With an acclaimed chef at the helm and the bounty of the Caribbean as inspiration, Blue by Eric Ripert hits all the culinary high notes expected of a fine-dining establishment located in The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. But in the land of laid-back luxury, Blue operates on a different level, offering friendly yet polished service and mouthwatering seafood served almost straight from the sea, resulting in a sophisticated air tempered by island breezes. It’s one of the most coveted reservations in Grand Cayman.
Multi-course menus highlight the best of the Cayman Islands and beyond, evolving with the seasons to showcase only the freshest ingredients. While some mainstays like Ripert’s signature Dover sole with green papaya salsa and red wine jerk jus demonstrate the beauty in letting simple ingredients shine.
- Seafood is the star of the show at Blue by Eric Ripert, where multi-course menus imaginatively display the versatility of the ocean’s bounty. The Cayman Islands’ famous conch, for example, gets a fresh makeover with slices of cucumber and a dash of a yuzu emulsion.
- Signature dishes from Ripert’s Five-Star Le Bernardin also grace the menu of his Grand Cayman restaurant, including the paper-thin pounded tuna over foie gras and a toasted baguette.
- A vegetarian menu elevates fresh produce from sidekick to showstopper in picture-perfect, if simply named, plates like Avocado (an aguachile-inspired salad of charred avocado and hearts of palm in a sweet mango vinaigrette) and Beetroot (a braised beetroot tart topped with tangy brioche-horseradish crème).
- It’s not just the food that features local ingredients here. Caribbean flavors are also on full display in delightful cocktails like the espresso martini featuring housemade coffee liqueur that uses Jamaican Blue Mountain cold brew.
- An excellent wine program accompanies the Ripert-crafted plates, showcasing more than 700 vintages both from familiar vineyards and far-flung regions.
- One of the industry’s most decorated chefs, Ripert started his culinary journey in his mother’s kitchen in Antibes, France, and later Andorra after the family moved across the Spanish border. She whipped up imaginative multi-course meals that ignited a lifelong love of great food in the future toque.
- At just 15 years old, Ripert attended culinary school in the southern French town of Perpignan before moving to Paris to begin his cooking career. His Parisian resume includes stints at storied establishments like Tour d’Argent and Joël Robuchon-helmed Jamin.
- A sous chef job at The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. brought Ripert to the United States, where he eventually joined Maguy and Gilbert Le Coze at his now-renowned flagship restaurant Le Bernardin. Ripert has since established Le Bernardin as New York City's seafood temple.
- Since 2008, Ripert has thrown the Cayman Cookout, one of the preeminent international food festivals, at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. The celebration of local seafood and ingredients draws some of the world’s best chefs, mixologists and sommeliers.
