Ring in the New Year, Island Style: Celebrate with St. John Catering

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A flat lay image featuring evergreen branches, a decorative card that reads 'December Where the magic happens,' and two polaroid-style photos of smiling chefs alongside a plate of food.

Welcome 2026 the Island Way

As December unfolds and the holidays carry us toward the New Year, St. John begins to buzz with celebration. Whether you’re arriving on island for a festive family gathering, a long-awaited tropical escape, or a New Year’s toast under the stars, our team is here to make every moment taste memorable.

At St. John Catering, we believe great celebrations start with great hospitality—warm, thoughtful, and effortless for our guests. From intimate villa dinners to lively New Year’s Eve feasts, we handle the details so you can savor the people, the view, and the start of a beautiful new year.

New Year’s Eve, Elevated

Whether you’re hosting a full villa party or planning a refined dinner for your closest friends, we’ll craft a menu and service style that matches the tone of your night.

Think:

  • Passed canapés featuring local seafood & bright island flavors
  • Chef-prepared multi-course dinners plated tableside
  • A celebratory champagne toast (we can coordinate bar staffing, glassware, and mixers)
  • Late-night grazing boards for when the countdown calls for one more bite
  • From quiet luxury to festive and fun, we tailor every detail.

Wake Up to a New Year—Beautifully

There’s something special about the first morning of the year on St. John: pastel skies, calm bays, warm breezes, and that unmistakable feeling of fresh possibility.

Start 2026 with a villa brunch prepared just for you.

Sample New Year’s Day Menu Ideas:

  • Coconut rum French toast with caramelized bananas
  • Smoked salmon platters with capers, herbs & island bread
  • Egg frittatas with garden vegetables from Josephine’s Greens
  • Breakfast sliders, fresh fruit spreads, and local pastries
  • Fresh-squeezed juices, brunch cocktails, and curated coffee service

We’ll prep, serve, and clean up—so you can ease into the year in true island style.

January Travel: Peak Paradise, Zero Stress

If you’re planning a winter vacation in January 2026, St. John Catering can support your stay with:

  • Full-service villa dinners for families, friend groups, and special celebrations
  • Provisioning & pre-arrival groceries stocked before you walk through the door
  • Boat-ready meals for charter days
  • Welcome parties, sunset gatherings, or beach-picnic spreads
  • Multi-day chef services, perfect for long villa stays and milestone trips

Sit back and enjoy your time on island—we’ll keep your group fed, happy, and well taken care of.

Island-to-Table Flavor for Every Celebration

As always, our menus highlight the best of the Virgin Islands: reef-caught seafood, locally grown produce, Caribbean herbs, and island-inspired comfort dishes. Working with fishermen, farmers, and artisans across St. John, we bring freshness, quality, and authenticity to every meal.

How to Book Your Holiday & New Year Catering

Booking early is encouraged—New Year’s Eve and January travel are some of the busiest times on St. John.

Here’s how to get started:

  1. Share your dates & villa location
  2. Let us know the type of experience you’re envisioning—NYE dinner, brunch, multi-day service, provisioning, or something custom
  3. We build the menu, staff, and service details, tailored to your group
  4. Arrive & enjoy—you focus on your vacation, we’ll handle the rest

Start Your Year with Flavor, Warmth & Ease

From midnight toasts to sunrise brunches to the long, lazy days of January, St. John Catering is here to make your holiday travel unforgettable. Whether you’re celebrating with a group of friends, gathering with family, or sneaking away for something intimate and peaceful, we’ll help you make every moment delicious.

Call Chef Mathayom at St. John Catering: +1 (340) 690-3868

Prefer email? Reach out to office@stjohncatering.com to begin planning your New Year’s and January catering experience.

Christmas tree decorated with lights, ornaments, and a red skirt, placed in a cozy corner of a wooden-finished room with bookshelves and festive decorations.
Let us set up a beautifully decorated Christmas tree adorned with ornaments and lights, creating a festive atmosphere during your stay in St. John, USVI.

Caribbean Christmas: Celebrate the Holidays in Style on St. John

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Holidays, Simplified (So You Can Just Show Up)

This season, let our team turn your getaway into a true Caribbean Christmas. From trimming a beautiful tree in your villa to cooking an island-to-table Christmas dinner (or a relaxed holiday luncheon), we handle the details so you can handle the memories. Book your flight, arrive in paradise, and we’ll make the rest effortless.

We’ve always believed great hospitality is equal parts flavor and thoughtfulness. That’s the heart behind our holiday service: curated décor, a polished service team, and menus that honor both tradition and place—so every gathering feels festive, delicious, and unmistakably St. John.

A Tropical Twist on Tradition

Think classic comfort, brightened by the Caribbean:

  • Tree & Trimmings: We’ll deliver and set up a Christmas tree with warm lights, coastal accents, and elegant ornaments—styled to your villa’s look and your preferences.
  • Tablescapes & Touches: Island-inspired linens, seasonal greenery, and candlelight that glow against the evening sea.
  • Villa-Ready Pantry: Pre-arrival groceries, breakfast staples, and holiday extras (think local jams, fresh breads, and sparkling refreshments).
  • Festive Sips: Sorrel mocktails or a holiday punch; we can also coordinate bar setup and staffing upon request.

Island-to-Table Holiday Menus

Our holiday offerings blend beloved classics with bright, local flavors. Menus change with availability, but here’s a taste of what we’re planning:

  • Starters: Conch fritters with herb aioli • Roasted pumpkin soup with coconut cream • Garden salad from Josephine’s Greens with citrus vinaigrette
  • Mains (choose one or mix & match): Citrus-herb roasted turkey with pan gravy, slow-braised short ribs with tamarind glaze, and reef-caught snapper with garlic-lime butter
  • Sides: Island stuffing with plantain & herbs, creamy mashed yuca or classic mashed potatoes, charred local vegetables, and rum-glazed carrots
  • Desserts: Guava bread pudding with vanilla sauce, coconut custard tart, and spiced ginger cake with whipped cream

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options are always available. We’re happy to build a fully custom menu for multi-generational gatherings or intimate celebrations for two.

Christmas Dinner or Holiday Luncheon—Your Choice

Whether you’re planning a formal Christmas dinner, a relaxed Christmas Day luncheon, or a series of festive meals throughout your stay, we’ll match the tone you want:

  • Seated Villa Dinner: Chef-prepared, plated courses with professional service.
  • Family-Style Luncheon: A beautiful spread that invites lingering and second helpings.
  • Grazing & Canapés: For welcome parties, yacht days, or beach-picnic moments that feel spontaneous, but taste refined.

How It Works (Three Easy Steps)

  1. Tell Us Your Dates & Guest Count: Share your villa location, preferred date (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or the surrounding days), and any dietary preferences.
  1. Choose Your Style: Tree setup and décor only, full holiday meal, or the complete package. We’ll tailor menus and service to your plans.
  2. Arrive & Enjoy: We’ll handle provisioning, prep, staffing, and cleanup. Your job? Unwrap the view and make memories.

Rooted in Community, Crafted with Care

As always, we source thoughtfully, working with local fishermen and island farms like Josephine’s Greens to bring the freshest produce to your table. It’s the same “island-to-table” approach we shared last month, now dressed for the holidays: honest ingredients, careful technique, and warmth that lingers.

Let’s Make Your Caribbean Christmas Unforgettable

From sparkling trees to spectacular feasts, St. John Catering is ready to host your holiday—beautifully, seamlessly, and with the flavor of the islands in every detail.

Call Chef Mathayom at St. John Catering: +1 (340) 690-3868

Prefer email? Reach out to office@stjohncatering.com and we’ll begin planning your custom holiday experience.

A breathtaking view of St. John, showcasing the Caribbean Sea, lush greenery, and serene islands, perfect for a holiday escape.

From Coast to Coast and Beyond: A Year of Food, Family, and Travel

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A bowl of sautéed mushrooms served on a bed of arugula, with sides of macaroni, mashed potatoes, and asparagus in the background.
A beautifully plated dish featuring tender mushrooms, served in Vermont.

