Michael Shwartz, the chef and restaurateur responsible for Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink (thank you, Michael), has announced plans to open another restaurant under his name. The lucky location: the Town of Camana Bay on the Caribbean island of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands.
“I’m very excited to be opening a restaurant at Camana Bay; I’ve been very careful in choosing the next step since Michael’s Genuine opened almost three years ago, and wanted to make certain that we could still provide the same quality experience,” said Shwartz. “Camana Bay proved to be an irresistible location, and I’m confident that we’ll be able to replicate the dining experience that has proven to be so successful and enjoyable in Miami.”
The restaurant will seat 75 indoors and 75 outside, and will be named Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink (Cayman) Ltd. It’ll open for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch; and it’ll feature a central open kitchen, an impeccable wine list, and a lively bar with happy hour. Like its Miami counterpart, its dinner menu will offer small, medium, large and extra large plates, which allows for the different experience each visit brings that diners love.
As is paramount in Shwartz’s book, he has already begun to develop relationships with the local farmers and fishermen to bring the best local fare, and is planting a chef’s garden to provide the fresh ingredients Shwartz stakes his reputation on. His signature dishes that play starring roles in his Miami menu will also be found in the islands. Pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith’s innovative, acclaimed desserts will also be created; and family dining will be encouraged with plenty of child-friendly dishes designed to be shared.
The restaurant will be a perfect and seamless fit to Camana Bay’s open and inviting air, with its underlying aesthetics and year-round beautiful weather. The restaurant is said to open in spring of 2010.
