It can’t get much fresher than being sourced on the farm and then turned into authentic, artisan food in a stand-alone kitchen right there on the ground on which the produce is grown.
And that is exactly what Chef Sara Mair-Doak and farmer Patrick Panton are collaborating to do, elevating Cayman’s produce to tempt the tastebuds while looking after the environment at the same time.
“Patrick and myself are pioneers in our respective fields,” says Sara. “As far as chemicals go, we do not use pesticides and I don’t use preservatives. Patrick is the farmer, and I am the chef.”
SEASONAL INGREDIENTS
Products are inspired by the changing seasonal crops, but the idea has been to expand on Sara’s line of breadfruit tacos and breadfruit chips, which proved to be a hit with consumers in Cayman.
Now the breadfruit taco flavours vary from curried conch, saltfish rundown, and Cayman style beef to smoked spicy pork.
But the offerings are much more than that, with a line of about 30 products that includes dips and spreads such as smoked pumpkin hummus, babaganoush, local tomato salsa, and pisto (vegan pesto).
Then there are the sauces, jams and jellies, which are also tailored to the local palate. The likes of thyme Scotch bonnet peppa jelly, coconut sweet and sour, classic escovitch, and smoked pickled beets are options all likely to be popular in Cayman pantries.
There is also a range of smoked meats, including fish, chicken and sausage.
HOW IT STARTED
A business relationship first developed between Sara and Patrick when she was executive chef at Ortanique, a restaurant that was located in Camana Bay.
Following this, Sara opened a restaurant called Smokies (now closed), when she started making Smokies Bacon, which Patrick sold at the farmers market and delivered to clients.
“When the island went into lockdown (during the COVID pandemic restrictions), the deliveries increased,” says Sara. “From there, our business relationship grew, and one conversation led to another, and we decided to officially partner.”
The produce is grown at Patrick’s 10.5-acre Cayman Farm and Garden, and the pair are calling their venture Smokies Farm Kitchen.
Raw products include tomatoes, beets, carrots, long beans, wings beans, okra, bell peppers, seasoning peppers, herbs. salad and wilting greens, as well as free-range chickens and eggs.
CULINARY BACKGROUND
Originally from Jamaica, Sara has a strong culinary background. “I come from a family of great cooks,” she says. “My grandmothers were amazing but had two different styles; Alice (who was from Turks and Caicos) was more of comfort-food cook, turtle stew and baked mac ‘n’ cheese type of girl. But, Gloria was more of an escargot and filet mignon type of girl.
“Both my mother Barbara Jean and Aunt Bessie are also amazing cooks, so I grew up around amazingly strong women.”
Sara studied the culinary arts at the prestigious Johnson and Wales University in the United States, and was chef at Ortanique’s venue in Florida before moving to its sister restaurant in Cayman.
She has also been a television star, taking part in the Jamaican TV show Mega Mary’s Culinary Journey with Chef Sara Mair, and was in the Top 5 on Bravo’s Top Chef Season 3.
She has also been running Cooking n Tings Consulting, amongst her other escapades in the world of Caribbean cuisine.
But for now, she is concentrating on the venture with Patrick, with plans in the pipeline to expand and include agritourism as well as livestock for in-house use.
It’s an arrangement that Sara finds to be very satisfying. “I am one with where my food comes from.” she says.
*Smokies products can be found at Hamlin Stephenson Farmers Market at the Cricket Grounds on Fridays and Saturdays, or at the Camana Bay Farmers & Artisans Market on Wednesdays. Some products are available at Foster’s supermarket, and there is also a twice-weekly delivery service.
This article appears in the Autumn/Winter 2023 issue of InsideOut magazine, now available at magazine stands around the island.
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