The Culinary and Cultural Delights of the Cayman Islands with Chelsea from Island Epicurean

Can you smell the ocean breeze and taste the fresh seafood yet? Get ready to uncover the hidden gems of the Cayman Islands with local expert Chelsea Tennant, founder of Island Epicurean. She'll be giving us the insider scoop on everything from the top restaurants to unique cultural insights. 

In this episode, Chelsea shares her favorite spots for local food and brunch, as well as some off-the-beaten-path treasures. She also clears up some misconceptions about Caribbean life, such as navigating the unique rules of the road and understanding the island's roundabouts. And for all the foodies out there – prepare for an eye-opening journey into traditional Caymanian cuisine.

Finally, no visit to the Cayman Islands would be complete without a visit to the pristine Seven Mile Beach. We delve into the locals' efforts to keep the islands clean and the importance of responsible tourism. Chelsea also dishes out on the best local restaurants that you absolutely must try. If you’ve been dreaming of a Caribbean getaway, this episode will take you there. Buckle up, it’s time for an Island Epicurean adventure!

Get in touch with Chelsea on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/island_epicurean/
or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/islandepicureancayman/
or just visit her website: https://www.island-epicurean.com/

Awaken your BEST LIFE  and join me, your host and island friend, Riselle at my island home St. Maarten for 5 amazing days of luxury, fun, wellness and  personal growth.

The Island Awakening Luxury Retreat is a retreat like no other and a unique way for you to dedicate some time to yourself in the company of like-minded people. Don't hesitate because space is limited. Visit the website to secure your spot.

Top Villas has the best selection of luxury villas in the best spots in the Caribbean. Visit Top Villas now to start planning your dream Island Getaway. 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:59

Welcome to Paradise Perspectives, a podcast about Caribbean travel from the locals perspective, and get ready for some authentic Caribbean travel tips, recommendations and more from the people who live where you vacation, Straight from Paradise. I'm your host and island friend, rizal, the Traveling Island Girl. Hey friend, how's your day going? Mine is going just fabulously, because I'm about to embark on a trip to somewhere I've always wanted to go, and the best part is, are you ready? You get to go with me, that's right. So go on, go, pack your bags, don't forget your reef, safe sunscreen and sunglasses, because today we are going to the Cayman Islands. I know right, I'm super excited too To help us navigate our way there.

Speaker 1: 2:48

When we get there that is, in a proper local fashion, because you know I don't do it any other way is my friend Chelsea? She'll be joining us momentarily. I cannot wait to explore the Cayman Islands with you and with her. So if you are ready I certainly am Put your seat in the upright position and secure your seat belts, because we are taking off in three, two, one. Oh, my gosh, chelsea, I am so happy that you're here and to see your pretty face off with all of you listeners. I'm here with Chelsea on video cam and then on video call, and so I can see her pretty gorgeous face. And, if you want to do so as well, we're probably going to have this interview on YouTube, so you can go to my YouTube channel and check her out there. So, chelsea, thank you so much for being on the show.

Speaker 2: 3:40

Oh, my goodness, thank you for having me. I'm so excited.

Speaker 1: 3:44

I was like we've been planning this. We've been planning this for a few days, right, yes, we have this morning. And I get a text from my assistant. She's like you have Chelsea today. I'm like fuck, I was like running out of my rooms and getting dressed real quick, and then I'm on and I'm like Chelsea, I'm ready. And she's like oh, but you know we have an hour difference, right?

Speaker 2: 4:09

Like time zones.

Speaker 1: 4:10

Yeah, I know the difference, I know the difference, I know which is what you know and I. Just this is the funny thing. So I just did an episode about assumptions that people make about the Caribbean, and then look at me making assumptions that we're now on the same time zone.

Speaker 2: 4:26

I know we're small, but we're not. I'm so sorry. You're okay. I'm happy to be here.

Speaker 1: 4:31

I think if we put all of us together, we're really a force to be reckoned with, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 4:38

Oh yeah, 100% yeah.

Speaker 1: 4:40

All right. So we are here to talk about Cayman Island, but first I want to talk about who Chelsea is, and then on Instagram, you go by Island Epicurean. Yes, do I say that word right?

Speaker 2: 4:51

Yes, so Epicurean. I know it's like it's not a name that people just put into Instagram at all, because Epicurean basically means like that you are a lover of like fine things, especially when it comes to food and drink. So another Caribbean term you could use that for is like I'm a little bit stush, so I like the good things, stush.

Speaker 1: 5:12

Okay, so this then Okay. So this is like an eye-opening thing for me every single time I have one of these sessions and one of these podcast recordings, because I've been following this Jamaican lady I think she's called Stush in the Bush. Stush in the Bush is amazing.

Speaker 2: 5:30

Oh no, wait, wait, wait wait, she's so cool, did you go? I've been to the make a food and drink festival as why? And I had her food.

Speaker 1: 5:36

So you had her food. Okay, I'm going to kick you on your butt because I'm like so jealous right now.

Speaker 2: 5:44

Yeah man. We're a power couple.

Speaker 1: 5:46

I have been really, really looking forward to eating there forever.

Speaker 2: 5:51

So I'm planning a trip to Jamaica soon. You need to.

Speaker 1: 5:53

Now for you guys, it's a little easier because you're not too far from Jamaica, are you?

Speaker 2: 5:58

We are not. No, we are not at all, and we actually were like a dependency of Jamaica. So we got a lot of Jamaican culture on the island as well, because we were part of them until about 1962. So we have roots that go to Moby Kingston through our own airline, cayman Airways, so we can get there very easily.

Speaker 1: 6:15

That's amazing and of course, you're also right there next to the mainland. You're like an hour away from Miami, which is another thing that's so great about Cayman Island. So I have to be honest, like I, you know, I had to do some research because, yes, as much as I am the traveling island girl and I try to travel to all of the Caribbean places and hotspots, I have not yet been to Cayman Islands. Shout out to my good friends, karina and Charlotte, who've been kind of inviting me forever, and I haven't yet been, so maybe I'll combine it with my.

Speaker 2: 6:48

Jamaica trip, who knows? And then you could hop to Miami and back, you know.

Speaker 1: 6:52

I know Like, but do you know what the crazy thing is? I think I'll have to try. I'll have to drive Sorry, I'll have to fly to Miami and then from Miami fly to Cayman, which?

Speaker 2: 7:01

is one of those things.

Speaker 1: 7:02

You know. Inter Caribbean travel is just ridiculous just because of the connections and how expensive it is, but anyway. I'm not going to talk about that. We want to know from you, chelsea and then spell your last name.

Speaker 2: 7:15

Is it tenant Yep T-E-N-N-A-N-T-O. Okay, perfect.

Speaker 1: 7:21

So I started following you a couple of years ago and I think the first post I saw from you was you doing something. I think it was either a video, a short video, or it was you walking over seven mile beach and I'm like, oh my God, this beach is just so pretty it is.

Speaker 2: 7:37

It's a beautiful beach.

Speaker 1: 7:39

And then, of course, I clicked on your account and then I saw that you're into food and I love food. I've obsessed, I know, so that's why. So I want to know everything about Island of the Caribbean and about who Chelsea is.

Speaker 2: 7:53

Yes, so I basically started the page a couple of years ago in like 2016, mainly because, being on the Island and being from the Island, I wanted to promote the honest truth about restaurants, that I love the good restaurants, the good activities, the fun things to do on Island, not the things that are advertised, because sometimes there are businesses that are too small to actually promote themselves or be in magazines that are free for tours to pick up at the airport, and so Island of the Caribbean is my honest way of saying here are Cayman's best restaurants. So I have a website that has Cayman's best sushi restaurant. Cayman's best brunches because we love brunch here. Cayman's best breakfast yeah, brunch is a big thing. It's a constant thing. Love me some brunch, all the breakfast, I think it's just that All you can eat all.

Speaker 2: 8:36

you can drink too, so it's crazy.

Speaker 1: 8:38

No, don't say that you can actually wait. We're going to talk about this in a second. Keep on going, because my mind is blown right now.