A Year of Journeys and Joyful Tables

For me, travel has always been about more than scenery—it’s about connection. Over the past year, I’ve journeyed from Costa Rica and Mexico to Philadelphia, New York, Vermont, Dallas, Puerto Rico, and more. Each meal—whether shared under tropical skies or around a family table—became a celebration of memory and flavor.

Last month, we talked about the “island‑to‑table” approach here on St. John—how every ingredient, from red hind grouper to mangoes, is chosen for its connection to the land and sea. This blog continues that story—through my travels and how those experiences feed my culinary vision.

Costa Rica & Mexico: Sunshine, Sand, and Flavor

In Costa Rica, the pace of life set the tone for meals—gallo pinto with just‑picked mango, fish fresh off the grill, and pineapples so vibrant they redefined sweetness. Mexico’s streets, in contrast, pulsed with energy—tacos al pastor, quesadillas, and buzzing markets taught me that authenticity is found in simplicity and passion.

These journeys reinforced the truth I bring home to St. John: when food is local, fresh, and rooted in place, it tells a story that enriches every bite.

Stateside Adventures: Philly, NYC & Vermont

The U.S. leg of my travels held its own lessons. Philadelphia’s cheesesteaks embodied comfort. New York offered an endless array—from bagels in Brooklyn to rooftop dinners in Manhattan. In Vermont, I slowed down: meals of farmstead cheese, heirloom vegetables, and warm maple syrup felt like a pastoral embrace.

Dallas Surprises & Puerto Rican Celebrations

Dallas’s Koreatown stunned me—banchan spreads and sizzling grills brought dinner to life. In Puerto Rico, I celebrated a birthday with mofongo, delicious mocktails, and sunsets that tasted of celebration. Meanwhile, trips to Arlington, VA and Wilmington, NC brought me back to what matters most, spending quality time with family.

Bringing It Back Home: St. John Catering

All these experiences reinforce one thing: food is connection, story, and memory. This isn’t just travel—it’s fuel I bring into every villa dinner and event with St. John Catering. Whether I’m serving reef‑caught snapper or island-grown mango, I build menus around the freshest ingredients, infused with the places and meals that inspired me.

And as in last month’s blog, my sourcing remains grounded in our community—working with local fishermen, farmers, and Josephine’s Greens for produce straight from soil to plate.

Let’s Create Your Next Culinary Journey

You don’t have to travel the world to taste it. At St. John Catering, I bring global inspiration and local authenticity to every table—whether for villa dinners, weddings, or special events.

Let’s make your next meal unforgettable—meaningful, delicious, and rooted in place.

Call Chef Mathayom at St. John Catering: +1 (340) 690-3868

Email: office@stjohncatering.com

A vibrant assortment of Mediterranean mezze in Philadelphia featuring dips, olives, and fresh vegetables, perfect for sharing and celebrating flavors.
A delicious plate of shrimp and grits from North Carolina, topped with fresh pico de gallo and green onions, showcasing a blend of Southern flavors.
Delicious tacos from Puerto Rico featuring fresh ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese, served on a unique crispy breadfruit base.
Lechonera El Rancho de Apa. A traditional cooking setup featuring smoked meats in Costa Rica, showcasing the connection between food and culture.
A vibrant display of cacao pods alongside traditional grinding tools, reflecting the essence of local flavors and culinary traditions in Costa Rica.

How We Source Fresh Fish and Produce on St. John

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At St. John Catering, we believe that food tastes better when it’s rooted in place, when every bite tells a story of where it came from, who harvested it, and how it made its way to your plate. In last month’s blog, we shared how Chef Mathayom’s passion for food began in his childhood kitchen, where Thai-American traditions sparked a lifelong love for cooking and connection. Today, we continue that story by giving you a peek into the “island to table” philosophy behind each dish he prepares.

From Ocean Depths to Dinner Plate

On St. John, the sea isn’t just scenery, it’s sustenance. The fish served at your villa dinner might have been caught just hours earlier, hauled in by local fishermen who know these waters like their own heartbeat. This week, we’re featuring fresh red hind grouper, a beautifully mild, flaky fish, and tomorrow’s menu includes line-caught yellowfin tuna, procured directly from the dock and served with reverence for both flavor and sustainability. There’s simply no comparison to the taste of seafood enjoyed the same day it’s caught.

Island-Grown, Sun-Ripened, and Seasonally Inspired

The land here is just as generous. Take the mangoes, for example, sweet, golden, and warmed by the Caribbean sun. You’ll find them folded into chilled salads with mint, puréed into sauces with a hint of lime, or nestled beside grilled mahi and a glass of crisp white wine. From robust root vegetables and callaloo to heirloom eggplants and native herbs, St. John’s hillsides offer up seasonal produce that forms the foundation of every menu we create. Chef Mathayom doesn’t plan a meal and then source ingredients, he sources ingredients and then builds a meal around them. That’s how we honor both the seasons and the soul of the islands.

Our Favorite Local Farm: Josephine’s Greens

One of our most cherished sourcing partners is Josephine’s Greens, a small organic farm in Coral Bay known island-wide for its tender lettuces, peppery arugula, bok choy, edible blossoms, and fragrant herbs. Their greens add beauty, texture, and nutritional vibrance to many of our dishes, whether it’s a bright citrus-dressed salad or a colorful garnish atop grilled fish. These ingredients aren’t shipped in from far away. They’re nurtured right here on island, and that freshness is something you can taste.

We also work with farmers and purveyors on neighboring islands like St. Thomas and St. Croix, expanding our reach while keeping every bite authentically Caribbean.

Every Meal, a Moment

Our guests often tell us that dining with St. John Catering is one of the most meaningful parts of their trip, not just because the food is exquisite, but because it feels like it belongs here. Each menu is a custom expression of what’s fresh, what’s in season, and what suits the moment. Whether you’re toasting under twinkle lights after a beachside vow renewal or simply gathering your closest friends for a sunset dinner at your villa, we craft each dish with the same care Chef Mathayom learned as a boy: source with love, cook with intention, and serve with soul.

Let Us Bring the Island to You

You deserve meals that are as vibrant, natural, and nourishing as the view outside your window. With St. John Catering, every dinner becomes a love letter to the Virgin Islands—flavorful, beautiful, and completely unforgettable.

Let us bring the island to your table—with heart, heritage, and hospitality.

Call Chef Mathayom at St. John Catering: +1 (340) 690-3868

Email: office@stjohncatering.com

How Food Connects Us: Chef Mathayom’s Story at St. John Catering

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At St. John Catering, we believe food is more than nourishment, it connects us, sparks memories, and brings people together in the most meaningful way. For Chef Mathayom, that belief has guided him from his earliest days in the kitchen to his work today as one of St. John’s most sought-after private chefs.

Chef Mathayom’s culinary journey began in a Thai-American household where the kitchen was the heart of family life. His father, raised in Thailand, cherished the flavors of home. His mother, an adventurous cook, dove into Thai recipes from cookbooks to recreate the tastes her husband loved.

Watching this blend of cultures inspired young Mathayom to get involved. At just eight years old, he began taking charge of Sunday dinners. Every other week, he would flip through his mom’s well-worn cookbooks, pick out dishes that sparked his curiosity, and carefully write out a shopping list. Friday nights were for menu planning, Saturdays for gathering fresh ingredients, and Sundays for bringing it all to life in the family kitchen.

This early ritual taught him more than recipes. It showed him how food can gather people around a table, ignite conversation, and create memories that last for years.

One of his proudest early dishes was braised spare ribs, inspired by a recipe in a classic Betty Crocker cookbook. At age nine, he learned how to sear the ribs, coat them with mustard, tomato paste, and brown sugar, then slow-bake them with fresh vegetables. The result was a dish so good it became a family favorite, requested three or four times every year.

