his Mediterranean Meets Caribbean lunch
Desserts from Chef Pano Karatassos Mediterranean Meets Caribbean lunch: Galaktoboureko with Bluberry Sorbet, Loukamades with Cayman Honey & Baklava with pistachio ice cream
Red wine braised pork cheek paella from Chef José Andrés’ demo
Culinary demo with the talented Laëtitia Rouabah of Benoit New York
Chef Clare Smyth of Core taught us how to make her Charred Chilli Chicken with Jasmine Rice
The Party-Goers
If boozy events are your preference and you want something more than a beverage tasting, then add these events to your list: Jacques Scott Wine Fair & Auction, World Class Takeover, Rosé It Out, Bon Vivant Chef Competition Brunch and Rum & Robusto. The Jacques Scott Wine Fair & Auction is a must-do for wine lovers because you’ll enjoy unlimited access to 8-10 wines, live music, small plates from a dozen talented U.S. based Ritz-Carlton chefs and a silent auction where the funds raised go to a local charity and the Ritz-Carlton’s culinary scholarship. Immediately after the Wine Fair & Auction you can head to the World Class Takeover where four World Class mixologists, including the likes of Charles Joly and our very own Amba Lamb, literally takeover the Silver Palm Lounge and sling tasty cocktail creations. Buy drink tickets on-site for this pulsing cash bar where guests mingle, dance to tunes by a popular DJ and will likely see a headline chef or mixologist around. On Saturday night head to Rosé It Out, an after party hosted by Moët & Chandon where guests flock to a decked out Harbour Club Pool to party the night away with a glass of bubbles in hand. The organisers of this event always do something unique, typically involving local models, and this year they had them dressed in digital eyewear and cage skirts filled with flutes of Moët. There’s no rest for the wicked because the final day of Cayman Cookout is all about day drinking and the (late) morning event kicks off with the Bon Vivant Chef Competition Brunch. The epicentre of this event is the head-to-head competition between two chefs on stage as celebrity judges, including Chef Emeril Lagasse, Chef Eric Ripert and Chef Andrew Zimmern, choose their favourite locally inspired dish. It is the most luxurious brunch you’ll attend in Cayman with unlimited Moët & Chandon, a vast spread from the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman’s kitchen, a selection of Paramount Caviar and a handful of pop-up stations by visiting chefs, including Chef Bernard Guillas’ famous raw bar ice castle. To round out the final evening of Cayman Cookout a lot of residents on island love to attend Rum & Robusto. It’s popularity grows every year because it offers guests so much at a such a great price; a buzzing happy hour vibe, freshly rolled cigars, creative rum cocktails and nibbles from local chefs and restaurants including Steak Social and Tia’s Table.
Cocktails from the World Class Takeover in 2019
Model Ela Turcotte with her Moët adorned skirt at Rosé It Out
Photo Credit: Forbes.com
Chef Bernard Guillas’ ice castle raw bar at the Bon Vivant Chef Competition Brunch
Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman mixologist Adam Slobodian poured Wray & Nephew cocktails at Rum & Robusto
Rum & Robusto at Harbour Club Pool
Cayman Cigar Co. rolled fresh cigars at Rum & Robusto
The Locavores
Cayman Cookout is literally an epicurean’s paradise, but what also makes this massive culinary weekend on our small island so incredible is our food scene and sites. If you want to take part in an event that shows you what Grand Cayman has to offer then you should consider hopping aboard the catamaran for The Beach Bash and visit Stingray City, wake up early for Yoga & Krug to see Seven Mile Beach at it’s quietest, join the Botanical Garden Adventure that tours our Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Park or watch one of our epic sunsets as you cruise along Seven Mile Beach with Sippin’ While Sunset Sailing. Now if you’re looking for a true taste of what Cayman’s food scene has to offer then you need to attend Flavours of Cayman hosted by Chef Andrew Zimmern. Chef Zimmern is a fantastic host because of his culinary knowledge and worldly insight, so when he visits each of the local chefs and vendors he understands their vision and really appreciates what we are doing here. The food this year was absolutely delicious and we were all particularly impressed with Chef Jolene Nelson’s Vegan Walnut & Mushroom Bolognese, Chef Thomas Tennant’s Cayman-Style Lionfish, Blue Cilantro’s Lamb Kebab, Chef Dylan Benoit of The Bird’s Cayman-Hot Chicken and Chef Sara Mair-Doak’s Cayman-Style Goat. These chefs are just some of our well-known talent on island, and I think it’s great that this event exists to push them creatively while using ingredients found within our region and locally.
Cayman Cookout’s morning Yoga & Krug event on Seven Mile Beach
Chef Jolene Nelson’s Vegan Oyster Mushroom & Walnut Bolognese with a Japanese Eggplant ‘Scallop’ at Flavours of Cayman
Chef Thomas Tennant’s Cayman Style Lionfish with a Coco Flatbread at Flavours of Cayman
Chef Sara Mair-Doak’s Cayman Style Goat with Breadfruit Gnocchi and a Callaloo Sauce at Flavours of Cayman
With over 70 events to choose from at Cayman Cookout, the possibilities to planning your experience are endless. I have to give a shoutout to the Cayman Cookout, Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman and Cayman Island’s Department of Tourism teams who pull this off every year, especially in 2020 when Chef Eric Ripert was unable to attend. A very special thank you to the Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman (and their RC Experiences branch) for trusting me to attend, represent and promote this event and the Cayman Islands as a local food blogger. Know that I literally call this my “Christmas” and start counting down the days every year when it ends.
My last question for readers is have you decided what category you fall into? Post it in the comments and let me know. If you need any more information on the Cayman Cookout events listed on here, or not, I am happy to be your local guide to Cayman Cookout.
Much Love,
Chelsea