Speaker 2: 8:46

Yeah, so Cayman's best list. I have district guides, that kind of break down each of the five districts, especially in Grand Cayman right now so that's the biggest Island so each district, the activities to do, accommodations and obviously the restaurants that I love and that you have to try, which range from a small scale restaurant up to the high end, creative, innovative restaurants, you know Wow.

Speaker 2: 9:07

And so what happens, like the tours, and even residents will reach out and say, hey, I really want to go to this good, a really good steak restaurant. Where do I go? And so I'll send them a list of here's my list of my favorite things. Or if I have something on the website already, I'll just send them the link to the website. Otherwise, I'm happy to just custom curate like a whole trip plan for them about do this activity, this is where you need to go eat, et cetera.

Speaker 1: 9:30

I am so hoping up with you when I get there. I am, so you and I are definitely getting together when I finally get on Cayman.

Speaker 2: 9:39

So I just prepared for that.

Speaker 1: 9:41

I am just going to book all your time. I love that. All right, so you know, I let you speak out about everything that you just said. And it's amazing, and my mind was blown when you said it's all you can eat brunch and all you can drink. Okay, it's both how, how? Now this is my question how does this survive in the Caribbean, cause my husband and I always joke about this Like you will never.

Speaker 1: 10:09

we say we tell each other. It's like you will never be able to survive as a business. If you open a business in the Caribbean, that is all you can eat and all you can drink. Caribbean people love both. You'll be wiped out. Yes, that's what I'm thinking. Yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 10:25

I mean, it's a. It's a decent cost, but you can actually eat and drink your money's worth for sure. Most branches are about three hours long, and the ones that have the largest spreads tend to be in the hotels.

Speaker 2: 10:36

So all the hotels are actually like locals, go to these brunches but there are some restaurants that do their own brunches as well, so those might be on a smaller scale, but all of them are all you can drink. Sometimes back in the day it was all you can drink bubbles. Now they've all elevated to all you can drink bubbles, plus all you can drink bottles of rosé and wine and sake and beer. There's a few places that all you can drink everything.

Speaker 1: 10:59

Okay, that's a little bit it can get messy I was like wait, if you don't hear from me anymore and I just disappear. You know, I'm packing my bags, I'm going to come in, because ridiculous, no way. Yes, you have to do a brunch. Oh, my God, I got to do everything. Something brunches, a vibe, wow Okay, I'm like super surprised. And it's always busy, so my my next question is are you allowed doggy bags?

Speaker 2: 11:21

Oh, no doggy bags, no back. You got it. You got it. You got to do what you can. The damage has to be done at the place.

Speaker 1: 11:30

OK, now that makes sense. A funny story, because this is. This is exactly what I'm talking about here. My sister got married on. Samaritan, so she's from Curacao, like me, and she came to Samaritan to get married. So now I can talk freely about this, because she, she, they got divorced, thank God, because he was no good, but anyway, so his. So after they had like the after the ceremony dinner and it was at an uncle in law's place of mine, right.

Speaker 1: 13:40

So we went to this restaurant and they've set up this buffet and it was wonderful and of course it was all you can eat. And then this guy is the restaurateur. So whatever is left over from bupé's usually if not much has been played with it, they use it for the special at the restaurant the next day.

Speaker 2: 13:58

Yes.

Speaker 1: 13:59

This was one of those things that there was nothing left. The groom's what Lee. No, sent out the groom to the nearest 7-Eleven.

Speaker 2: 14:10

That's how it was.

Speaker 1: 14:11

7-Eleven sent him out to the lab, to the nearest 7-Eleven to buy takeout containers, and they wiped out every single dish and that you know what You've actually paid for it.

Speaker 2: 14:22

So that's not actually wrong, that's wrong.

Speaker 1: 14:25

I know that was what they were saying to you, but our side of the family was just etiquette. Oh my God, if there was a hole in the ground that I could disappear in at that time I would have oh my God, it's like it's so not done. I was like they're not my family, does she marry them? I don't know, just a guess, I just I don't know what's going on. And my uncle-in-law is looking at me like what's going on? I don't know what to tell you, but no, that totally makes sense.

Speaker 2: 14:56

That totally makes sense. My husband's a chef, so I completely understand that he would work in that kind of industry and tell me the same thing. You're like oh, we have this, we don't want to put it to waste. Of course we're going to use it as a special. You know going forward, and every restaurant does that.

Speaker 1: 15:10

Yeah, yeah, exactly so, but it was just one of those stories that came to mind, so that's why I was asking please, tell me you don't allow doggie bags.

Speaker 2: 15:19

No, no doggie bags.

Speaker 1: 15:21

No. I think the tourists who are at the bar would.

Speaker 2: 15:25

The tourists would be a little concerned if they saw that.

Speaker 1: 15:29

Oh my gosh. Yes, you do not want to see what happens at the end of any wedding, any Caribbean wedding, you know everybody's like walking out with foils and containers. Exactly, it's a Caribbean thing.

Speaker 2: 15:41

OK, so now going.

Speaker 1: 15:42

let's talk about Cayman, because I am, yes, really new here.

Speaker 2: 15:46

This is new territory for me.

Speaker 1: 15:47

I've never been, although of course it's on my list. There's three islands, right? Yes, yes, there's like you're the. You are the expert. I'm just going to let you do, OK.

Speaker 2: 16:00

All right, so there are three Cayman Islands. Ok, that's why there's the S at the end. We have the first one, which I'm going to call the first one, being based on the size scale. How about that? So Grand Cayman, which is where I live, which is where I'm from, and it's the largest island, is about 70 square miles, so fairly small. Still, our population on the islands are about around 70,000, maybe just over that, and the majority of that population actually lives in Grand Cayman.

Speaker 2: 16:27

So, this is where our financial center is where everybody talks about the Cayman Islands and movies and stuff they're talking about.

Speaker 1: 16:33

They're talking about Grand.

Speaker 2: 16:34

Cayman. Ok, so the financial, the business side of everything is happening here, but also we have things like Stingray City, seven Mile Beach, so we have that tourist attraction side, but we also have that business, financial side happening in Grand. Then we have Cayman Brack, which we all dubbed the Brack, that's the middle child basically, and so the Brack is actually a beautiful place, a lot smaller about maybe. My last total was probably about 1500, 2000 max people live there full time, so it gets smaller.

Speaker 1: 17:06

Wait, how many, how many.

Speaker 2: 17:08

About 2000.

Speaker 1: 17:10

OK that's my kind of place.

Speaker 2: 17:13

I think I'll be. I'll be on. Brack, oh well you have to see, I'll tell you about little in a second, but the Brack is more for the adventurers.

Speaker 2: 17:21

It has this big rock face that's made of limestone down the center of the island, basically almost splits the island in half as you go, like kind of from the center off to the east, and it's called the Bluff and so you can do things like rock climbing on the bluff, because Cayman is pretty flat, we don't have all the beautiful hills like some parts of the Eastern Caribbean. The bluff is probably the highest you're going to get for all of the Cayman Islands.

Speaker 1: 17:42

Ok and do you know how high this is. Well, if you can, if you can rock climb.

Speaker 2: 17:47

I'm thinking it's quite high. It's high, it is OK High. I'm trying to think how high it might actually be.

Speaker 1: 17:59

Are you typing this? I'm not typing. You're cheating.

Speaker 2: 18:04

It's like 43 meters.

Speaker 1: 18:06

She totally cheated, I totally cheated, ok, well, I'm not like.

Speaker 2: 18:10

I don't live in the back. I don't live in the back, I know.

Speaker 1: 18:13

But these are the questions that I get from Sir Martin. My hometown, too, is everybody's like, so how many people I was like Google.

Speaker 2: 18:21

Yeah, exactly so. I totally get it. I'm giving my estimations exactly. So maximum elevation 43 meters, 141 feet. So that's really high for Cayman actually it is.

Speaker 1: 18:33

It's very high for Cayman, absolutely. It's not for me or else, but for here it is.

Speaker 2: 18:38

Oh, that's amazing, so yeah it's great for anyone who was an adventurer, likes to hike, likes to be a little bit outdoorsy, because you can climb up paths that go up the side of the bluff to get to the top. There's parrot reserves oh my gosh, it's got a lot more adventurous stuff, I'd say even than Grand Cayman. Then you have Little Little Cayman, basically is the baby or the smallest one of the islands and, again, guesstimating, I think it's between 150 to 200 people live there full time 150 people.