Of course, not every experiment was gourmet. He still laughs about his very first solo meal: fish sticks and creamed spinach. Ironically, he hated spinach at the time, but cooking it himself made him curious. It taught him that food can surprise you, and even change the way you see something you thought you’d never like.

Today, that same curiosity and belief in the power of food shape every dish he creates at St. John Catering. For more than twenty years, Chef Mathayom has crafted unforgettable dining experiences across the US Virgin Islands. From intimate villa dinners to grand island weddings, he brings people together through flavors that honor both his Thai roots and the bounty of the Caribbean. Living in St. John, a place he has proudly called home now, for over 20 years.

Each menu is thoughtfully designed to highlight fresh, local ingredients; seafood caught the same day, seasonal island produce, and vibrant flavors that blend Caribbean and Asian influences. Just like his childhood dinners, every detail is carefully planned so that the final meal feels personal, memorable, and deeply connected to the moment.

When you hire St. John Catering, you’re not just booking a private chef. You’re inviting a story, one that started with a boy in his family’s kitchen, dreaming up Sunday dinners that made his loved ones smile.

Whether you’re celebrating a wedding, a milestone birthday, or just gathering friends for a special meal under the stars, Chef Mathayom and St. John Catering are here to make sure it’s an experience you’ll remember for years to come.

Ready to bring your next event to life with unforgettable island cuisine?

Call Chef Mathayom at St. John Catering: +1 (340) 690-3868

Let’s make food that connects us, and memories that last forever.

July Full Moon Dinner – Crucian Collaboration #2

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We started our Crucian Collaboration series in 2017 after Chef Mathayom was a guest judge at the annual Taste of St. Croix. He was blown away by not only by the talent of the Twin City chefs but also by the variety of produce and locally sourced ingredients available on St. Croix. Inspired by the food and people of St. Croix he decided to host a collaborative dinner on St. John to showcase the best of the two sister islands.  

The first Crucian Collaboration Full Moon Dinner was in August 2017 with guest chef Ryan Bennet. The Caribbean inspired menu featured sofrito shellfish, roast goat roti, and mango ice cream paired with a trio of Rosé wines. The dinner was a hit and a second was planned for November 2017 with guest chef Frank Robinson, but then Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck in September 2017 and plans were changed.

Now, after recovering and rebuilding since the storms (and opening the Lucky Chops Private Event Space in Cruz Bay where the Full Moon Dinners are now hosted) the Crucian Collaboration series is set to start again. The July Full Moon Dinner on Sunday the 14th will feature the food and flavors of guest Chef and Master Mixologist Frank Robinson, a St. Croix native.

Robinson currently owns and operates BES Craft Cocktail Lounge in Christiansted, STX. The popular watering hole is known island wide for its one of a kind menu that features locally sourced tapas style dishes as well as a unique craft cocktail menu based off Robinson’s homemade infusions (like his tamarind-habanero syrup or passion flower infused gin). Robinson’s one of a kind flavor profiles and cocktail crafting skills have won him several awards including the 2014 & 2015 VI Stoli Cocktail Master, 2016 Diageo Rotary Iron Bartender, and he took home gold in the 2016 Taste of the Caribbean being named the Caribbean Bartender of the Year.  

Now Robinson is bringing his talent for showcasing island cuisine to St. John for the Crucian Collaboration Full Moon Dinner on July 14th. The special menu he designed for the evening (pictured below) highlights the flavors of the Virgin Islands in both the food and drink pairings which are meant not only to delight the diners’ palates but also to connect them to the islands themselves through the use of local ingredients and traditional dishes. The five course meal will be available for one night only on Sunday, July 14th (dinner starting at 6pm). Gust can choose to enjoy the dinner for $75 or dinner with drink pairings for $99.

Seating is limited for the Crucian Collaboration Full Moon Dinner, held at Lucky Chops in Cruz Bay (the former Fish Trap Space), and reservations are required. Contact our office at Office@StJohnCatering.com or call (340) 690-3868 (Monday-Friday 9am-5pm) to make your reservation.

Menu for July Full Moon Dinner themed Crucian Collaboration.

Happening in March: Full Moon Dinner and Hit Makers & Rum Chasers

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This March the chefs from St. John Catering are taking part in some amazing, inspirational and one night only events happening both on island and on the mainland including a Full Moon Dinner on March 19th and the 2019 Hit Makers & Rum Chasers musical series.

First, our Chef Fabio Zaniboni is taking the lead for the March Full Moon Dinner at Lucky Chops Lounge (in the former Fish Trap space in downtown Cruz Bay). He’ll be bringing a taste of his homeland of Italy to the dinner having designed a five course menu showcasing authentic Italian flavors and cooking techniques (menu below). Themed Italian Five Seasons, the menu is available only beneath the full moon on March 19th starting at 6pm. Make your reservations now by emailing us at office@stjohncatering.com or call the office at 340-777-5464. $95 for dinner or $125 for dinner with wine pairings.

Also happening in March is Hit Maker & Rum Chasers, which St. John Catering is once again honored to be a part of this year. Hit Makers & Rum Chasers is a series of musical events benefiting The Charley Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides support to charitable agencies addressing the critical needs of children. The series of shows, which is held across America and on St. John, feature hit songwriters telling the stories behind their popular tunes. 2019 dates and cities include:

  • March 7th – New York, NY
  • March 8th – Boston, MA
  • March 9 – Cambridge, MD
  • March 20 – Charleston, SC (flyer pictured below)
  • March 21 – Washington, DC
  • April 13th – St. John, USVI

And to accompany the musical performances each guest can enjoy not only world-class rum cocktails but also a first class, island-themed dinner, the menu for which was designed by our own Chef/Owner Mathayom Vacharat.

For more information on Hit Makers & Rum Chasers or to get your tickets visit their website at www.HitMakersandRumChasers.com.

October’s Full Moon Dinner Benefiting the Family Resource Center

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October’s full moon fell on Wednesday, October 24th, one week before Halloween, so it seemed fitting to choose a Halloween related theme for our Full Moon Dinner. Our chefs came up with the theme of Let’s Play Dress Up playing on the holiday tradition of dressing up in costume. The evening’s playful menu, designed by Head Chef Lori, featured food in disguise using molecular gastronomy to transform familiar flavors into unexpected dishes. The October Full Moon Dinner was also a benefit for the Family Resource Center who received the proceeds from the event totaling over $800.

Moon Trees Full Sky Silhouette Starry Planet

To begin the meal diners were served a surprise amuse bouche of dehydrated olive soil, radish, and goat cheese foam made using whipped xanthan gum. The first course followed, a watermelon salad with compressed watermelon, basil gelee, feta mousse, and a walnut lace cookie. The light, slightly sweet starter was paired with a 2017 Sauvion Les Fondettes Sancerre.

Amuse Bouche: Dehydrated Olive Soil, Radish, and Goat Cheese Foam
First Course: Compressed Watermelon Salad

 

For the second course our chefs constructed a seafood Neapolitan tower from crispy dough layers and fresh caught fish served over a red pepper roulie. The seafood course was paired with a chilled glass of 2015 Domaine Ferret Pouilly-Fuisse.

 

Second Course: Seafood Neapolitan
Third Course: Savory Creme Brulee

 

Taking a twist on a classic French dessert, the third course presented by Chef Lori was a savory foie gras creme brulee served with a glass of 2014 Tablas Creek Esprit de Tablas from the central coast of California.

 

Intermezzo: Pea Ravioli Spheres
Wine pairings for Oct. Full Moon Dinner

 

Our palate cleansing intermezzo followed, a perfect bite of liquid pea ravioli spheres served with a sprig of fresh mint. Pulling from her molecular gastronomy knowledge Chef Lori used cold oil spherification to make the unique dish dropping cooled oil into warm agar (a vegetarian alternative to gelatin made from a seaweed base) to form the ravioli spheres.

