World-famous chefs have been arriving all week for the 17th Cayman Cookout food and beverage festival, which officially starts on Wednesday, 14 Jan.
Thousands of people are expected to attend the five-day festival which contains a packed schedule of more than 70 events including wine tastings, cooking demos, cocktail classes and the famous Barefoot BBQ on Seven Mile Beach.
Chefs taking part in the festival include E.J. Lagasse, Daniela Soto-Ines, Elena Reygadas, Christophe Bellanca, Ming Tsai, Gavin Kaysen and Orlando Soto as well as many local chefs.
Anniversary celebration
Derek Kokinda, director of marketing for The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, which hosts the event, said that this year would be even more memorable than usual.
“At the Grand Finale dinner on Sunday evening we will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Ritz-Carlton as well as Cayman Cookout, which makes it particularly special,” he said.
The events, many of which are already sold out, take place across Grand Cayman including Saturday’s Beach Bash at Rum Point and a ‘Kayaks and Cocktails’ adventure through mangrove swamps.
This year, said Kokinda, the focus would be expanded to include more drink-related events alongside the culinary creations, including Italian cocktails, bourbon, wine and rum tastings. There are also several fusion events that blend different nation’s cuisines including French, Japanese and Italian dishes.
Meals on Wheels
While the event focuses on fine dining and world-class drinks, the first event for the Cayman Cookout chefs will have a more practical theme when the chefs team up to prepare and package 170 meals for Meals on Wheels to be distributed to seniors across the island.
Jennifer West, general manager of Meals on Wheels, said that while the meals might be different from the ones the chefs would be preparing throughout the festival, it really made a difference.
“It’s pretty small for them in terms of what they’re cooking but they’re making a huge difference to our seniors,” she said. “For the last 12 years, the Ritz has supplied all our meals on the last Monday of every month which has had a huge impact on Meals on Wheels both financially and by giving our volunteers a break. Our seniors know when it’s Ritz Monday!”
West said that chefs will be preparing balanced meals of soup followed by Cayman-style beef or fish with rice, beans and vegetables and some might take part in delivering them to the recipients. “It’s something which the chefs have done every year and it’s really appreciated,” she said.
Kokinda said, “From kitchen to community, it’s a powerful reminder that food can feed both body and spirit.”
Related Videos