Speaker 1: 19:05

Maybe I need to go there.

Speaker 2: 19:06

No, I know I know I was like do you want to go smaller?

Speaker 1: 19:09

I don't know, maybe not. A touch is small.

Speaker 2: 19:13

That's going to probably give me some anxiety, but no, I think it's very much a place to get away from it all, to unplug, if you really don't want to see anybody, and I honestly think like Little Cayman is one of the last like untouched places in the world. There's no cruise ships that go there, and so they have some of the best like some of the best guba diving in the world, like Cayman.

Speaker 2: 19:34

Grand Cayman has great scuba diving as it is, but if you go to somewhere like Bloody Bay Wall in Little Cayman and you're a diver, it's like exponentially better.

Speaker 1: 19:44

I'm sure that is wonderful, that is so beautiful. I think that's already getting me, like you had me at Seven Mile Beach, and food and you know bottomless brunches and stuff like that. But now you're telling me I can actually, after I've done, eating all the food in. Grand Cayman. I can just go over to Little Cayman and kind of like relax and then not be seen.

Speaker 2: 20:07

Yes, hammock life. Over there you can go hiking in the back, you can do anything that you want, but we have a little bit of everything which is nice on all three islands.

Speaker 1: 20:15

So I think that the best thing to do. What would you say if somebody like me that wants to experience it all, like, how many days should I go? I have a feeling like a week or five days is just not enough.

Speaker 2: 20:28

Are you trying to do all three islands? That's the question.

Speaker 1: 20:30

I want to see all three Exactly. If I want to do all three, I really like I think a week would be enough.

Speaker 2: 20:34

Really, I think a week would be enough. Okay, because you can actually drive the entire island from Grand Cayman, from one point to the other, in like an hour and a half, like less than two hours. Yeah, well, okay, yeah, you know, and you can see one side and then the other.

Speaker 1: 20:47

Yeah, so I think Grand Cayman is kind of like the size of San Martin, is not too far from there In. San Martin. You can drive around in like about two hours and it's two hours because it's so early.

Speaker 2: 20:59

So yeah, and ours is two hours, but you guys have.

Speaker 1: 21:03

Oh, my goodness. Okay, so that says a lot, it is, but I did do some research and I did see that it's 100 square miles in total. So that's all three islands together.

Speaker 2: 21:13

So that's not.

Speaker 1: 21:15

So I can imagine that Grand Cayman will take like about that and then the rest will be for the other two, correct?

Speaker 2: 21:22

Yes, exactly yeah. So it's about 70 square miles for a Grand Cayman.

Speaker 1: 21:26

Okay, all right, so you can't say Cayman, yeah, I love how you say Cayman, you're not saying Cayman, yeah, like most people say Cayman.

Speaker 2: 21:32

Well, that's. That would be the rookie mistake. Actually it's Cayman, but people will say Okay. So you can't say Cayman, okay, that's like a no. No, now we have our first. Don't do not call it.

Speaker 1: 21:46

Cayman, do not call it the Caymans.

Speaker 2: 21:48

We don't like that either.

Speaker 1: 21:50

Okay, I know people will say that oh, they're like in TV shows.

Speaker 2: 21:55

Oh, they put their bank accounts in the Caymans. That's like a big no, no.

Speaker 1: 22:02

It's Cayman or the Cayman.

Speaker 2: 22:03

Islands. Okay, choose one. Yes, please do not kind of like make your own mush.

Speaker 1: 22:07

I had a funny thing. You should say that, because people make up their own as they go. I have a feeling, yes, I, I've. I've heard this a lot and it kind of like it really really irks us when people call us see Martin. But to ease, at the end it's like I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to say that I don't know who came up with that, but I want to find whoever it is. They came out with same routine.

Speaker 1: 22:30

I like seriously have a serious one to one conversation with this person. I get to not say Martin and also is one island, so there's no S at the end. I know you're adding the S.

Speaker 2: 22:41

Exactly the same bar. Yes.

Speaker 1: 22:43

Not same parts. Is one island at same bar? Yeah, so we understand Right. You know, and then you guys are actually allowed to use plural because you are, yeah, we are more three islands, but still, let's not do K man, I'm not doing K Not doing that.

Speaker 2: 23:03

Okay, we're doing K man. No like a man yeah. Like a man came and islands came, and I'm going to have to practice this a little bit, but I want it in your accent though your accent was so cool. The came in. No, it didn't. So when you were talking, just now you said it differently. Welcome to the game.

Speaker 1: 23:27

When you're talking to a local. Yeah, we would say welcome to the came in islands or welcome to came in.

Speaker 2: 23:34

I like the came in, but we should we don't, we're not doing it like you. I think we emphasize the man a bit more. Okay, okay.

Speaker 1: 23:43

Okay.

Speaker 2: 23:43

Okay, okay, I get it.

Speaker 1: 23:48

I just want to be like with the locals. When I get there, you know, it's like I don't want to be.

Speaker 2: 23:53

I think you don't put in, don't put an E on it, don't say came in, and that's where most people go wrong. So Okay, okay, we just get as close to came in as you can. Yeah.

Speaker 1: 24:03

That's just came in islands. We'll keep it nice and fast and easy, that's it.

Speaker 2: 24:08

All right, so we've had already.

Speaker 1: 24:10

It's what? 20 minutes into the conversation we're already there. First, don't I love this? Okay, love this flow, okay. So before we dive into what, you are best known for. Let's go a little bit more into what a first time I, like myself, should know about the Cayman on it. What would you say about driving? Is there anything specific that we need to know about? And also about currency, just one of the top questions that people want to know do.

Speaker 1: 24:39

I need to run to the bank and convert, or can I use US dollars, euros? What is it?

Speaker 2: 24:44

Yes, Okay, I mean you would know this as well as I, probably because you've traveled a lot of the Caribbean, so I'm making an assumption here. But we do accept US dollars. Like you can use it in any store on Island, not a problem. I'm assuming that's the same in most Caribbean islands. Same.

Speaker 1: 24:59

Yeah, it's the same in most Caribbean islands. Correct, perfect.

Speaker 2: 25:03

Yeah, so we would have that same thing. We also have the CI dollar or Cayman Islands dollar, and I think the one thing that shocks a lot of tourists because, as you know, in the Caribbean the majority of our tourists are coming from the States.

Speaker 2: 25:15

So they're coming down and I think in most of the countries the US dollar is a little bit stronger than their dollar. Unfortunately, our dollar is stronger than the US dollar Shocking. So I think that throws them a lot. When we give them a bill and most places it'll be a bill in CI dollars and they're like oh here you go here If it's a hundred dollar tab for dinner or something they'll put it on, I'll take it, it's on my treat, and then you realize it's CI dollars. Yeah, so it's a hundred.

Speaker 2: 25:47

CI. So how it works if you're in a more casual setting, like you're not at a bank, typically, how we just do the trade is like 80 cents to the dollar. So if you drop $100 US, that's only $80 CI. So we talk because it's just easy in the moment to say, oh, $20.8. All right, that's $16. Ci. So I think when again the US tourists see that they kind of get thrown and they'll be like, oh, I've tipped them and everything with my 20s, Like you haven't even paid the tab.

Speaker 1: 26:16

Yeah, yeah, exactly Exactly. It's like no, that went to the tab.

Speaker 2: 26:21

You feel guilty asking them hey, could you actually? It's this our dollars worth more.

Speaker 1: 26:28

When they're like, when they're like, keep to change. You're like actually yeah you have any.

Speaker 2: 26:33

You haven't even got to the whole bill yet, exactly so that's a big problem.

Speaker 1: 26:38

So good to know.

Speaker 2: 26:39

Okay.

Speaker 1: 26:40

Okay.

Speaker 2: 26:40

All right.

Speaker 1: 26:41

So what about the driving? Driving.

Speaker 2: 26:43

Okay, so probably another issue. I mean, I don't know what do the rest of the islands have roundabouts.