 

Smoking process for beef tartare
Smoking process for fourth course.
Fourth Course: Smoked Beef Tartare

 

Our smoked beef tartare for the fourth course was served still smoking (see the video on our Facebook page), the technique adding a fun and aromatic element to the dish that complimented the savory aspects of the beef and the egg yolk, which was cured with alder wood smoked sea salt and sugar for 16 hours. The tartare was served with a fresh herb salad and a glass of 2010 Numanthia Tempranillo, known for its deep and dense flavors.

6th dessertDessert for the October Full Moon Dinner was a beetroot, dark chocolate, raspberry, and black olive dish conceived through the principles of Foodpairing, a culinary technique that creates dishes by matching the key aromas for each ingredient. In this dish the beetroot shares woody notes with the chocolate and olives while also matching to the lighter, floral notes of the raspberries. Put all together the seemingly disparate ingredients act in unison to produce a uniquely harmonious dessert. It was paired with a glass of 2013 Terraza Single Vineyard Malbec, a wine with complimentary berry and chocolate flavors.

group picProceeds from the dinner, $825 in total, were donated to the Family Resource Center , a non-profit group that works tirelessly to end family violence in the Virgin Islands and offer support and shelter for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault. At St. John Catering we are proud to support this local USVI non-profit and want to thank everyone at our October Full Moon Dinner that helped us raise money for their cause.

Our next Full Moon Dinner is Saturday, November 24th. The theme will be Black & White as November’s full moon is the White Moon and the date of the full moon falls just after Black Friday. Like our previous Full Moon Dinners, the meal will feature a one night only menu with five delectable courses for $95 per person. For our November Full Moon Dinner, a Caribbean Wine Club pairing will also be available for an additional $30 per person.

The remaining Full Moon Dinner dates for the 2018/2019 winter season are:

  • November 24, 2019 // THEME: Black & White
  • December 2018: no full moon dinner
  • January 21, 2019 // THEME: Packages & Parcels
  • February 19, 2019 // THEME: Little Baby Things

Full Moon Dinners are held at Lucky Chops Lounge in Cruz Bay (at the former Fish Trap restaurant space) and hosted in partnership with St. John Catering. Full Moon Dinners are one night only events with limited available seating, so reservations are required (340-690-3868).

v2 NOV postcatd

October’s Full Moon Dinner happening NEXT WEEK (10/24)

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Moon Trees Full Sky Silhouette Starry Planet

We’re so excited to be coming up on the second FULL MOON DINNER of 2018, which is happening Wednesday, October 24th at Lucky Chops Lounge. Last month’s dinner, Arabian Nights, was a hit with a menu that showcased the exotic cuisine of the Middle East and was inspired by the Harvest Full Moon.

yolk and wine OCT 24

For October’s Full Moon Dinner the chefs are drawing on the Halloween season for inspiration with the theme of the night being Let’s Play Dress Up. The one-night-only menu will feature food in disguise as the chefs use molecular gastronomy and their own creativity to transform ordinary ingredients into fantastic creations as beautiful as they are delicious(see full menu below). For this Full Moon Dinner there will be a wine pairing to go with the five course meal, and the wines served will also be available for purchase at wholesale price on the evening of the event.

Reservations are required for all Full Moon Dinners, so call today to reserve your spot for this one-night-only culinary event (340-690-3868)

Moon Trees Full Sky Silhouette Starry Planet

Arabian Nights for the Harvest Full Moon Dinner

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When the Harvest Full Moon rose over St. John on September 24th we welcomed guests to our first Full Moon Dinner since Hurricane Irma hit in 2017. And it seemed fitting that our first full moon dinner would be beneath the Harvest Moon.

The Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the first day of fall, was named for farmers putting in long hours in the autumn to work their land and harvest their summer crops. Though there isn’t much farming on St. John now, this past year we’ve seen many hard days and long nights as we too work our land rebuilding St. John post-hurricanes. However, the Harvest Moon isn’t just about work; it’s also about the bounty of the earth, about reaping what you sow, and being thankful for what you have. That message also rang true this year for all of us as at St. John Catering.

So when we started to talk about the return of full moon dinners and our first dinner in September, we wanted a theme that encompassed both the the indefatigable nature represented by the Harvest Moon and the abundance. What we came up with was Arabian Nights; the stories of a woman (Shahrazad) who, for a thousand and one nights, worked to save her own life by placating the murderous King with fantastic stories of adventure and opulence eventually becoming the Queen. From hard work to bounty, so went the story of Shahrazad, and so too was our theme for the evening.Arabian menu + drinksInspired by Arabian Nights, which was a collection of stories from around Asia and the Middle East, Chef Jehoiada “Jeh” Roberts conceptualized the menu for the Arabian Nights Full Moon Dinner so that it would highlight dishes from around the region.

1_amuseDiners began the meal with a special amuse bouche of a Dueling Beet Hummus Cucumber Cup prepared by the Head Chef of the evening, Lori Dudkin, along with a glass of spiked carrot kombucha with cantaloupe juice. The kombucha was brewed by our sister company and co-host for the evening, Lucky Chops Lounge.

Next came the first course: Fried Eggplant with Tahini and Pomegranate Seeds. Chef Lori’s daughter even made a special trip to St. Thomas just for said pomegranate because it is such an important ingredient in traditional Middle-Eastern cuisine, having been cultivated and cooked within the region since ancient times.

1st course.jpgThe second course served was Shorabit Jarjir, a red lentil and squash soup. Its earthy flavors were perfectly suited for our first fall dinner (autumn having officially started just two days before on Sept. 22). We served our soup with house-made grilled flat bread, and for guests having the drink pairings a glass of Alois Lageder 2012 Pinot Bianco.

To cleanse the palate, we next served a vegan Mango Sorbet, which obtained its creaminess from the natural texture of the fruit.

The main course for our Arabian Nights dinner was Djaj Bil-Bahar Il-Asfar. This dish comes from Iraq and is an intensely fragrant yellow spice-rubbed chicken that we served with a pearl couscous that was tossed with bits of dried fruit and almonds for crunch. The dish was paired with a crisp glass of Simi Chardonnay 2016 Sonoma County.Main & Dessert.jpgThe meal ended on sweet note with a bountiful piece of Semolina Coconut Cake with Orange and Rose Water and a glass of Bedin Rose Frizzante, a Merlot Rose from Veneto, Italy. Chef Lori made some Hibiscus Syrup to brighten the plate and cut through the dense cake.  Guests also got a sweet treat to take home with them, a piece of handmade baklava.diner guestsWe hope all our guest who attended the Arabian Nights Full Moon Dinner enjoyed the evening. For us it was not only a pleasure to cook for our guests, but also a milestone in our recovery story. Hosting the Full Moon Dinner at Lucky Chops Lounge meant restarting a pre-storm tradition in our new post-storm home, our personal bounty after a year of hard work. The creativity and camaraderie of our shared meal was invigorating, and a wonderful reminder of why we started this culinary tradition back in 2016.

group photoNext month the full moon falls on Wednesday, October 24th. Our theme for evening will be Let’s Play Dress Up, a lighthearted meal inspired by the costumes of Halloween that will feature food in disguise. Seating is limited and reservations are required (340-690-3868)

Additional dates for 2018/2019 include:

  • Oct. 24th: Let’s Play Dress Up
  • Nov. 24th: Black Friday, White Moon
  • December: no full moon dinner
  • Jan. 21st: Packages & Parcels
  • Feb. 19th: Little Baby Things

 

Full Moon Dinners Return

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Before the storms last September, St. John Catering had the tradition of hosting monthly full moon dinners at our Windy Level Event Center. These monthly pop-up events were popular with locals and tourists looking for a unique, one of a kind dining experience on St. John. Each full moon dinner featured a themed menu and optional drink pairing served beneath a beautiful full moon on the patio at Windy Level Event Center.

Pre full moon dinners

However, this tradition stopped when Irma hit and the Windy Level Event Center was destroyed. Since then owner Mathayom and his crew have been working hard to rebuild St John Catering finding a new home at Lucky Chops Lounge in Cruz Bay. Now, a year after the storms the tradition of monthly full moon dinners is returning this time being hosted at Lucky Chops Lounge.

