Boasting four popular restaurants with more on the way and a calendar full of foodie-friendly events, Camana Bay has emerged as a dining destination on Grand Cayman. As the island prepares for Cayman Culinary Month, Camana Bay is set to host three exciting epicurean events that will showcase the Town’s acclaimed restaurants as well as a variety of outstanding international talent and the very best of the dynamic local food scene.

 

The Ultimate Cayman Cookout Dinner Party—Saturday 14 January 2012

Camana Bay’s Culinary Month festivities kick off with The Ultimate Dinner Party. Part of Cayman Cookout, The Ultimate Dinner Party features five unique experiences in one unforgettable night.

The fun begins in Cassia Court when the bad boy of cuisine Anthony Bourdain and master sommelier Andrea Robinson join Camana Bay’s very own James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz to share stories and sign copies of their latest books. The party continues with cocktails from guest mixologists and live vibes from Gary Ebanks and Devon Edie followed by dinner at one of Camana Bay’s restaurants—Abacus, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink or Ortanique. The night will come to a sweet end with delectable deserts from celebrated pastry chef Francois Payard and winner of Top Chef Just Desserts 2 Chris Hanmer, accompanied by live music from Swanky Kitchen Band.

For the dinner portion of the evening, Ultimate Dinner Party attendees can choose from:

 

Old Friends Reunite

Wine Dinner at Abacus with Executive Chef Ron Jacobson, Guest Chef Paul Rogalski & Guest Sommelier Ray Isle

After years away from the Islands, Chef Paul Rogalski returns to Cayman to cook with his old friend,

Abacus’ executive chef Ron Jacobson. Together they will bring you a Rocky Mountain Culinary

Experience featuring signature creations. Each course will be perfectly paired with a wine selection from Food & Wine magazine’s senior wine editor Ray Isle.

 

Genuine Bloomfield

Dinner at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink with Chef / Owner Michael Schwartz, Guest Chef April Bloomfield & Guest Winemaker Michael Moosbrugger

Join James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schwartz, executive pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith, and executive chef Thomas Tennant’s team at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink as they welcome

into the kitchen guest chef April Bloomfield (The Spotted Pig, The Breslin and The John Dory, New York City). Enjoy a meal celebrating the island’s local ingredients and Bloomfield’s seasonal British and Italian approach to food with wine and beer pairings by guest winemaker Michael Moosbrugger (Scholss Gobelsburg), Sommelier Eric Larkee and Beverage Manager Ryan Godspeed.

 

Top Chef Goes Caribbean

Dinner at Ortanique with Chef / Owner Cindy Hutson, Guest Chef Richard Blais & Guest Sommelier Andrea Robinson

Ortanique and owner Delius Shirley invite you to dine “Island Style”. Join us for a memorable night of culinary delights as our own celebrity chefs, Cindy Hutson and Sara Mair (Bravo’s Top Chef Miami contestant), welcome chef Richard Blais (winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars) into the Ortanique kitchen. Prepare your taste buds for an eclectic mix of bold Caribbean flavours and modern East

Coast flare with fine wine pairings by master sommelier, author and TV host Andrea Robinson.

 

Taste of Cayman Food & Wine Festival—Saturday 28 January 2012

Two weeks later, Camana Bay will host the 24th annual Taste of Cayman Food & Wine Festival for the fourth consecutive year. One of the Caribbean’s largest culinary events, Taste of Cayman is a cornucopia of sights, sounds, smells and tastes with over thirty of Cayman’s finest restaurants offering a sample of their signature dishes and drinks. Thousands of locals and visitors flock to the Festival each year to enjoy an unparalleled smorgasbord of food and drink, live music and Caymanian culture at its best. This year, the flavours of Camana Bay will be represented by Abacus, Black Trumpet Gourmet Delicatessen, KARoo, Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink and Ortanique.

 

Slow Food Day—Saturday 4 February 2012

Cayman Culinary Month ends with a bang when Chef Michael Schwartz and special guest Jonathan Waxman, Executive Chef and Owner of Barbuto in Manhattan’s West Village, partner with Slow Food Grand Cayman and the Cayman Islands Agricultural Society to host the first annual Slow Food Day. A sustainable approach to dining that fosters a commitment to community and the environment, the slow food movement has garnered much global support over the past few years.

And thanks to regular farmers markets, farm-to-table dinners and the support of organisations like Slow Food Grand Cayman, its popularity has grown tremendously here in Cayman.

The inaugural Slow Food Day will bring the whole island together in a celebration of eating locally and sourcing sustainably. The day begins at The Grounds in Lower Valley with a special farmers market tasting. Local chefs will be paired with local farmers to create dishes inspired by local ingredients and market goers will enjoy complimentary samples. In the evening, the celebration of ingredients from all Slow Food Day farmers continues at Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink in Camana Bay with a farm-to-table dinner featuring guest chef Jonathan Waxman. After a welcome cocktail and hors d’oeuvres, guests can enjoy three courses, some plated and some served family-style, with wine pairings.