Local Living

27 Mar 2015
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3 min read
Turks and Caicos is an island rife with beauty, opportunities for adventure, and most importantly, incredible food. Chef Cristian Rebolledo–Corporate Executive Chef for the Turks and Caicos Collection–weighs in with insight about his top picks for dining, shopping and relaxing in this Caribbean hot spot.

When venturing to a new destination, it’s best to take the advice of those who know it bests: the locals. While I am originally from Chile, and have spent much of my life and career in destinations like the United States, Europe and Asia, I now call this vibrant island “home” and would like to think I know a thing or two about how to best enjoy one’s time on Providenciales.

Hungry?

The culinary scene in Turks and Caicos is forging its own path, with talented chefs from all over the globe clamoring to the white sands to bring their expertise to local kitchens.

Landmark Eats

If you’re looking for the best traditional Caribbean cuisine and a laid back, beachside atmosphere, look no further than Bugaloo’s. It’s not just a restaurant; it’s a landmark and island staple and the perfect place to take your sandy kids after a day of diving or fishing. I enjoy harvesting the conch with the local fishermen. It does not get any more traditional TCI and fresher than that.

When I’m not cooking up a storm in Kitchen 218’s kitchen, you can typically find me enjoying one of my favorites, Yoshi’s Sushi Bar and Restaurant. My favorite thing about Yoshi is consistency (an important, and often overlooked, factor when it comes to cuisine). Yoshi has found the perfect balance between offering an innovative menu and dishing out consistently great food from night to night. I’m partial to the Volcano Roll.

Having children, I understand the value of having a wide variety of dining options available on your vacation directly at your resort. At Beach House and Blue Haven Resort & Marina, this is a reality, with an array of culinary options on-site. Kitchen 218, Fire & Ice, SALT bar & grill or the fire lounge, overlooking the mega yachts in our marina.

What to Do

Of course, one cannot spend all their time eating (although, that sounds pretty delightful to me), and the island is full of opportunities for adventure, shopping, and fun. If you find the time, make the trip to the Saltmills to Anna’s Art Gallery. There you’ll find a vast assortment of original paintings by locally inspired artists, and other quirky gifts to take with you as a capsule for your Caribbean adventure.

If you’ve fallen in love with the cuisine at the local restaurants, and want to try your hand at Caribbean cooking at home, make a trip to FOTTAC (Flavors of the Turks and Caicos) where you’ll find traditional Caribbean spices, rums, salts and so much more. If you’re on a romantic getaway, it’s the perfect place to find a souvenir to take back to the kids.

For locally made arts and crafts, the craft market at Ricky’s Flamingo Bar directly on Grace Bay is the perfect spot to find an array of items and after shopping just pop into Rickie’s for a tropical cocktail.

In my downtime, you’ll typically find me spending time with my wife and children, enjoying the raw beauty of the island. My daughters, ages 9 and 11, love long beach walksand I love to kite surf at Long Bay Beach. If my wife and I get time alone, you can often find us having drinks at Ricky’s. If you’re lucky, we’ll save you a seat!