In the past menus for full moon dinners have ranged from explorations of local cuisine and produce, such as at our Crucian Collaboration Full Moon Dinner, to bountiful samplings of exotic and unique flavors such as our Thai One On or Kickin’ Ash dinners. For the return of Full Moon Dinners on September 24th the theme will be Arabian Nights, a celebration of bounty and thankfulness in honor of the harvest moon.

Arabian Nights menu

Reservations are recommended as seating will be limited for this special event; call Lucky Chops to make a reservation (340-690-3868). If you can’t make the first Full Moon Dinner mark your calendar with the upcoming Full Moon Dinner dates as this will again be a monthly event:

  • October 24: Let’s Play Dress Up
  • November 24: Black Friday, White Moon
  • December: no full moon dinner
  • January 21: Packages & Parcels
  • February 19: Little Baby Things

Like us on Facebook or follow our blog for updates and the latest information on full moon dinners and other special events.

St. John Catering: 6 months after the storms

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From destruction comes opportunity, and for us at St. John Catering & Mathayom Private Chefs, we have certainly borne witness to this truth. Having experienced both the destructive forces of the 2017 hurricane season on St. John as well as the new growth and rebuilding efforts on island that came as a result, we are proud to share our progress with you.

In September 2017 we lost our Windy Level Event Space in Hurricane Irma, a category 5 storm which along with Hurricane Maria ravaged the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. In the months since we’ve been working hard to rebuild under the guidance of Owner/Head Chef Mathayom Vacharat operating first briefly through the Little Olive Food Truck in Cruz Bay before moving to our new permanent home at Lucky Chops in the former Fish Trap restaurant (scheduled to open in Spring 2018).

Our new space at Lucky Chops has afforded us a new home with larger kitchen and storage facilities, plus a newly renovated space for events right in the heart of Cruz Bay. We have indoor and covered outdoor seating, as well as a private, 800 square foot, air-conditioned bar, where we can host upwards of 100 guests.  We will be serving fast-casual Asian inspired appetizers and small plates, and the vibe will be relaxed and spacious.

The new location will also serve as home base for St. John Catering and Mathayom Private Chefs. The kitchen is up and running, which means we are now ready, willing and 100% able to handle any catering or private chef needs for the 2018 season and beyond. Our prices will remain unchanged for this season, and we plan to revise our catering menus over the summer.

So please keep us in mind for all your catering needs from intimate in-villa dinners to extravagant beach weddings, and as the new culinary destination coming soon to Cruz Bay. We are here to serve the community of St. John and the Virgin Islands, and are extremely grateful to still be doing so.

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Transformation is underway at Raintree Court in Cruz Bay!

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The St. John Catering team is busy completing the process of renovating the former Fish Trap restaurant, which permanently closed its doors after the hurricane season in 2017.  We wish former proprietors Aaron and Lisa all the best in their future endeavors, and thank the entire Willis family for the opportunity to continue serving the community of St. John.

We are extremely excited to announce that our newest venture, the Lucky Chops lounge, will be opening soon in this space. With a welcoming, relaxed island feel right in the heart of Cruz Bay, Lucky Chops will feature an expansive covered outdoor seating area and an 800 square foot enclosed air-conditioned bar.

In addition to the bar menu which includes Chef Mathayom’s island-famous home-brewed Kombucha, cocktails, and cold beer; the small plates menu will showcase Asian-inspired dishes with a focus on being fresh, fast, frugal, and family-friendly – somewhere between regular bar fare, fine dining, and the currently-trending fast-casual service.

While the renovations are being finished at Lucky Chops, the kitchen is already open for our St. John Catering clients. Chef Mathayom Vacharat and his team are already hard at work with weddings, private dinners and charity events on St John, St Thomas and beyond.

Last month’s “Hit Makers and Rum Chasers” benefit in Nashville was a great success and brought in over $50,000 in much-needed donations to the Virgin Islands schools and children’s organizations, and we were grateful to be a part of it.

As we focus on our new venture, we will be ending our partnership with the Little Olive food truck at the end of February so that we can plan a grand opening for Lucky Chops sometime in March 2018. But keep your eye out on Little Olive’s specials board, you might get a taste of what’s to come as we test out recipes for Lucky Chops!

Stay tuned to the St. John Catering blog and Facebook page for more updates and information on our progress, and thanks to everyone who has supported us throughout the years.

 

Fish Trap gets new life with St. John Catering

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We are excited to announce that Mathayom Private Chefs and St. John Catering is taking over the restaurant formerly known as the Fish Trap in Cruz Bay.

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The move represents a huge move forward for us after losing our previous space, Windy Level, in Hurricane Irma last September. Since then the team, under Chef/Owner Mathayom Vacharat, has been working hard to rebuild taking over the Little Olive Food Truck in December and the Fish Trap starting in 2018. We have also continued to provide the best in catering and private chef services across St. John and the Virgin Islands and are now taking reservations for the 2018 season.

As for our new space at the former Fish Trap restaurant owner Mathayom says, “We are going to make some big changes and hope to have our new space up and operating by mid-February,” so stay tuned for the grand unveiling in 2018. “And a big thank you to all the friends, family, and clients who have helped us get back on track so quickly; we look forward to serving the community once again.”

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Hit Makers & Rum Chasers: A hurricane relief concert for the children of the USVI

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Hello Nashville! Mark your calendars for January 30 because St. John Catering and Mathayom Private Chefs are coming to town for the Hit Makers & Rum Chasers hurricane relief concert. We are excited to be working on this event with the Charley Foundation, a non-profit organization in Nashville dedicated to improving the quality of life for children in need. Our own Mathayom Vacharat will be the guest chef at this night of food and music to benefit the children of the US Virgin Islands whose lives were adversely affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria in September 2017. We are forever grateful to organizations like the Charley Foundation for their continued support of St. John’s recovery, and we look forward to being a part of the Hit Makers & Rum Chasers hurricane relief concert.

Event information

  • Date & Time: Tuesday, January 30, 2018; 6:30pm dinner, 7:30pm concert
  • Location: City Winery Nashville
  • Ticket sales: charleyfoundation.org ($125 dinner & cocktails; $50 general admission)

Little Olive, our temporary home after the storms

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Owner Mathayom Vacharat leaning out the back of the Little Olive Food Truck, a new venture for his business St. John Catering. Inset picture shows Windy Level Event Space, his old establishment that was leveled by Hurricane Irma in September.

The 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season is over, but it will not soon be forgotten. It transformed St. John and the Virgin Islands as one of the most destructive seasons in the Greater Antilles with damages estimated to be in the billions across the Caribbean. The storms changed both the physical landscape of the region as well as the lives of everyone who has come to live on or love these tiny, emerald islands.

With a resilient island spirit, St. Johnians would not wallow but rather rallied and days after Hurricane Irma struck reconstruction efforts were already underway. However, we’ve found that rebuilding after the storms hasn’t simply been about recreating things exactly as they were before because St. John will never be exactly as it was before. Instead we’ve had to adapt to unexpected opportunities and changes that arose in the wake of the hurricanes.

One of the most exciting opportunities we’ve had is to temporarily take over the Little Olive Food Truck in Cruz Bay (DMV parking lot). With Chef Shelly McElligott making breakfast and lunch daily we’re able to continue producing delicious food reflective of our dedication to rich flavors and the utilization of changing local ingredients.

Open weekdays from 11-5. Follow our Facebook page for daily menu specials and any changes to normal operating hours.

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August 2017 Full Moon Dinner – Crucian Collaboration #1

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When I went to St. Croix for their annual Taste of St. Croix this year, http://tasteofstcroix.com/ I was once again taken aback by the level of talent that the chefs there have on the regular, as well as the relationships that they cultivate with the local farmers. The agriculture community on Twin Cities is very in touch with the culinary world, and the final result is a food scene that is mature and robust.