Speaker 1: 26:49

Yes, the islands are at least the ones that are frequent. I've been to you, definitely roundabouts, and then for some reason. I do not want to insult anybody when I say this, but, yes, most you know I'm going to say probably the same thing, yeah. They have a little bit of an issue with the roundabouts, although, yes, you do have some states in the US but there's, I think.

Speaker 2: 27:12

I don't know what are different or not.

Speaker 1: 27:14

It's like funny thing in training that somebody from training that told me I still need to like verify this, but somebody in training that to me that their rules, and the roundabout is exactly what we try not to do in our roundabout. So I'm curious about your roundabout.

Speaker 2: 27:29

What is your roundabout? All right, so our rules on our roundabout is basically how we started developing the roundabouts. They never had them when I was like younger. It's only been probably the past 15 years or so that we started getting a lot of roundabouts and now they're multi-layered roundabouts, like three-layered roundabouts going around.

Speaker 1: 27:48

This is like a rubah.

Speaker 2: 27:50

And so when I was doing my driving test we didn't have to deal. We just had one lane going round, maybe two at some areas. Now there's three lanes, so they've tried to make it as easy as they can. They have arrows on the ground. Stay in this lane if you're going straight through. Stay in this lane if you're turning off. If you're going all the way around, go in this lane. So they've tried to help with signs leading up to the roundabout to get them in the right lane.

Speaker 2: 28:13

But again, you don't really know where you're going as a tourist. Am I supposed to go straight or am I supposed to turn left so you could be in the wrong lane? So roundabouts is a big thing. So we have license plates that are a different color for tourists so I can tell what a tourist is driving and what we'll do is we give them space. Yes, because usually what will happen is, if you're going around a ways, for example, like past two exits is typically the norm you should be on the inner lane to go past two exits. If you're on the outer lane, if it's a two-lane roundabout, you leave at the first one or the second one. You don't go, you don't keep going around, and the tourists tend to keep going around, so you'll give them some space.

Speaker 1: 28:58

That is definitely one of the things that we see here as well. They'll take like the wrong lane as like seriously when you are exiting the first or the second, you are taking the right the outer, outer right.

Speaker 2: 29:10

The middle one or the one for us. We have two lane roundabouts, so then the other lane is where, if you go in all, around, all around, or if you're taking the third of the quarter, the fourth exit exactly, yeah, or if even. I think what happens is, if you even miss your stop, oh, that was it you stay in the inner one and you go all the way around and then you exit. Yeah, but people then like swerve.

Speaker 1: 29:35

Yes, and that is the dangerous point. But another thing that I noticed and I know I don't know how it is with you guys is like if you are coming on a straight lane and you and you have to stop at a roundabout right, Because, yes, yes, the people in the roundabout have right away correct.

Speaker 2: 29:53

Of course, yeah, we give way if we're coming up to it Exactly For us. We drive on the left, we drive on the left, so we're looking to the right.

Speaker 1: 30:00

Yes, sorry, it's like the same.

Speaker 2: 30:01

Of course that's okay.

Speaker 1: 30:03

You're in British territory, right? Yes, yes, okay, so that makes sense. So you drive on the left, so we're looking on the right. And then now things. Well, am I looking on the right?

Speaker 2: 30:14

Now we decide Okay.

Speaker 1: 30:15

I'll say I'm very good at switching back and forth.

Speaker 2: 30:17

Yeah, because you're going clockwise, because you're going clockwise, right, so I'm very, very good at this because I traveled to and, well, I just came back this week actually. Wow, so I get that.

Speaker 1: 30:28

I can switch back and forth real easy, but a lot of people have a lot of difficulty. Okay, so we look at the right. There's nothing coming, and then? We enter, but there's one thing that I noticed that tourists do a lot is they stop in the middle of the roundabout to let somebody in.

Speaker 2: 30:45

No.

Speaker 1: 30:46

For us that's a big no. No, because that is just so hazardous If you stop in the middle of it, and everybody knows they're just the roundabout is there to keep traffic keep flowing. You're not allowed to stop in it If you stop in the middle of it and I don't know I am bumping into exactly.

Speaker 2: 31:03

I have not actually seen that.

Speaker 1: 31:05

I have not seen that it's more so that I see that. I've seen that a couple of times.

Speaker 2: 31:09

I just see them in the wrong lane typically. So I usually give them space because usually I know they're probably trying to get to the airport. Okay, yeah, they did it yeah.

Speaker 1: 31:16

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 31:17

I've seen a few accidents too. It's a normal yes, yes, but other people are not.

Speaker 1: 31:23

as you know, we are very caring people, I guess you and I and we are in the tourism industry, so we understand that not everybody. If I'm driving in, you know in let's, let's do Miami, which is crazy driving yes, it is. If I'm driving in Miami then, yes, probably people will be honking in the back of me because I'm not driving the way a local would be driving.

Speaker 2: 31:48

Right, so yeah.

Speaker 1: 31:50

If you have done these mistakes in the Caribbean before, just please do not be hard on yourself. We completely understand.

Speaker 2: 31:57

Yes, we do understand and we do try to give you grace with it as well. Yes, absolutely, and I would highly recommend doing the insurance when you rent the car.

Speaker 1: 32:07

Yes, definitely do that. That's a big thing, because you're going to hit a red about every stop. Yeah, and that's the same here, I think. Um see, martin, also we've been trying to I think it's it was in uh, because we're trying to eliminate, um uh, what do you call it? Traffic lights.

Speaker 2: 32:24

Yeah, nobody wants we don't want to stop lights anymore.

Speaker 1: 32:26

Yeah, so because of that we've been implementing, I think we only have like one stoplight left on the island.

Speaker 2: 32:32

Wow.

Speaker 1: 32:33

So we've been taking all of them, we've been taking off and then I think, so if it's, if you're on. I don't know how it is in the Cayman Islands, but here we have a lot of problems with uh electricity sometimes falling out, so if that happens, the traffic lights will not be working either. No, yeah, so I can understand that reasoning. So I'm thinking so that people will be trying to get rid of it and also in case of a hurricane. You don't want to have these holes with lights and stuff.

Speaker 2: 33:01

So it doesn't make sense. I think we only have about a dozen of them. Yeah, we only have probably about a dozen of them on island, and they're mainly in Georgetown and Seven Mile Beach.

Speaker 1: 33:11

That's really it. Yeah, yeah, of course that makes sense. So what Nova has done, you know that they've found a really good way of avoiding that you can go from lane to lane in the roundabout, and that is that they've put like this concrete thing in the middle of the roundabout.

Speaker 2: 33:30

So once you're in, that lane.

Speaker 1: 33:32

You're in that lane, but that's very intense because I was really. I was trembling and was sweating when I was going through this. It's like, okay, you've got this, Make sure that you know where you're going before you enter this roundabout, because once you're in it, you can't get out until it's your asset.

Speaker 2: 33:47

You know like yeah.

Speaker 1: 33:48

They have started to help, so Aruba has taken it on another level.

Speaker 2: 33:52

Yeah, we might put some cones up and try to block people from going all the way around but that's only new as well.

Speaker 1: 33:58

Exactly.

Speaker 2: 33:58

And the arrows and stuff is there to guide you, but nothing as concrete, as concrete.

Speaker 1: 34:05

But let me tell you something. It was like that's the problem, then, because and this is I'm looking at you Samaritan public works. We have the arrows are very nicely done, once it's just done but, then, after a couple of weeks, months, it starts fading and then there's no lines anymore. So where are you going to go? What kind of paint? So I guess I have no idea. I need to really look into this because ridiculous.

Speaker 1: 34:32

There's like so many other roundabouts, it's like so faded that you can barely see where it is, where the lines are. But just so you know, remember the outer right, or, in this case, yeah.

Speaker 2: 34:43

Yes, Outer, lane outer.

Speaker 1: 34:46

lane outer, lane outer lane is for when you're exiting immediately after one or two exits. And then another one is if you want to go all the inner lanes, when you're going all around, and or you're taking the third or fourth exit, exactly, okay, we've had that Now, moving on to the fun stuff. Let's talk about beaches, okay.

Speaker 2: 35:13

I really am excited about beaches.

