Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman reveals sneak peek of restaurants, names Executive Chef
Unique Variety of Outlets to Debut at New Full-Service Destination Resort;
Chef Dylan Benoit Tapped to Oversee Signature Restaurant, YARA
George Town, CYM – January 10, 2017 – Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman, opening in early 2017 on the world-famous Seven Mile Beach, today revealed the first details of its exciting line-up of food and beverage venues. The property team also announced that veteran Cayman Chef Dylan Benoit has been hired as Executive Chef of the resort’s signature restaurant, YARA.
Once open, Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman will feature three first-ever food and beverage concepts:
• YARA – Meaning “the place” in the Caribbean’s native Taíno language, YARA(pictured top left) will be a welcome addition to the island’s already dynamic dining scene. The first and only concept of its kind, the debut menu at YARA will have a heavy Nikkei influence offering top quality steaks and game meats while utilizing the abundance of fresh, local fish available in Cayman.
“Over the last 100 years, Japanese settlers relocating to Brazil, Peru and neighbouring countries have been forced to adapt their traditional dishes and use products readily available in South America,” said Executive Chef Dylan Benoit on Nikkei cuisine. “Often incorrectly labeled as fusion, Nikkei is more accurately an evolution. The culinary equivalent to natural selection, a cuisine born out of necessity that has risen to the global stage.”
Equal parts tradition, exploration and innovation, Nikkei cuisine has been a century in the making and continues to evolve daily. Using this energetic and exciting cuisine as a starting point, Benoit and his team will bring a myriad of creative dishes to the table at YARA. YARA will also feature hand-crafted cocktails, a sophisticated yet affordable wine list, an energetic vibe, a live DJ and a warm contemporary design – all in one distinctive location. YARA will serve as a gathering place for locals and travelers alike, the ideal spot for special occasions or a fun night out for a group of friends.
• Spread– Spread, a European-style charcuterie and wine bar, will offer a cozy space for guests to kick back and relax over a glass of wine. Spread will be open to residents and resort guests, featuring an extensive wine list paired with a variety of cured meats, cheeses, fresh goods and kosher options.
• Banana Wind Café – Named after Jimmy Buffett’s 20th studio album, Banana Wind Café is another first-ever restaurant concept that will be introduced at Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman. Banana Wind Café will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, alongside ocean views.
In addition, the resort will feature several signature Margaritaville brand concepts:
• License to Chill® Bar – A destination unto itself, a License to Chill Bar(pictured top right) will be located in Grand Cayman’s only open-air lobby, immediately putting guests into a vacation state of mind. License to Chill will serve handcrafted cocktails including signature margaritas and a seven-day-a-week happy hour.
• Margaritaville Coffee Shop® – Featuring Margaritaville’s gourmet coffee and with early morning hours, Margaritaville Coffee Shop will be the perfect spot for guests to start their day before heading out on a local excursion or to the beach. This on-site grab and go spot will serve a variety of hot and cold beverages, breakfast sandwiches, croissants, pastries and more.
•5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill – Boasting the largest swim-up bar on Grand Cayman, 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar & Grill will be a great place to chill poolside while enjoying a specialty drink or draft beer in a souvenir Margaritaville® blender cup.
Executive Chef Dylan Benoit returns to the Cayman Islands after ten months of global exploration to oversee HHG’s signature global steakhouse concept YARA. Most recently, Benoit served as the Executive Chef for Market Street Group where he oversaw six diverse restaurant concepts here in Grand Cayman. Prior to that, Benoit served as Sous Chef at Osetra Bay Restaurant, a fine dining destination located in Morgan’s Harbor district of Grand Cayman, and spent years studying and working in his home country of Canada under Chefs like Mark McEwan. Originally from Barrie, Ontario, Benoit has travelled extensively throughout North America, Central America and South America as well as the Caribbean, Asia and some of Europe. He has studied cuisines and cultures from around the globe and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the culinary team.
“The global steakhouse concept is very exciting to me. It gives my team and I freedom to explore many cultures without pigeonholing ourselves as one cuisine. Our focus is on sourcing the best ingredients and preparing them in a way that is unusual or unexpected, making the dining experience at YARA truly memorable,” said Benoit.
“We look forward to introducing a unique assortment of bars and restaurants at Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman,” said Michael Evans, executive vice president of HHG, the ownership group behind Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman. “Combining classics Margaritaville fans will know and enjoy with new dining concepts like YARA, we are confident this resort is going to become a hotspot for locals and travelers alike.”
Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman is slated to open in early 2017.
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About Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman
Opening in early 2017, Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman is a new full-service destination beach resort set on the island’s award-winning Seven Mile Beach. Featuring a coastal-luxe design inspired by the lyrics and lifestyle of singer, songwriter and author Jimmy Buffett, the property is the result of a year-long, multi-million-dollar renovation project led by owner Howard Hospitality Group (HHG). Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman features 285 guestrooms, three pools, a swim-up bar, live entertainment, a fitness center, retail shops and flexible meeting and function space. The resort appeals to varying taste buds with a License to Chill lobby bar, Margaritaville Coffee Shop, three meal-a-day Banana Wind Café, Spread charcuterie and wine bar, and signature restaurant, YARA, which means “the place” to the native Taíno people of the Caribbean.