While we do have our maintain our own garden next to the kitchen, have an organic farm in Coral Bay, and work with local fishing charters for product, the variety of locally sourced ingredients on St. Croix simply eclipses what we have on St. John.

As I was sitting at breakfast with other guest judges and one of the main organizers and producers of the event, Jane Watkins, and was expressing my jealousy of the chefs on our sister island having such abundant access to locally grown produce, she suggested that I try to find a way to collaborate with some of the passionate restaurateurs and chefs there. So I took her suggestion.

It has taken some time to organize, but this month, we welcomed our first guest chef of what we hope is many. Ryan Bennett is a former co-worker of one of our chefs, Vince Alterio, from back in their Chicago days, and has the culinary background to stand up with the best of them, including time working in some premier restaurants in Chicago, such as Gather and Graham Elliot before moving to St. Croix.

He is currently at Brew STX, an establishment not necessarily known for fine dining, but Ryan designed a menu that was both eclectic and familiar at the same time. We joined forces with Paul Kessock at Bellows International to pair a trio of Rose’s with the courses.

August’s menu was 90-95% locally-sourced and featured Caribbean-inspired flavors.  Here’s what our guests had to look forward to:

Sofrito Shellfish Consommé: Butter Sauce Conch / Avocado Puree / Salt Fish Lavash / Pickled Green Papaya / Fresh Racao

Pairing: Miraval Rose’

Roast Goat Roti: Crispy Roti /Tender Goat / Sweet Potato Puree & Chip / Mint / Turmeric / Coconut Rice

Pairing: Montes Cherub Rose’

Fruit: Mango ice cream / Pineapple Johnny Cake / Coconut Crunch / Lemongrass Gastrique / Basil / Crispy Plantain

Pairing: Josh Cellars Rose’

In addition, Chef Ryan and Chef Vince treated our patrons to some “one-bite” amuse bouche style plates.  This was the first time I got to attend as a guest, and although I won’t divulge what those one-bites were, I can tell you they were delicious!  OK, I may have had some wine and can’t remember properly at this time, so instead I will distract you with pictures of food.

Ryan, Isabela, and Vince
Chefs at work
Soup, pre-broth

The soup course was meticulously plated prior to being dropped in front of the customers.  The broth was a concoction of Thai Basil Tea and Habanera Peppers, and was poured table side from French presses after the bowls were set down.

Goat “roti”
Plating in the kitchen

Chef Ryan sourced out locally made roti shells on St. Croix, and chose to plate with braised local goat, sweet potato (two ways: chip and puree), mint, turmeric, and coconut rice.  All of the guests completed decimated their plates.

 

“Fruit”

“Fruit” dessert: As promised, a combination of tropical flavors that seemed to explode on the plate, as well as on the palate.

We look forward to welcoming Chef Frank Robinson, a St. Croix native, in November for the second in our Collaboration Series.

Special thanks to St. John Inn for housing our guest chefs and providing a special rate for anyone wishing to stay the night and attend one of our dinners.  Check them out here: http://www.stjohninn.com/?gclid=CKO144bo8NUCFUxahgod9ckDAA

September’s dinner will be around the Harvest Moon and feature foods from the Great Midwest.  Friday, September 8th, so call us to reserve early!  340-777-5464.

 

 

July 2017 Full Moon Dinner – Thai One On

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Sorry for the late post!  We have been working very hard in what is the busiest July I can remember, which is great, of course, but also comes at a cost: less time for the beach, friends, music, exercise, and obviously, blog posts.

We did still have time enough to throw together a Full Moon Dinner, and it was our most popular ever, with 70 guests.  Since I had just gone to Thailand and Vietnam to visit some family and had brought back authentic spices and ingredients, it seemed fitting to share that with our guests, especially since there are no real Thai or Vietnamese restaurants in the Virgin Islands, at least that I know of.  To keep the experience even more authentic, and to make it (a little) easier on ourselves, we decided to make the dinner family-style, since most meals in Thailand and Vietnam are served this way.  I guess that’s why I always want my girlfriend to split entrees with me when we go out.  I like variety.

Courses came out one after the other, and since we were in the kitchen getting things out in a hurry, I completely forgot to take any pictures of anything.  So, to fill whatever visual cravings you might have, I am going to post some pictures from my trip instead.  The trip inspired me to connect with more of my roots and family, and was an opportunity to show my son another side of the world.

We paired up with Southern Glazer’s and brought in a few different Sierra Nevada Beers as well as some Suntory Whiskey for the event.

Here is the menu we designed for July 10th, 2017:

Great print job!
We added on to this menu

In addition to the Curry Trio (Massaman, Panang, and Green), Green Papaya Salad with fresh, local Papaya, Spicy Beef Salad, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Fish Cakes, Son-in-Law Eggs, Sticky Rice, Jasmine Rice, and Teas, we also had some some Bun (Rice Noodles), Tom Ka Soup, and array of sauces and pickled vegetables.  We also finished with a Thai Iced Tea Popsicle.

All of the food was born of the idea that we wanted to treat folks to an experience as close to what they would get in Southeast Asia as possible.  The extremely hot weather certainly helped us achieve our goal!

Here are some of the places, faces, and flavors that helped this idea come to fruition…

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‘Pon de River!

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The mountains above Chiang Mai

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Chatuchak Market

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Reclining Buddha

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Heart to the sky

 

Our journey to us first to Bangkok, where my son and I met up with many members of our family.  It was his first time meeting my father’s side, since we live so far away.  From there, we headed to Chiang Mai to spend some time connecting with even more family (28 members in all made it to this part of the visit).

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Lyric, Hua, and Nick enjoying lunch

 

A quick few days in Vietnam took us from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi to Halong Bay, and back to Ho Chi Minh.

Dragon Fruit plays center stage
Turmeric & Ginger
Stinky Durian
Coconuts, iced down for your pleasure

With markets all over the place, it was hard to resist filling our suitcases with fantastic flavors.  We definitely did not bring back any fresh fruits or vegetables, as per the USDA regulations.  Wouldn’t want to risk losing our Global Entry statuses, after all.

Prawns
Dragon Fruit
Pho and Fresh Herbs
Whole Fish with Chili
Northern Thai Family
Mangosteen
Seafood Soup
VERY large pile of noodles

 

Throughout, it was an amazing trip filled with new experiences that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.  Dreaming about going back as soon as possible and spending even more time there.

I hope that our guests enjoyed the evening and got the feeling that they were transported to another locale for just a few hours.

August’s Full Moon Dinner was another amazing time.  Stay tuned for the next update, soon come.

 

May 2017 Full Moon Dinner – Kickin’ Ash: Smoked and Grilled

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The May Full Moon represents, in many ways, a fresh start.  It’s called the “Flower Moon”, “Milk Moon”, or “Planting Moon”.  For those of us in the service industry on St. John, it usually marks a period when High Season comes to a close, and we are finally slow enough to take a rare break before Wedding Season and Carnival start kicking in.  For many people in the States, it constitutes the end of the school year, the approach of Memorial Day and summer, and weekends outdoors with the family.

To that end, we wanted to do a dinner that was a tribute to the beginning of BBQ Season.  What better way than to build our own Grill Pit for the occasion?  The talented Chef Ben Lewis spearheaded our project from head to toe, with the assistance of Chefs Vince Alterio and Pat Ryan, and got the entire thing sketched, sourced, and built in less than a week’s time!  Our space just got a Redneck Upgrade in a very cool way.

Gardener Mathew Gibney and Chef Ben Lewis
Firing up The Beast!

 

We collaborated with Glazer’s Premier, who hooked us up with Hess Wines for this event.  Take a look at the menu and pairings:

Folks were actually texting us about how excited they were for this dinner, especially the meat portions!  Let’s take a look at the courses in detail.

