PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTERSTOCK; ALAMY
WWW.BOATINTERNATIONAL.COM DECEMBER 2017THE CHEF
Darren Connor started
cooking in Anguillan
restaurants at the age
of 18. He had his formal
training a little later, at the
Culinary Institute of
America, before working at
the Cornerway in Martha’s
Vineyard. On his return
home, he joined the
Viceroy Hotel Anguilla,
taken over by Four
Seasons in 2016,
as head chef of its
restaurant Bamboo.THE RESORT RESTAURANTSThe Four Seasons
Anguilla’s executive chef Rafael Gonzalez runs
Cobà, a stylish seafood grill with the island’s only
ceviche bar. My restaurant, Bamboo, is a popular
lunchtime venue because we’re right on the beach
and people come ashore from their yachts.
THE OLD AND THE NEWI like to adapt old-time
Caribbean dishes to new international food trends
and techniques. For example, conky dumpling is a
real national dish – sweet potato, coconut and
spices steamed in a sea grape leaf – but I serve it
with blackened mahi-mahi on top.
THE FAMILY RESTAURANTIn 2014, my wife and
I opened our own restaurant, Sarjai’s, in Meads
Bay. We named it after our daughter. It serves
authentic local food, including my pepper steak
with curried fries.
THE LOBSTER ISLANDScilly Cay is a tiny island
reached only by launch. There’s nothing there
except sand, sea grape trees and the restaurant, so
the menu is simple: lobster, crayfish or chicken
grilled over charcoal, served with pasta salad.
THE ROMANTIC DINNERIf I were taking my wife,
Cherise, out for dinner, I would choose the Straw
Hat in Meads Bay. It’s in a beautiful location on
the beach, and uses organic vegetables and really
good quality produce.
THE SHELTERED BAYMy favorite place for a picnic
is Crocus Bay. The water is usually clear and calm.
I’ve been going there since I was a child.
AFTER THE HURRICANEIrma badly messed up the
island but, thankfully, the damage to restaurants
was fairly minor, and with a lot of hard work we are
getting back to normal, ready for the season.
fourseasons.com/anguilla; sarjais-anguilla.comFROM THE SEA
Clockwide from below: Bamboo’s
beachside setting; fresh lobster at
Scilly Cay; crayfish at BambooBON APPÉTIT:
TOPFOODIE
DESTINATIONS
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