Speaker 1: 35:16

Let's go obviously seven mile beach is the one that's the most I mean in the world. Really you could say like the world knows about seven mile beach.

Speaker 2: 35:26

Yes, and that one's in Grand Cayman, and is it?

Speaker 1: 35:28

really seven miles. It's not, it's not. What is it with this thing? It's like the same thing with when the air has just faded. It's called a thousand steps and I'm really like this is not a thousand steps.

Speaker 2: 35:41

Yes, Unfortunately it's not actually seven miles long, I think the side of the island and obviously it sounds better to be seven mile beach versus five and a half mile beach.

Speaker 1: 35:57

So I like seven mile beach better.

Speaker 2: 35:58

Yeah, exactly. So when you're looking at Grand Cayman, just kind of the from north to south it's about seven miles, but that doesn't mean it's all the way. So that's why I'm saying the beach itself might only be five and a half, but the whole length of the island itself the largest peak on the island, like north to south, is going to be seven miles.

Speaker 1: 36:19

So that's where the name probably comes from as well. Exactly, I was just going to say that Okay. So what is so beautiful other than aesthetics? I mean, it's a gorgeous beach, but what all is so attractive?

Speaker 2: 36:30

about seven mile beach. I think what makes it very special compared to even other beaches that we have on the Brack little Cayman and even on the eastern side of the island, is that when you look at geography like base Cayman is actually featured as one of the most western islands in the Caribbean right, and I think people forget that obviously Cuba is above us and Cuba is, obviously it's them and us and then after that it's Central America. There's no one in between.

Speaker 1: 36:59

Exactly, there's nothing.

Speaker 2: 37:01

You can swim out a little too far, you might just end up in nowhere Someone from Honduras will find you, don't worry Right, eventually it happens that you know we have a lot of Honduran fishermen and stuff would go like back and forth. So it is a thing. But the thing with being on the west side of the island think of the current of the Caribbean that side of the island doesn't get any of the trash that comes from other Caribbean islands. On the eastern coast we get a lot of Caribbean trash and we know it's not from our island because we are quite a clean island as well. We're a small population and we're getting trash that has like Spanish writing on it. Obviously we're an English speaking country.

Speaker 2: 37:44

So, we know it's coming from other country and it's not. You know, it's just their litter and the current is bringing it over.

Speaker 1: 37:50

Basically, and so whatever the ships are throwing off board to that too, that too.

Speaker 2: 37:59

So it's the same with us. Yeah, exactly so. Seven mile beaches on the west side. It doesn't get any of that, so it's never get. The current itself never brings in trash or anything. It's actually always pristine. You go in the sea and you don't like float along bottles or anything like that. That would be more local trash. Someone's left to bottle their garbage that's not coming from the rest of the Caribbean. Even when you go to other sides of the island, you might find that trash more likely.

Speaker 1: 38:25

Yeah, but it's beautiful. Yeah, it was like, yes, we're going to go back to beaches in just a second, but I am so in awe that you said it's a very clean island. You know, it's like that's what everybody strives to be, but it is. And I have to say it's like in my opinion and in my experience and I see it here we see so many of the different Islanders from the different Caribbean islands that come with live here and it's not everybody is as proper as you would want them to be, unfortunately so yes there's a lot of littering way too much littering for my taste.

Speaker 1: 39:02

But, I've also because of that, and I think because, maybe because we're not doing our part, tourists are now thinking they don't have to either.

Speaker 2: 39:11

Yes.

Speaker 1: 39:12

And so there's a lot of littering from the tourists, especially from the cruises. I've seen this a lot in places where cruise tourists tend to be more.

Speaker 2: 39:22

Definitely.

Speaker 1: 39:23

How have, how have you guys been able to keep it so clean, the most popular beach on, you know, on the islands?

Speaker 2: 39:31

I do believe that they are kept. You keep it in. They are regularly cleaning it as well.

Speaker 2: 39:37

Even when there was a lot of the Sargazum. We're cleaning that up because that is our bread and butter as well. Like most Caribbean islands, our beach, our water is what brings people to us, so we can't have Sargazum and itchy water for the tourists. As one thing, we make sure that we have a lot of trash bins that are supposed to be emptied out regularly. Sure, if it's a public holiday, a long weekend, they can fill up. But we do expect people who move to this island to respect the island, and I agree with you as we get more people who aren't local. Yes, they come from other Caribbean islands. They come from other parts of the world where maybe it's not as clean and not as well they can care of. So they kind of just like throw a bottle out the window or leave a bag somewhere where it's like just put it in your car and just jump it at home. You know that'd be so much easier.

Speaker 1: 40:19

Right, exactly, yeah.

Speaker 2: 40:22

And so you do get other cultures where they don't understand. So we do have a trash issue and, like I said, I think some of it is coming from other nations because, again, like you'll see the labels, you're like we don't have that brand here or it's in Spanish or whatever it may be. Yeah, and we have a great program on Island. There's an organization called Plastic Free Cayman. Every month they organize huge like cleanups in different parts of the island and people are like loving it and we've always been talking about different ways of how we can even look at recycling as well as even maybe reducing. Plastic is something plastic containers and things like that the government's been talking about recently. So we are taking it a bit seriously here, which is great, and I think culturally, people came here seeing it was a clean island and luckily we do get a lot of the expats who do live here tend to want to keep it clean, which is nice.

Speaker 1: 41:09

Beautiful. That's amazing. I love that. I love to hear that. So, more and more I'm feeling like Cayman Islands is going to be my next destination. I don't know about you. Yes, all right. So before we were talking about beaches, I want to know from you, chelsea, which one is besides the forces seven mile beach, which one is the beach that you tend to frequent, which one is your favorite Like? Give me a top three, and it's not only on Grand Cayman, it can be, of course, on the smaller ones too.

Speaker 2: 41:40

Okay, I will tell you that the Brack doesn't really have too much beaches. Okay, because it is a rockier island. So that's where that adventure side comes from it.

Speaker 2: 41:50

Little Cayman, I think, with all their resorts, is just pristine, like in front of the Southern Cross Club, for example. For me, I would say, a lot of the beaches that you can find are on Grand Cayman. I seven mile beaches, a lot. So there's different types of beaches, just to be clear, and it depends on what you're looking for. I personally like going to governor's beach. It's the beach right in front of the governor's house, who's the governor of the Cayman Islands, and it's pristine. It's a large beach and because over the years especially with during 2020 and 2021, we've had some storms and it started to erode the beach a little bit, but that beach has always maintained like a good width and it's pristine. There's not a lot of shade on it, so it's perfect if you want a sun.

Speaker 1: 42:35

Great yeah.

Speaker 2: 42:36

And if I want a little bit more shade, I'd probably go a little bit north on seven mile beach to cemetery beach, and that has more of the casuarina trees like lopping over the top of you, so you get more shade, more coverage. There's even good snorkeling there as well, which you can't really find on seven mile beaches. Not too rocky, it's very smooth sand throughout, not a lot of rocks, which is nice.

Speaker 2: 42:56

And then I would say the other one would be spots beach would be a really great one. It's not on seven mile but it is more as if you're going towards Savannah, boddentown, like in the district of spots, so just on the outskirts of town basically, and people love going there because it's a small beach, has like two little cabanas and it's a great place to see, like go snorkeling and see turtles, basically because there's a lot of turtle grass in the area, wonderful.

Speaker 1: 43:23

Yeah, so those are some of my top ones Beautiful, beautiful. Okay, thank you so much for that. No worries, I'm going to spend like less than half an hour because, as I predicted, you and I are going to start, we're going to start this conversation and we're going to be like yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know there's no stopping us and I think I'll probably need to get you back on the show with one point or another, but we need to dedicate the last bit yes, we need to dedicate it to your area of expertise my favorite effort, and that is, of course, food.

Speaker 1: 43:56

I'm excited.

Speaker 2: 43:59

I love it.

Speaker 1: 44:00

Oh yeah. Okay, let's go All right, starting, of course, with the basic question what is a traditional dish in Kaman Islands?