Course 1: Full Nest Syndrome

Grilled Quail / Chorizo-Date Stuffing / Sweet Potato / Smoked Pepper Sauce

We decided to build this plate like the bird was sitting in an actual nest, so we threaded and fried the Sweet Potato, perched it on a plate that was dusted with Moringa Powder, and accented it with our Smoked Pepper Sauce.  The Quail was par-grilled on our new toy and finished in the oven prior to plating.  Sekhem, Mathew’s son, was thrilled to help stoke the fires!

Young Master Gibney
Marking off the Quail
Salt-Crusted Driftwood from Salt Pond
Quail Plate (angle1)
Quail Plate (angle 2)
Quail Plate (angle 3)

 

 

Course 2: Day and Night

Day: Morbier / Quail Egg / Lardon / Grilled Brioche

Night: Morbier Fondue / Short Rib Skewer

Here, the goal was to create a dish that used the same ingredient in two different ways.  We chose Morbier because of it’s duality.

From Wikipedia: “Traditionally, the cheese consists of a layer of morning milk and a layer of evening milk. When making Comté (cheese), cheesemakers would end the day with leftover curd that was not enough for an entire cheese. Thus, they would press the remaining evening curd into a mold, and spread ash over it to protect it overnight. The following morning, the cheese would be topped up with morning milk.”

The Quail Egg was a simple sunny side execution, and the Lardon was Apple Wood Smoked Bacon that was grilled and then thick cut.  The Fondue was actually more of a Mornay, but we weren’t splitting hairs that day.  We did a 13 hour Sous Vide on the Short Rib prior to slicing and skewering, and dusted it with Smoked Paprika.

Breakfast for Dinner!
Cheesy Sauce, Aerial View
All pretty in a row

 

Course 3: Dust in the Wind

Smoked Wahoo / Lime Ash / Windy Level Greens

Fairly straight-forward and clean flavors dominated this plate.  Even though the Wahoo was smoked, we brightened it up and made it into a salad with Radish and Preserved Lemon, then stuffed it into Baby Romaine from our garden, tied with Lemongrass.

There were two types of Lime Ash on the plate.  One was rich and dark, made from the rinds, with almost a roasted coffee feel.  The other was dehydrated Lime Juice, which added the tart, citrus notes.

We finished the plate with Charred Tomato, Preserved Lemon, Green Goddess Dressing, and Nasturtium Petals.

Artsy-Fartsy Salad

 

Course 4: Table Top Luau

Al Pastor Roast Pork / Taro / Charred Pineapple

Chef Ben Lewis really wanted to take charge of this main dish, so we gave him free reign to cook the pork as he envisioned.  Marinated slices of Pork Shoulder were layered and skewered, wrapped, then set in a water bath for 18 hours.  After chilling it to retain it’s shape, they were then wedged in between Pineapple tops and bottoms, brushed with a spicy balsamic reduction, charred, and roasted to bring back to temperature.  We served these standing up, surrounded by a nest of Grilled Pineapple, Fresh Thyme, and Chicharrones.

Side dishes to complete the Luau feel were Taro for Caribbean Poi, Forbidden Black Rice, a Jalapeno Bread Panzanella, and a Roasted Beet “Poke”.  We gave each communal table a knife and designated one of the patrons to be the carver.  I think having guests participate in the action gave every table more of a family feel and some easy talking points.

Stand up and be counted!
Caribbean Poi
That pork has a loud bark
Black Rice / Banana Leaf
Chef Pat’s first FMD 🙂
Panzanella
Beet Poke

 

Course 5: Go Nuts, Go Bananas

Grilled Banana Bread Tamale / Cinnamon Ice Cream / Smoked Pecans

Usually by the time dessert comes around at our dinners, our guests are full and happy.  So we have gotten into the habit of reducing our portion sizes a bit with the hope that no one leaves overstuffed.  We purposefully made our sweet treats more lightweight this time, especially considering that some of our dishes were on the heavier side of the palate.

Taking Banana Leaves from our garden, we softened them in hot water and rolled cigar-sized tamales.  After baking them, we set aside and grilled them to bring them back up to a nice, warm temperature, as well as add that light smokiness we were using as our central theme.  After pairing it with a small scoop of Cinnamon Ice Cream, Smoked Pecans, and Smoked Maple Syrup, we sent it out into the dining areas.

Oooh La La
Tamale Time
Simple yet elegant

 

Overall, guests seemed to be pretty thrilled with everything.  Our front of house team crushed it (AGAIN), and in the kitchen, we had a ton of fun.  So much so that we forgot to take a group photo!  C’est la vie, no?

Join us on Friday, June 9th for the next exciting edition of the Full Moon Dinner!  I Bahn Heh: Local Flavors and Ingredients (5 courses).  Call us at 340-777-5464 to reserve your space, or just say hi.  It can get lonely behind a computer screen all day…

After that, we are planning some really special treats for the 2017-2018 Full Moon program, including possible collaborations from some guest chefs!  Keep an eye out for the schedule of concepts, and we hope you’ll be able to experience one for yourself sometime soon.

Dragon Fruit Season in the VI!

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Hello once again from lovely St. John.  It’s been a while since our last blog post, and here we are in the middle of summer with nothing but the heat and the beaches, so we decided to fire up the ol’ keyboard again.

Late summer in the Virgin Islands has it’s advantages and disadvantages.

Some disadvantages: 

– Prime Hurricane Season

– Restaurant and other Business Closings for off-season AKA no cash flow

– Hot as a Habanera on an open flame

Some advantages:

– You can finally find parking at the beaches

– Some world class, fireworks-style sunsets

– Time to work on new recipes

– Local fruit season!

For example, check out this local Dragon Fruit vines that are growing in our yard here in Coral Bay.  According to one well-known plant-loving generational Virgin Islander, these native cactus have been growing wild in Upper Carolina for as long as she can remember, and we are lucky enough to have bumper crop this year, perhaps due to the unusually large amount of rain we have been getting lately, possibly a side effect from El Nino in 2023.

The Dragon Fruit Cactus (Hylocereus Undatus) is in the family of night blooming cereus, and it’s large white and yellow flowers appear from about July through October.  They only bloom for one glorious night, and because of this, I was not able to get a good shot of one for this blog post.

After they bloom, the flowers wilt and die off, eventually shriveling up and in their place grows a Dragon Fruit!  You can see here a large cluster of still-green fruits with their wilted flowers attached.

Normally, the Pearly-Eyed Thrashers, the birds known on St. John as Thrushies, ruin just about every fruit one comes across.  And they’re kind of jerks about it, too.  It’s one thing to eat it for yourself, bird.  It’s another to just poke a hole in it and leave it for the ants.

I haven’t had any luck ripening the Dragon Fruit from when it is green if it’s picked from the vine.  One really has to let it do it’s thing naturally, and therein lies the danger of having it eaten by another creature before one can get to it.

So we have taken to placing some netted produce bags over the green fruits once we see them and securing the bags with a loose rubber band.  This seems to protect it most of the time.  But a lot of the fruits are hard to reach (did I mention they are on a cactus?), and often well hidden until they ripen on the vine, as this one has done.  They outer peel turns a bright, vivid pink, which is not very tasty but much easier to spot than the unripe fruit, both for humans and thrushies alike.

The Dragon Fruit on our property have only gotten to about the size of a tennis ball.  You may have seen them in a specialty grocery store much larger, but they have about the same flavor profile: mildly sweet, with a delicate white flesh and small, edible black seeds not unlike a kiwi has.  Some Dragon Fruit have bright pink flesh that almost matches the peel, and they are reportedly sweeter than the white fleshed ones.  Here you can see some of our fruit cut open before we eat them!  (They were delicious).

I like to chill ours, both to keep them fresh longer, but to make them into a cool, refreshing treat.  To make them even cooler and more refreshing, try out a very simple dragon fruit sorbet recipe (below) if you feel like putting your chef skills to the test at home. 

Or, as an alternative, book with us and you might be one of the lucky clients to try it from one of our chefs.  An ice cold treat to get you through the record breaking heat on island this summer!

