Iconic event differentiates Cayman’s food culture
If the Cayman Islands is the culinary capital of the Caribbean, then the Cayman Cookout is its premier event.
From Thursday through Sunday night, Grand Cayman will be foodie heaven as more than 40 epicurean events take place featuring great food, great wine and some of the biggest names in the culinary world.
The Cayman Cookout is unique for many reasons, not the least of which is the blue Caribbean Sea serving as the backdrop for two demonstration pavilions placed right on Seven Mile Beach. One particular event, however, epitomises what makes the Cayman Cookout different than other food and wine festivals: The Barefoot Beach BBQ.
This is an event that asks attendees to take off their shoes and enjoy some of the best Cayman has to offer while at the same time giving them face-to-face access to three extraordinary culinary personalities.
Tami Corday, director of meetings and special events at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman said the Beach BBQ highlighted one of Cayman’s best settings – Seven Mile Beach. This year, the beach barbecue takes place just down the road at Tiki Beach, where the site layout will allow for a more comfortable experience, complete with a variety of food and beverage stations, a band and dancing.
“Caribbean music will imbue the air as Los Tropicanos play ocean front and Tiki Beach provides an authentically tropic-inspired setting,” Mrs. Corday said.
In addition to two food stations manned by Ritz-Carlton chefs under the direction of Executive Chef Frederic Morineau, there will be two grill stations manned by the celebrity chefs.
Chef Eric Ripert with team will team up with Chef Anthony Bourdain at one station, with Chef Ripert preparing Grilled Prime Beef ‘Tomahawk’ with yucca fries and Chef Bourdain serving up Niman Ranch Pork Shoulder with arugula and fennel salad.
At the other grill station, celebrity Chef José Andrés will partner with Scott Popovic, the corporate chef for Certified Angus Beef, the event’s sponsor. Chef Andrés will create Bagels and Lox Cones with dill cream cheese and marinated salmon roe while Chef Popovic serves Grilled Certified Angus Beef Prime Strip Steak with Thai red pepper custard, smoked corn fumet and micro cumin.
Mrs. Corday said having that kind of culinary talent cook at one event is rare.
“It’s a pretty extraordinary occasion when you can experience a meal cooked by Ripert, Andres and Bourdain all at once,” she said, adding this is the kind of experience that could make it onto someone’s ‘bucket list’.
“They will be manning the grills and serving up a feast,” she said. “Guests can expect that this trio’s long-standing friendship and history will set the stage for an evening full of fun antics.”
After dinner, guests can visit one of the two dessert/cheese stations.
Of course, there will be fabulous beverages e available as well, with Bombay gin and Patron tequila both having stations.
The Patron station will likely be very popular as it serves up two special cocktails for the event – The Offshore Loan and the Tropic Garden Fizz – as a well as Patron popsicles, a perfect treat for the beach.
Mrs. Corday said the beach barbecue celebrates food and wine with a barefoot elegance only the Cayman Islands can deliver.
“Here, guests can literally kick off their shoes, hear the waves crashing just steps away, and have the opportunity to interact – even have a cocktail – with their culinary icons,” she said. “The intimacy of Cayman Cookout events is truly what makes it stand out above the rest.”
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