Speaker 2: 44:09

Yes, okay. So we have a lot. Now I need to make this very clear Cayman was a dependency of Jamaica, all right, until about 1962, jamaica was under the British rule as well. They said, no, we want to be independent. They were independent in 1962. And so Cayman decided we're going to stay with the Brits, okay, we'll be a British overseas territory. So we stayed with them, and so we have a lot of Jamaican cuisine on Island. So I think sometimes there's that you know, people come here and say, oh, I'm having Caymanian food when they have jerk chicken or ox Taylor, ackie and Saltfish, and they are Jamaican.

Speaker 1: 44:40

And that's fine. But you know my heart and Ackie and Saltfish, oh my gosh. Yes.

Speaker 2: 44:46

So we have a lot of Jamaican dishes and when you see Caribbean restaurant, of course the majority of it is going to be Jamaican and that's fine, because we had a relationship with them for a very long time and we still have a relationship with them. But Caymanian food is kind of that low and slow kind of cooking and a lot of coconut milk, a lot of seafood was the big thing. Okay, so we are doing like stewed conk.

Speaker 2: 45:08

Turtle stew or stewed turtle would be the other one I know people, I know, but we are known as a turdling heritage is part of our culture. Okay, so we've been eating stewed turtle for like the longest time. I mean when Christopher Columbus passed us in 1503, he said Las Portugas is what he called the island at the time.

Speaker 2: 45:30

Because he saw all the turtles and that's where, like you know that, was part of the turdling heritage and even with our carnival on island it's called Bada Bonu, which is the tracks that turtles leave in the sand. You know that's what a bad a new is, so we love.

Speaker 1: 45:43

This is so interesting.

Speaker 2: 45:47

We really love turtles and we have a turtle farm but also, like it's, a turtle center where we help to, you know, develop and release turtles as well. So we have a mix of things because we don't want people farming them in the wild. So that's how they've been kind of managing it going forward. So stew turtle my mom makes an amazing one. Stewed conch everybody knows what conch is.

Speaker 1: 46:09

You know conch fritters, you know you'll be surprised that a lot of people still don't know what it is, but yeah, it's a shell.

Speaker 2: 46:17

It's a shell.

Speaker 1: 46:18

It's a shell animal.

Speaker 2: 46:20

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 46:20

And it's really delicious yeah.

Speaker 2: 46:22

Like Bahamian conch salad is like one of Bahamian conch salad is amazing. By the way, they are the king of conchs over there, right, but we do stewed conchs.

Speaker 1: 46:31

So we have a slice and put it in the pan. Yeah, and the Bahamians are just when it comes to conch they got it.

Speaker 2: 46:37

Oh yeah, you guys got turtle. They have the conch, they got the conch, they are the conch kings 100%.

Speaker 1: 46:43

And well, I have to say this real quick it's not conch. I've seen a lot of people say it's conch. It's not conch, it's conch, it's conch. Yeah, what a K.

Speaker 2: 46:52

What a K? Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 1: 46:55

And then the other thing is.

Speaker 2: 46:56

I would definitely say it would be like cave and style beef. Okay, so again, low and slow, braised beef, lots of flavors. We have a really specific pepper that's grown here. I don't think you can find it anywhere else in the Caribbean. It's called the seasoning pepper or they have it, but it's like slightly different than ours. It has the flavor, but not the heat.

Speaker 1: 47:15

Exactly I think we have the same thing. We have the same thing, but we have one called goat pepper.

Speaker 2: 47:20

You know, everyone has like a different one.

Speaker 1: 47:21

Everybody has a different name for it. Yes, yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 47:25

Yes, so they're amazing.

Speaker 1: 47:26

I love that. So you put in it oh everything, yes, everything Like everything. If my husband hears this, he'll be like oh yeah, I take he's totally into seasoning peppers, I think he has it in the kitchen like a standard, you know yeah.

Speaker 2: 47:40

My husband's so obsessed with seasoning peppers that he created hot sauces for it. Okay, he does hot sauces using seasoning pepper scotch bonnet peppers. Like he is amazing at what he does.

Speaker 1: 47:52

So, yeah, I think he's like oh, I'm going to cook up your husband too, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 47:56

Chef Thomas.

Speaker 1: 47:57

I think you guys.

Speaker 2: 47:58

I am. I am that much of a foodie. I married a chef, Okay Well done, well done. Well done and he loves. He's from Miami, he loves Caribbean food, so you know I love that. He loves the influences and all like. My mom even started making him cook at Christmas. I was like you trust him to make food at Christmas. He's not came out in, but I know that's a big step, so he does the came and saw me Wow With the season peppers obviously. Loads of seasoning peppers.

Speaker 1: 48:28

Yes, yes, and you said he makes his own hot sauce like that. This is one thing. Like you know how people collect mugs from the different destinations that they've been to and they collect like little magnets. I collect hot, hot sauces.

Speaker 2: 48:43

Yes. And we need to talk to chef and we need to explain to him that I'm expecting a yes, oh, don't worry, I'm going to have something set up in the next few weeks where we'll get you some mini bottles and everybody can kind of source them. Don't worry, I'll get you sorted. You can get right in the bottle we need to talk. Oh, my goodness, it's coming soon.

Speaker 1: 49:05

It's coming soon. Yes, the island of the Caribbean. I'll get you hooked up Again. Amazing.

Speaker 2: 49:11

That's the local. That's the local. Yes, you know that.

Speaker 1: 49:14

All right, so we'll be talking about what the traditional, some of the traditional dishes are, but what, like you said it in the beginning you're? The whole point of you starting this account on Instagram was to kind of like let people know about the smaller guys, the little restaurants.

Speaker 2: 49:32

Yes.

Speaker 1: 49:33

You do not know about, unless you've spoken to a local. So what would be your top three small restaurants that you can recommend?

Speaker 2: 49:42

Okay, top three, small off the top of my head right now, I would go with and I will say this is where tourists do have to go off the beat and pass. Okay, you can't stay on 7 Mile Beach for this. You can't stay in your hotel. You got to go look it.

Speaker 1: 49:55

No, okay, but this is what this whole show is about. We're about, you know, getting off the beat and track. Yes, we don't want you to be too comfortable you need to get out of your comfort zone to kind of really experience the Caribbean, exactly.

Speaker 2: 50:10

So some of the best local food restaurants you'll find are in the Eastern districts. Okay, so it's about, if we're driving from 7 Mile, maybe 30 minutes, 40 minutes away. And so I would say Grape Tree Cafe. I love their fish fry. Their fish fry is amazing. It's set up in a hut next to a gas station. That's on the beach and they have picnic tables out there by the sea. Love it so good. And now they started serving like jerk chicken and jerk pork as well. So it's, it's great. Miss Miss Vivien's is a K-man classic. Okay, Miss Vivien's kitchen is an East End and she's been making Caribbean food, Caymanian food as well. Okay, so Caribbean and Caymanian I will cover both because again we have that Jamaican heritage, so she might have some off sale as well. But she'll have stewed conch, She'll have stewed turtle and she'll have fried fish. You know all of those kinds of things.

Speaker 2: 51:01

And she has Miss Vivien's kitchen yeah, an East End, okay yeah, and they actually cook out of her house. And she set up the back porch that you can dine in, the back porch.

Speaker 2: 51:12

You see, that is what I mean, that's awesome yeah, that is authentic, awesome and it's been going on for decades, like ever since I was before I was a kid this been going on and it's still going strong. The food's amazing. People love it. People love it. So, like you, just drive up there, go and hang out with her and I would also say, where's my other one? Ooh so many options right across the street. I know you're challenging me here, so I got great food here.

Speaker 1: 51:39

I know it's a challenge.

Speaker 2: 51:41

I know East End. There's a lot of good stuff. It's hard to pick. I also like going and it's just because of course, I only gave you three options.

Speaker 1: 51:48

I can keep going, you know, if you're feeling exactly so, and just because of the sake of we don't want this show to be too long.

Speaker 2: 51:57

Yes, I got you.

Speaker 1: 51:58

Otherwise, you know, I got you and, of course, if anybody wants to know more about what Chelsea's talking about and you want to know some more other than the three we're talking about today, if you want to know more, just hop on over to her Instagram and, of course, that's going to be in the show notes. So yes, check out the link and go follow her.

Speaker 2: 52:16

But okay, I'll give you my number three. Let me give you the drum roll.