Dragon Fruit Sorbet

3 cups peeled and chopped dragon fruit flesh (with seeds)
1/2 cup sugar
2 T Fresh Lemon Juice
2 ½ T Water

In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend on high for 1 minute or until combined and smooth.  Add a little more water if necessary.

Pour ingredients into Ice Cream Maker and freeze while your paddle is going for about 30 minutes or until the mixture is nearly solid and has a good consistency.

Alternatively, you can make a granita, which is a coarser version of this, by freezing the mixture in a shallow pan and scraping it with a fork or spoon after it’s solid.

Serve immediately or keep in the freezer up to 2 weeks.

Enjoy!

Unripe Dragon Fruits With Flowers Wilting
Night Blooming Cereus (Dragon Fruit Flower)
Dragon Fruit Ready To Be Picked
Ripe Dragon Fruits
Freshly Picked Dragon Fruits

STJC_Policies

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STJC Logo Black Lettering on White Background

Policies:

Please read this carefully.

You will be asked to verify that you have read this when you request a reservation or place an order.

When booking an event, please print this page, sign the bottom, and return to the St. John Catering staff.  Thank you.

Our Policies

  •        Reservations and orders are based upon availability. All reservations must be confirmed by St. John Catering. Please do not assume that your order is placed unless you speak with an STJC representative.
  •        STJC will do everything possible to accommodate any order- however, short-notice orders may be denied. For the greatest chance of success, please plan ahead. We appreciate at least two weeks notice for Private Events and Provisioning and at least two days notice for our Drop-Off Service.
  •        Preliminary Deposits: To secure a date before details have been arranged, we gladly accept a $500.00 deposit for parties of 20 and under, $1000.00 for parties of over 20, and $1500.00 for parties of 30 or more. Once preliminary details have been established, we will charge the remainder of the 50% deposit due.
  •        Deposits: ALL DEPOSITS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE. A non-refundable 50% deposit is required to secure any Private Chef Event, Wedding / Banquet, Gourmet Delivery, Provisioning or Equipment Rental. For custom provisions, an estimate will be given based on your list of items.
  •        Balances Due:
  •        Private Chef Events- full balance is due on day of completion.
  •        Weddings / Banquets- final head count and payment are due 30 days prior to the event.
  •        Gourmet Deliveries- full balance is due day of delivery.
  •        Provisioning- full balance is due prior to delivery (day of).
  •        Equipment Rental- full balance is due prior to delivery (day of).
  •        STJC reserves the right to return a deposit to any client for any reason and release the reservation.
  •        There will be a 5% Credit Card Processing Fee (if applicable) added to each transaction.
  •        Payment Methods:
  •        We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover for your convenience. Please have your cardholder name, card number, expiration date, security code and billing address on hand. We also accept Certified or Cashier’s Check, Money Order, Local Check, Cash, or Traveler’s Check
  •        Please remit check or money order payment to: St. John Catering PO Box 1039 Cruz Bay St. John, VI 00831-1039
  •        STJC is not responsible for cancellation due to acts of nature, transportation difficulties, death in the family, change of plans, or illness. All deposits are non-refundable, however STJC will honor a deposit for up to one year if the guest needs to make a change of plans.
  •        Event Duration – In-Villa Chef Services are to be no longer than 5 hours of on-site time and larger events are to be no longer than 6 hours, to include set up, meal time, and cleanup. Extended staff hours are billed at $75 per staff member for each hour and each partial hour.
  •        A chef’s fee of $350 may apply for a la carte services (breakfasts, brunches, lunches, boat trips, charter jets, etc.).
  •        A sous chef may be required for parties of 10 or more. The fee is $250 for up to five hours including setup and breakdown. Additional hours will be billed at a rate of $75 per hour.
  •        Servers may be required for some events and will be billed at $250 for up to five hours including setup and breakdown. Additional hours will be billed at a rate of $75 per hour. The following are the guidelines for staff members:
  •        All Formal Chef Events (1 per every 10-12 guests)
  •        Informal Chef Events (1 per every 20 guests)
  •        Buffets (1 server per every 20 guests, 1 chef for every 25 guests)
  •        Cocktail Receptions (1 per every 20 guests, 1 chef for every 25 guests)
  •        An Event Manager is required for all large events (20pp+). This individual is your “Point Person” for the event and will communicate with the kitchen staff, floor staff, and coordinator (when applicable), as well as be present at your walk-through to review flow, timeline, and other pertinent details of your event. The fee for this individual is $350.00.
  •        Additional staff: bartenders, live station attendants, bussers and hosts may be required for some events and will be billed at $250 for up to five on-site hours including setup and breakdown. Additional hours will be billed at a rate of $75 per hour.
  •        Dishwashers are required for any event of 10 or more guests with rentals of china, glass or silverware and will be billed at $250 for up to five hours including setup and breakdown. Additional hours will be billed at a rate of $75 per hour.
  •        Holiday Fees: A $500.00 Holiday Fee will apply to any On-site Event and a Holiday Fee of $100.00 will apply to all Deliveries booked on the following dates: 12/24, 12/25, 12/31, 1/1. Please note that this is in addition to our regular rates.
  •        Delivery Fees Apply for Equipment Rental. Fees dependent upon volume of order, distance and ease of terrain. Average fee of $10 per guest for full rental package.
  •        Delivery Fees (as listed below) apply for food Provisioning and Gourmet Drop-off:
  •        Cruz Bay to Gifft Hill Road $65
  •        Rendezvous & Fish Bay $65
  •        North Shore Road $85
  •        Centerline Gifft Hill to Columbo’s (North Shore Junction) $85
  •        Past Columbo’s, Coral Bay and beyond $95

.      For St. Thomas events, please inquire.

  •        A Transportation fee of no less than $75 for In-Villa Chef Services may apply in addition to our regular rates to Villas on the East End of St. John, Calabash Boom and beyond. Transportation fees may also apply to St. Thomas.
  •        Gratuities are discretionary, with the exception of an auto-service charge on parties booked through vacation clubs or of 20 people or more, with additional gratuities welcome at your discretion.
  •       Last-minute changes are subject to a $500.00 convenience fee PER CHANGE, billed at the discretion of STJC. The term “last-minute” refers to any time frame less than 24 hours prior to the event for parties of less than 20 and any time frame less than one week prior to the event for parties of 20 or more. Changes may include but are not limited to menus, guest counts, timelines, rental needs, location, and food restrictions.
  •        We love kids!!! However, it is recommended that to maximize your enjoyment of the evening and to avoid being billed for extended staff hours, Formal Events should be child-free or you should plan on a start time that is after the kids go to bed.
  •        Children 11 and under are billed at half price of the adult service level for the event. Children 2 and under are not billed for the event if we are not feeding them, but we still appreciate knowing of their presence in advance so that we can provide the best possible service. Children have the option of eating half-sized portions of the adult menu or kids menus can be accommodated, but we request that all of the kids in the party have the same menu (Chicken Fingers, Burgers, Plain Grilled Items, Pasta, Mac and Cheese, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Veggies, Salad, Cookies, etc.).
  •        Equipment Rentals are priced for a 24 hour period unless otherwise stated on your invoice. Additional fees may be charged if rentals are kept longer than this.
  •        In the case of our Event Packages where rentals are included and staff is present, it is understood that STJC will knock down and carry away all of the rentals that same evening when possible (extended staff hours may apply). If the client chooses to have the rentals at the venue for an extended period without the staff there, a fee of $275.00 minimum, may be assessed if STJC needs to come back for a followup knockdown and pickup. The client may avoid this fee if cleanup from the event is done, linens are bagged, and the furniture/rentals are clean and stacked in a neat and orderly fashion, available for pickup in an easy to load location (no stairs or access to the inside of the villa needed, etc.).

When booking an event, please print this page , sign the bottom, and return to the St. John Catering staff.  Thank you.

Signature Line: _____________________________________________

Group / Company Name (If Applicable): ___________________________________

Date: __________________________