One of Grand Cayman’s most beloved restaurants, Calypso Grill, is under the stewardship of a new executive consultant chef.
Emily Scott aims to ensure the restaurant retains its colourful and charismatic Caribbean charm as well as serving great seasonal and sustainable food.
Well-known in Cornwall, a coastal county in the southwest of England, the talented chef has created her own culinary brand Emily Scott Food.
Trained in London and France, she has had two restaurants in Cornwall, authored a couple of cookbooks, and has her own cooking and lifestyle newsletter Shore to Shore on the subscription-based platform Substack.
Emily has also appeared on national UK television with the likes of celebrity chefs Rick Stein and Jamie Martin. And in 2021, Emily had what she calls a career-defining moment when she cooked for royalty and world leaders at the G7 summit held in Cornwall.
She has also been recognised by Michelin since 2016 and has appeared on the popular BBC programme Great British Menu to represent the southwest of the country.
Specialising in fish and shellfish, Emily has always been drawn to the sea, and is enraptured by Calypso’s Grill’s location on the dockside at Morgan’s Harbour.
LESS IS MORE
“I am known for my stripped back ‘less is more’ ethos, with a passion for provenance, seasonality, and cooking from scratch; no faffing, no fussing, just beautiful food,” she says.
Emily’s role at Calypso Grill involves everything from recipe development to brand identity and vision, as well as the everyday workings of the restaurant.
She is joined by head chef Kye Byford, who previously worked at her restaurant in Cornwall, and the rest of the passionate team, including popular long-time general manager Lisa Macaulay.
“We have introduced a new-look menu, taking good ingredients and cooking them simply and beautifully, while retaining the well-loved Calypso Grill classics and all that brings,” says Emily.
CORNWALL CONNECTIONS
She is dividing her time between Cayman and Cornwall – already discovering there are connections between the two places – as well as a new family home in France.
“There are many shared traits with (Cayman and) Cornwall, not least food, music… and our local dialect,” says Emily.
According to legend, a man by the name of Bawden or Bodden from Cornwall was one of the early inhabitants of the Cayman Islands. Some cultural similarities include the Cornish pasty, which is like a patty, heavy cake, and the word ‘areckly’, which is the equivalent of Cayman’s ‘dreckly’ meaning coming soon.
As well as her role at Calypso Grill, Emily will also be popping up at other international events and is currently working on her third cookbook.
“Calypso Grill is a very special place,” she says. “It has such a big heart and a rich history that you can feel. I feel lucky to have Calypso Grill in my life.”
BLOODY MARY GAZPACHO
A Calypso Grill recipe from Emily Scott Food. Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of any good quality vodka
- 2 slices white bread, crust removed
- 3 dashes Tabasco sauce
- 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 good pinch sea salt, flakes
- 1 cucumber, peeled and deseeded
- 2 pounds, 4 ounces red peppers
- 2 pounds, 4 ounces ripe plum tomatoes, seeds removed
GARNISH
- 4 ounces watermelon cut into small cubes
- 6 green olives, quartered
- 1 small handful green basil leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
METHOD
To begin, peel and deseed cucumber, chop and add to a large bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients and leave to soften for one hour.
Blend in batches for two minutes until smooth.
Pass through a chinois with the back of a ladle into a bowl over ice.
Cover the bowl and chill for at least two hours overnight.
Taste and consider, add more seasonings if required.
To serve, ladle the gazpacho into bowls.
Garnish with watermelon, green olives and basil, then drizzle with a little olive oil.
STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING CLUB
Calypso Grill’s most famous dish is undoubtedly the dessert, sticky toffee pudding. In recognition of its popularity, Emily has created the Sticky Toffee Pudding Club. Members of the newsletter club will be the first to hear about special offers, events and news from Calypso Grill. Aficionados of the sweet treat, and fans of the restaurant, can sign up for the club at calypsogrillcayman.com.
This article originally appeared in the summer issue of What’s Hot magazine.
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