A Gourmet Tradition

By Elise Donovan

For exquisite wines and fine dining, The Restaurant at Leverick Bay offers one of the BVI's best culinary experiences created by Chef de Cuisine Alex Yates. The Restaurant, which combines sophisticated Continental dining with a Caribbean flair, overlooks a quiet bay where yachts anchor and the sun sets between two romantic islands for a perfect relaxed evening.

The Restaurant was inspired by Yates' work and travel throughout Europe and the United States. His first stint cooking at a local restaurant in Virgin Gorda led him to culinary school in San Francisco — and from there he perfected his craft in the kitchens of such luminaries as celebrity chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White, who's also known as the godfather of modern cooking for the way he revolutionised food in England.

Leverick Bay in North Sound, Virgin Gorda, was the ideal place for Yates to create his superb restaurant dream. His family bought the property in Leverick Bay in the early 1970s and opened a tiny beach bar called The Salty Whale. Today, four generations of the family live on Virgin Gorda and have developed Leverick Bay into a full-scale resort and marina. Yates calls the bay "the most unique place on the earth." Moving back to Virgin Gorda in 2002, Yates remodelled The Restaurant, where he specialises in "taking the ordinary and creating something that is beautiful and tasty."

Yates starts with intriguing appetisers, such as truffle mac and cheese, 20-hour apple and rosemary braised Berkshire pork belly, Japanese Kobe beef tartare or lobster ravioli hearts, which he follows with even more exciting entrées flown in fresh from around the world, like New Zealand lamb roasted with fresh mint, Hudson valley breast of duck, free range sage and lemon chicken paillard, or freshly caught Anegada lobster — all guaranteed to tempt customers' palates. A meal at The Restaurant would not be complete without one of Yates' delightful treats, like French apple almond tart or the simply yummy bananas Foster — sautéed bananas with rum, vanilla ice cream and rum caramel sauce. And for the perfect accompaniment for these scrumptious meals, Yates, who's also a wine connoisseur, boasts that you "won't find a wine list like The Restaurant's anywhere in the Antilles."

The Restaurant at Leverick Bay is popular with both locals and visitors, and if Yates has his way, it will remain "small and nice with excellent food and excellent service." Working all year round to keep up this standard, Yates misses the memorable weddings, family vacations and evenings with his wife and three children, but still says "it's an excellent life." On his day off, he enjoys cooking and dining at home with his family, to whom he has passed on his passion for food and exploration of new food experiences. His 4-year-old son, Xander, has already decided he, too, wants to be a chef when he grows up.

Make It “Spiceman”

By Elise Donovan

If magnificent sunsets and breathtaking views overlooking an idyllic village in a quiet secluded hilltop aren’t attraction enough, then tasting one of the Spiceman’s special creations will make it worthwhile.

William “Spiceman” Mitchell has been Bananakeet and Heritage Inn’s live-in chef for four years. He hails from “Spice Island” Grenada, but acquired his moniker because of his knack for blending exotic spices — flown specially from his native Grenada — to create dishes, which by their names alone promise to delight the palate. Whether it’s his Jerk Pork with Banana Chutney, Asian Sautéed Sesame Shrimps, Herb Crusted Snapper, Stuffed Baked Cornish Hen with Tamarind Sauce or Spicy Marinated Grilled Salmon, he says it’s the spice that makes the difference.

“I’m a shy person; I don’t talk too much,” says Mitchell. But simply ask about his special blend of spices and he will retreat to his kitchen to reappear smiling with a large bowl of spices. He then offers aromatic sniffs of saffron, nutmeg and others, while describing the zing each spice adds to his varied concoctions. “You just have to use your imagination,” says Mitchell.

Mitchell cooks up to 65 dishes to order nightly. “Every night I have a different special, so that people will have a different experience every time.” That is why some customers return for his unique dinner creations four nights a week rather than visiting the many other restaurants on the island.

Customers often ask for his recipes, but he says, “I create my own thing from my mind.” Recipe seekers need not despair: He plans to write a Spiceman recipe book sometime in the future. Other plans for this self-taught chef, who learned to cook as the youngest of five boys in his grandmother’s kitchen, include officially studying cooking in college.

Davide Pugliese's artistry, creative flair and sublime taste are not exclusive to his culinary endeavours. Influenced by his surroundings while growing up in Tuscany, he studied art and photography, becoming a professional photographer and eventually settling in New York City. While in the Big Apple, his interest in the epicurean arts blossomed into a second career.

In 1984, Pugliese visited the BVI while on vacation, did a bit of sailing, and "fell in love with the place." He bought Brandywine Bay Restaurant in 1988 with his future wife, Cele, by his side.

Through the years, Brandywine Bay's fame grew, and new customers quickly became regulars. "Brandywine Bay still has the charm of an old estate, with an incredible view of Sir Francis Drake Channel," says Pugliese. "We have filled the property with beautiful art, African tablecloths, much colour, style, candlelight, and flower arrangements." The service, he adds, is exceptional. "We are not just known for our food, but also for our service. My staff can hear a fork drop and will be there within seconds. You can sit down, relax and know that your glass will be topped off at all times. The experience at Brandywine Bay is about being taken care of and pampered."

The choices at Brandywine Bay are incredible. "We always have an extensive menu: anywhere from seven to 12 appetizers, and a similar amount for the main course," Pugliese explains. "We write the menu on a board each night and go table to table describing it to our customers. Everything is fresh and cooked to order. I change the menu as often as I can."