Speaker 2: 52:21

I will go with Heritage Kitchen. Okay, now, I've given you one for each district. Okay, I've given you Boddentown, which is great, true cafe. I've given you Miss Vavines, which is classic Caymanian Caribbean food, out back porch in East End, and then just north of Seven Mile Beach, is West Bay, and so I would say Heritage Kitchen if you're going for a fish fry. It's a very colorful little hut. They're known for making five fish, yes, and they're very popular as a place for fish and also they do Caymanian Caribbean dishes as well, like during the weekend and during the week. So Heritage Kitchen, grape Tree Cafe and Miss Vavines kitchen would be my top three right now.

Speaker 1: 52:59

I am so hungry already. I'm like right now I can use some of that Canadian food.

Speaker 2: 53:08

Yes, it's all the food. It's cooked food, man.

Speaker 1: 53:13

Yeah, exactly, you know, do they have Caribbean people when they're cooking food? And you know there's a song and I'm trying to remember it the lady from Jamaica. I had a lady from Jamaica that used to help us around the house and she used to tell me all the time it's like may her soul rest in peace. I miss her so much. She used to tell me Me love you, like me, love cook food.

Speaker 2: 53:34

That's what we say. No, that's a lot of love, it's a lot of love yeah so that's I'm saying. You see that Jamaican and Cayman and kind of yeah, a little bit.

Speaker 2: 53:43

Yeah, but I think it is important. You know, and I love what you do because I think people, if you're just a tourist Looking at the Caribbean as a whole, you think the first thing you think is jerk chicken, fried fish and maybe like roti or something, because the big countries stand out more. You know, then, and that's the cuisine you have in your mind of what Caribbean food is, and so you kind of don't think and I'm sure it's Saint Martin as well as a rubah, as rules curacao, everybody's got their own thing. Sure, we do what the tourists want as well.

Speaker 2: 54:14

You know, that's important to make sure they want a little fish fry.

Speaker 1: 54:16

We got fish and also, if you want burgers, you can get burgers.

Speaker 2: 54:20

Yeah, we do that. Well, we want you to stay away.

Speaker 1: 54:22

Yeah, let's please stay away from the burgers. You're not coming to the Caribbean for the burgers. You're coming for the food, and I think also that what I've seen is a lot of people are afraid of it because they think Jerk chicken again. They're checking about the jerk and the jerk. If you're not used to spices, it could be a little hot.

Speaker 2: 54:41

Yeah, yeah, people that are used to it.

Speaker 1: 54:44

But and then so they label Caribbean food as hot. You cannot leave an entire. Area like that an entire region to have the same kind of you know there's something for everyone and that's what I love. Caribbean food. Definitely now, what about somebody like me who, on a very good day, when I'm trying to be a very good girl, I'm vegan. When I'm so, so okay, I'm vegetarian and on a regular day. I'm a Pascatarian, so we've got the Pascatarian part covered. I can get my fish.

Speaker 2: 55:14

Yeah, I can get my. Yeah, you know, that's definitely.

Speaker 1: 55:17

But what about? What about vegan and vegetarian?

Speaker 2: 55:21

Yes, we have restaurants for that as well. Like we actually have everything you can think of. Remember, we have, yeah, a huge expat community. Like 50% of our population Is expat and they're coming from all over the world Expecting all types of things. So even the grocery stores have to stock things from the UK because of our British population, or because we have a lot of South African, so we have a lot of Filipinos or Jamaicans, so like we have a little bit of everything, and so you see that in the restaurant scene as well. I think that if you're looking for a restaurant, you're looking at bread and chocolate as a vegan restaurant on the island, located in Georgetown small little place, really good. They do like a tofu scramble, that kind of mimics, like an ackee and saltfish kind of idea. You even have island naturals really great spot. They have vegan vegetarian food super popular and they're actually expanding into a new spot. So they're gonna have two locations which people are really excited about.

Speaker 2: 56:14

So those would be your top, your main two, and then also Vivo in West Bay, like the northern part of Sevmal Beach, when you go up there, vivos, like on the water, and another vegan vegetarian restaurant and I think they started serving maybe some lionfish, you know, and seafood, but not too much. It's very much more focused on the vegan vegetarian.

Speaker 1: 56:34

And I think it's, it's, it's, it's. It's something like in Simarton that most of the restaurant will nowadays have at least one Vegan dish on their menu. Yes, is that a case there as well?

Speaker 2: 56:45

Yes, yes, most restaurants. I mean, I think, when you go, when you go to like a traditional Caribbean restaurant, you probably not go get them.

Speaker 1: 56:53

No, then you're not, then you're just shit out a lot, but I mean they could have put, you know, bacon, fat and the rice and beans.

Speaker 2: 56:59

For all I know, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 57:01

Yeah, I've had that, I've had it so many times and what I think it was important to record, like somebody, was like rice and their kind of Gondolas which I love I love that Roscoe and gondolas which is like rice and some kind of pea or bean. Yes and I'm just munching on this and I was like, oh my god, it is the most delicious. And then my husband looks at me. I was like you know, those little things that you thought were onions, that's actually pork fat.

Speaker 2: 57:29

Oh my god, see, okay, I was just going it out there for you. Yeah, no, but it's true, like the smaller places, Exactly, and then I guess it's.

Speaker 1: 57:41

It's. It's kind of like the same as here as well, where most of those places are cash and they don't take cards Is that um most of the no, we take cards at most of the spots, actually even the little fish fries I told you about take credit card? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, that is most places have their own little credit card like machine. I would say that you don't need to actually walk around with a lot of cash when you know, that is such a good thing to know.

Speaker 1: 58:08

Okay, yeah, because here and a lot of other Caribbean items, but I think that's because of what we were talking about before we started recording. Yes, we don't have access to PayPal. Yes, those kind of things so then of course, the smaller businesses won't be able to do. Exactly also where the credit card machine and stuff like that.

Speaker 2: 58:26

It's just yeah, you know when you go to somewhere like also.

Speaker 1: 58:30

Yeah, that's a Great.

Speaker 2: 58:32

You know it's all of those things. So, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 58:37

Cash is king in a lot of places, and also in a lot of big places. So I think, yes, it's a little different. There's a lot of access for a lot of people, whether you're a small business or not, yeah, yeah, that is very interesting.

Speaker 2: 58:50

I would say that the one place that I would take cash, where I always feel I need cash, would be the farmers market. So, if you take a trip to the farmers market because you're like, oh, I want to try some local fruits or local vendors or pastries, have cash for that. That's the one place I always have to have cash. But otherwise I could go to these small mom and pop restaurants and even though it's outside of our house, I can pay with card.

Speaker 1: 59:12

Wow, that's amazing. That is really such a good thing to know. Okay, so before I let you go, chelsea.

Speaker 2: 59:19

Yes.

Speaker 1: 59:20

And I'm thinking, you know, we've talked about all of these food things. We've even talked about that there are some vegan and vegetarian. Now I'm gonna say that there are, of course, restaurants on Brock. There are tiny restaurants, yes, and on yes and little this, then the little has one to little came in. Yes.

Speaker 2: 59:42

Yes, they have. They are like we have loads of restaurants in Grand Cayman like anything you could think of we have. And then the Bragg. They probably have about 15 to 20 restaurants, but again it's only 1500 to 2000 people who live there, right?

Speaker 2: 59:56

But you can find there is a beautiful farm to table restaurant and the brack called little bit, so little, and it's a farm to table restaurant. They grow things on the bluff and then they make cocktails. It's like it's very high-end, it's gorgeous. So you can find that in and even in the Cayman Brack, you know. And then you can find the pizza place that you know, the bar barracuda.

Speaker 1: 1:00:19

Okay, there's something for everyone. I love there's something. Everyone good. Now when does your husband work?

Speaker 2: 1:00:28

So yeah, this one restaurant.

Speaker 1: 1:00:30

Where can we find chef Tannin? Yes, so I'm saying it right. I was like you have a feeling.

Speaker 2: 1:00:37

We'd like to call him Thomas, thomas Tannin, yeah okay, so.

