Cayman is rapidly gaining a reputation as the culinary capital of the Caribbean, and rightly so - the quality and diversity of the restaurants and the immaculate five-star service puts many more celebrated destinations to shame.
Culinary Month, which takes place in January, celebrates this high standard of epicurean delight. This year the event kicked off with the Caribbean Food and Art Dinner at Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. This fun-filled event married local flavours with local art.
Cayman Cookout, with Chef Eric Ripert, consisted of a dazzling line-up of events as guests enjoyed a weekend of food, wine and the beauty of the Caribbean, in the stunning surrounds of The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. A host of world-famous chefs, sommeliers and spirit blenders offered tastings, demonstrations, tours and dinners.
The Lionfish Hunt and Cookout, hosted by Divetech and Cobalt Coast Dive Resort, was a new event in the Culinary Month calendar – this unique event drew large crowds!
The Taste of Cayman is now in its 24th year. The Cayman Islands’ annual national food festival has continued to evolve with this year’s event attracting more than 4000 people. Held in the relaxed ambience of Camana Bay, attendees tasted the best cuisine the island has to offer as local restaurants competed for the title of Cayman’s Favourite Restaurant.
With so many mouthwatering events, Culinary Month promises to be a gastronomic delight for Cayman.
Cayman Cookout
This four-day food and wine festival is a partnership between The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism and Food & Wine magazine. Centered at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, the Cookout also includes events at several of Grand Cayman’s top restaurants and even on the beach and in the water. Celebrity Chef Eric Ripert is joined by some of the biggest names in food and wine for cooking demos, wine tastings and great meals at the Caribbean’s premier epicurean event.
Caribbean Food and Art Festival at Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort
Visual art and food came together at the Caribbean Food and Art Festival at Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort. This event featured the colourful abstract paintings of Cayman’s own Al Ebanks, combined with a series of canapés and small bites with a Caribbean flair that were created to complement the artwork. Held on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, this event helped open the 2011 Cayman Culinary Month with artistic style.
Lionfish Hunt and Cookout
Another attraction in the Cayman Islands – scuba diving – was given a culinary twist in this unique event aimed at raising awareness of the threat posed to Cayman’s marine ecosystem by the invasive and voracious lionfish. Participants received an educational briefing about lionfish by Divetech at Cobalt Coast before heading out on a dive to try and catch the elusive, but delicious, pests. A cooking demonstration followed, along with tasty lionfish dishes paired with wine.
Taste of Sparkling Elusion
This exclusive Taste of Cayman pre-event took guests aboard a private luxury yacht for a two-hour cruise through the beautiful waters of North Sound. Delicious light snacks and unlimited sparkling wine were served as the sunset slowly over the western horizon. The yacht returned to the Camana Bay dock just in time for the start of Taste of Cayman, with admission to that included in the price.
Breezes by the Bay Rum-filled Adventure
There was a popular ingredient showcased at the events during the Culinary Month 2011 and Breezes by the Bay, on George Town Harbour, carried through the theme by highlighting an ingredient well known in the Caribbean – rum. From the beverage side, the event featured the classic mojito, the popular Cuban drink of rum, lime juice, mint leaves and sugar. Continuing with the rum theme, foods served included rum-glazed ribs, ginger and rum-glazed shrimp kebabs, mojito chicken skewers and mini burgers with rum caramelised onions were served.
Taste of Cayman
An annual event, Taste of Cayman goes back more than two decades. In 2008 it moved to its new venue at Camana Bay and adopted an international wine element. More than 4000 people attend the event to sample of food from most of Cayman’s top restaurants, as well as wine and mixed drinks. Local bands provide music and there are lots of activities for children as well, including face painting, magic shows and crafts.
Rum Infusion Dinner
This event combined great food with two Caribbean classics: rum and sailing.
Guests boarded a Red Sail Sports catamaran at the SafeHaven dock for a leisurely sailed across North Sound to Cayman Kai and Rum Point Restaurant. Once there they enjoyed a meal in which each of its five courses featured rum, either as an ingredient in the dish or in the accompanying beverages. The rum-infused courses were paired with wines.
CITA Charity Wine Dinner
This annual collaboration between the Cayman Islands Tourism Association and Blackbeard’s Fine Wine & Spirits takes place at a different venue each year, with Ortanique being the restaurant of choice in 2011. The event also features different top wines each year, and proceeds from the evening – which includes an auction – go to different CITA charities. In 2011, John Conover, general manager of Napa Valley’s Plumpjack Winery, attended the dinner in which Plumpjack and Cade wines were featured.