Although there is always a tantalizing mix of dishes in which to indulge, the one item he cannot take off the board is his signature roast duck. "It can't come off the menu," he says, "or I'd be in trouble!" Among partakers of this delicacy is Princess Anne, who visited the restaurant in early 2005.

The key to Brandywine Bay's success? "We would not be where we are without teamwork; from start to finish, it's a combination of hard work, great service, excellent location and staff. I take care of the kitchen and Cele takes care of the front of the house and the wines - we have a very large wine selection. She often describes the menu to diners as well." Pugliese is also an active member of the BVI Culinary Team, participating in the annual Taste of the Caribbean competition put together by the Caribbean Hotel Association.

There is no better advertising than word of mouth, and Brandywine Bay receives nothing but compliments from patrons far and wide. "A recent customer," says Pugliese, "told me he heard of us while on duty in Afghanistan." Even on the other side of the world, Brandywine Bay is recognised as one of the finest dining experiences in the Caribbean.

Brandywine Bay Restaurant is open for dinner Monday through Saturday. For reservations, please call (284) 495-2301.

Keith Audette, Food and Beverage Director for the Village Cay Resort Marina/Hotel, has an emotional pull to his chosen profession. A native of Rhode Island, he grew up "in the kitchen, around the heels of my mother, who's also a chef."

Audette attended Johnson & Wales University and worked his way up the corporate ladder, arriving in the BVI in late 1997. He has been part of the Village Cay family for almost six years and also serves as chairman of the BVI Culinary Team.

The BVI adds its own sprinkling of magic to the cuisine at Village Cay. "There's a lot of diversity of ingredients here — we work a lot with mangos, avocados, dasheen, christophine," he explains. Audette also cites East Indian influences, where curries and rotis reign supreme.

For the ultimate experience in BVI dining, Village Cay has a dockside grill with a varied menu and the freshest of ingredients. "We do a great braised oxtail and use a lot of lamb and goat down here, which is a lot of fun to experiment with," says Audette. "We also have fresh lobster and lots of seafood — our restaurant is right on the dock." Mahi-mahi, swordfish and yellowfin tuna come in right to Village Cay's dock, he explains. Diners also get to enjoy some of the most magnificent yachts in the world.

Other top draws on their menu include a cristophine-crusted rack of lamb, coconut and dark rum-laced sweet potatoes, Caribbean bouillabaisse, and their signature jerk duck. There's also Sushi Night on Fridays, which Audette says is very popular.

For lighter fare, there's Dockmaster's Deli, a high-end, New York-style gourmet deli featuring handcrafted sandwiches, wraps and soups. This relative newcomer in Village Cay has done very well, surpassing everyone's expectations.

"I like to think we're all things for all people," says Audette. "Our menu has something for everyone." Even for Jimmy Buffett, who declares he was inspired to write "Cheeseburger in Paradise" while on a blissful and flavoursome moment at Village Cay. Audette confirms that the resort has carried on that tradition. "Our cheeseburgers are still great."

Village Cay is open for three meals a day, seven days a week. For more information, call (284) 494-2771.

Myett's Garden Restaurant

Cane Garden Bay is the islands' most beautiful and most popular beach. The white-sand beach is lined with palm trees, arching around in a perfect crescent. Perched right in the middle of this slice of paradise and only yards from the water's edge is Myett's. Over the years, Kareem and Valerie Rhymer have created a hotel, restaurant and bar in a perfect tropical setting whose ambience is second to none. Before dinner, enjoy live happy hour music at the bar. After dinner, patrons can enjoy a live band and dancing on most evenings.

The Myetts' success was not earned overnight. They recently celebrated their 15th anniversary with the opening of three new hotel rooms and a spa offering a full range of body treatments and facials. For the visiting yachtsmen, there are Internet and messaging services.

Quiet progress in keeping with the local surroundings is the byword at Myett's. Judging by the popularity of this beautiful garden inn, the prosperity is likely to continue.

As Executive Chef of the highly acclaimed Peter Island Resort, the very charming Willfor "Willo" Stoutt knows a thing or two about top-notch dining. Amid a fantastic setting of sea and sky, he adds a fresh and creative combination of ingredients and the region's signature warmth to both Caribbean and international cuisine in Tradewinds, the resort's main restaurant. The tables are adorned with German china, French silverware and Italian crystal. "Tropical classic" would describe both the cuisine and the ambiance, although Asian and Italian influences are evident as well.

Besides oveseeing Tradewinds and Deadman's Beach Bar & Grill, which offers lighter but equally tasty fare, Chef Willo also directs the resort's daily Caribbean Tea, mixing a tropical flair of fruity pastries and other delights with English tradition.

Among Chef Willo's recommendations: Peter Island crab cakes, the delectable rack of lamb, Caribbean bouillabaisse and coconut rice. But word around the Caribbean is you can't make a bad choice when it comes to dining at the Peter Island Resort — Chef Willo sees to that.

A 30-year veteran of the resort and a native of Tortola, Chef Willo is also recognized for his pivotal role in the advancement of the BVI's culinary milieu. A member of the first gold medal-winning team from the BVI in Taste of the Caribbean — an annual culinary event celebrating Caribbean cuisine — he is looking forward to upcoming competitions and to being actively involved in fundraisers, practices and other ways in which to give other chefs the opportunity to proudly represent the BVI. And who wouldn't be inspired to create here?

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