Speaker 2: 1:00:40

He is a very well-known chef on the island. He's been here on and off for over a decade. He even worked at like one of the best farm to table restaurants on island, which is known as the Brasauri. They have their own like two fishing boats that they do. It's crazy but they are, they're so good at what they do and so he's learned from that as well. He's he's from Miami, worked for a James Beard award-winning chef, michael Schwartz, so he's kind of trained with the best and farm to table is his jam and he just loves Caribbean flavors. So he's right now doing personal chef kind of catering stuff on the side, like. So if you come to the island you want a personal chef experience, like you just have to reach out to him.

Speaker 1: 1:01:20

He loves making or to you, jimmy Churries.

Speaker 2: 1:01:23

Yeah, or to me and I can connect you don't worry. But yeah, he does like he's a master at making hot sauces like Chef up, hot sauces like he has like plant and flavors mango, you know it's amazing. So it's not just heat, he's got some flavor to it you know, and so he's doing his own thing.

Speaker 1: 1:01:41

I'm on my way, I'm on my way half my hot sauce ready or hot sauce yes.

Speaker 2: 1:01:48

So probably want to try a few of them Wow. Amazing.

Speaker 1: 1:01:52

Yes, chelsea, this is great. So, as a you know, a good buy, can you leave? Our listeners with something very important that you should know about visiting the Cayman Islands. What is one of those things that you definitely need to avoid doing, or what is one of those things that you're saying you need to notice If you're a first-time Cayman visitor?

Speaker 2: 1:02:16

I Would say that when you're coming to Cayman, it is a pretty straightforward island. You get what you you you see Nothing's very scammy or anything like that. The people are friendly. We're all here to help you and Even with your coming here and you have questions, you can message me any of the food bloggers or you know Influencers that you see on island. They're always happy to help you. That's part of the Cayman kind experience is what we like to call it, and so you can find a lot out on. You know the visit came in our website. You can reach out to me directly. But, coming to the island, know that you know your, your US currency, is welcome here. We obviously are very well known for our financial and banking system.

Speaker 1: 1:02:59

We have Offshore and Cayman Islands goes hand in hand.

Speaker 2: 1:03:06

Yes, I know, but it's just cuz we're tax free, we are actually tax free. That's the big thing that I know. I saw that.

Speaker 1: 1:03:12

I was like no taxes on your income, right.

Speaker 2: 1:03:16

No I.

Speaker 1: 1:03:19

You have an extra room, you have an extra.

Speaker 2: 1:03:22

yes, girl, I'm ready for you, that's it start putting it together.

Speaker 1: 1:03:26

I'm on my way, but yeah, we have a little no taxes.

Speaker 2: 1:03:31

Exactly, we have a little bit of everything for everybody, depending what you're looking for people. People see grand Cayman and they think, oh, I'm gonna do that and we do have a little bit of everything in great Cayman If you just want to do that. But I do urge you to look into Cayman Brack to do a little bit more adventure and I look. I urge you to go to little Cayman to get a little peace and quiet and unplug and do some diving. You know.

Speaker 1: 1:03:53

So well, how is it easy to get from island to island?

Speaker 2: 1:03:57

Yes, yes we have our. We have our own airline, so our national carrier is Cayman Airways and so we. I know you and I said earlier how it's hard to even navigate the Caribbean.

Speaker 1: 1:04:09

It's actually very.

Speaker 2: 1:04:10

It's very hard and all of us tend to have to go to Miami and come back down. K-man has a lot of routes. We have direct to New York, we have direct to LA, which came in. Airways now started and Miami is obviously a huge hub for us as well and, to be honest, we just launched going to Barbados with Cayman Airways. It just is gonna start in October.

Speaker 1: 1:04:32

So that's kind of exciting and that should help with my Beijing people, you can come, my Beijing people, you can come straight. It's a one direct flight, right there's no, yeah.

Speaker 2: 1:04:43

So if you want to do K-man's LA, you can do that, because it's the same airline right, so you could look into things like that with Cayman Airways.

Speaker 1: 1:04:50

Beautiful. And now, what about the three islands? Like, if I want to explore all three. What is the easiest way to get from one to the other, you cannot boat.

Speaker 2: 1:04:58

If you were thinking that there's no fairy, can I swim it? You definitely can't you can't even see the islands from grand Cayman. You can see little.

Speaker 1: 1:05:11

Yeah, okay, yeah, how do I get there? It's like I will need to fly.

Speaker 2: 1:05:18

You're gonna fly in a very small plane. I'll tell you that.

Speaker 1: 1:05:22

I'm gonna fly in one of those like yeah, in touch they say Lucifer d'Ocea. It's like this small box.

Speaker 2: 1:05:28

Yes but the lab with the matchbox wings, maybe 20 people. I thought you were talking about the extra small one where? It's like six people. Oh girl, yeah, no, no, I got a little bit bigger. Okay, yeah, okay, regularly between all the islands.

Speaker 1: 1:05:46

That's what we have between us and our sister Island, sabah and Stacia. So that's. I love that, I think that's the size of plane that we were talking about, and it's probably also with what we have with our sister Island, so you can see it on a clear day? Yes, you can see one or both of them, depending on how clear it is. But yeah it's not exactly we're gonna swim over, oh no.

Speaker 1: 1:06:12

Okay okay, just for just so everybody knows, if you want to explore all three of the islands, you'll need to fly in a small plane.

Speaker 2: 1:06:20

Yes, make that note.

Speaker 1: 1:06:23

Okay, thank you, chelsea, so much for having the time to actually introduce us to your beautiful country, but I'm here to give us these little hints. You know, as a foodie, I cannot appreciate this anymore. Thank you so much for all that you actually divulge today and you give us so many great content to ponder on and to start planning. So yes anybody needs more information, please follow Chelsea on Instagram, and I think you also have a website.

Speaker 2: 1:06:54

Yes, I have a website, so it's island dash epicureancom, okay, but you can find me on Facebook, tiktok and Instagram as well with island epicurean K-man. Basically Just to kind of make it easier to find me.

Speaker 1: 1:07:09

Okay, perfect, and to even make it a tad easier, the link will be in the show notes so you can go and find her there. Thank you so much, chelsea, just you know, for the time that you've given us, but also all of this valuable information. I so appreciate you and I hope that you have a really, really great day.

Speaker 2: 1:07:28

Thank you. I appreciate being on this paradise perspectives. I really appreciate the platform and thank you for spreading the love about the rest of the Caribbean, especially the Cayman Islands. Isn't Chelsea?

Speaker 1: 1:07:38

just the best. So again, if you have some questions and you need help planning a more authentic visit to the Cayman Islands, you need to get in touch with Chelsea. I know I will for sure when I'm finally ready to visit. This reminds me, by the way, I need to go on Google flights to check for connections and ticket prices. Okay, so I'm gonna leave that for later.

Speaker 1: 1:07:59

So we've learned quite a lot about the Cayman Islands today. We now know how to properly spell and pronounce the name of the islands. We know that there are a lot of turtles and that they are not just super cute to look at, but that apparently they are also quite tasty in a stew as well. Portal turtles. Chelsea also recommended three little local places to visit when we're finally on a Grand Cayman and when we want some delicious Local dishes. So she's recommended some of these spots that we need to go to, and for the vegetarians and vegans amongst us, she gave us three spots that serve up some Amazing plant-based dishes. We now know not to stay put on only a Grand Cayman, but to also try to fly out to little Cayman for some relaxation and de-stressing, and to Cayman Brack, of course, for some great adventures. And she's also given us some spots to eat there as well. Now, last but not least, we've also learned not to get shocked when we pay anywhere on the islands, because Remember that the CI dollar is stronger than the US dollar. So maybe we'll save up a little more than usual for a Cayman Islands trip.

Speaker 1: 1:09:11

I don't know, maybe I Am so happy you were able to join me on this trip today. I hope you've learned a lot and that you, like me, are now super excited to visit the Cayman Islands. I will be back next Thursday to continue to whisper sweet Caribbean travel things into your ear. Until then, thanks so much for hanging out with me and Chelsea today. As usual, I'm gonna leave you with the sounds of gentle waves on the beach so that you can imagine yourself on 7 miles beach right now. Later, gator you.