Tag Archives: dinners

Recap : May Full Moon Wine Dinner

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Another Full Moon Wine Dinner on the books, and another great success! Thanks to everyone who joined us last night for an Italian inspired menu and wines from AB Cellars. Mark Elia put together great pairings for the menu – below, check out each course, plus some behind the scenes photos!

 

Amuse Bouche : Grilled Flatbread / Fig / House Ricotta / White Balsamic Reduction

Paired with Valdobbiadene Prosecco, Trentino Region

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First Course : Lobster Bisque / Clam / Wild Local Thyme / Shrimp Oil / Coconut Foam

Paired with Tribbiana Trebbiano, Pisa Region

Second Course : Seared Local Tuber Gnocchi / Garlic Braised St Croix Jackfruit / Malabar Honey / Sorrel Puree / Local Yucca Flower / Infused Salt

Paired with Poggio ai Ginepri Rosata, Bolgheri Region

Intermezzo : Mutiny Rhum Lemongrass-Coconut Gelato

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Third Course : Plantain Wrapped Monkfish / Windy Level Pumpkin Caponata / Basil / Balsamic Reduction

Paired with Langhe Nebbiolo, Piedmont Region

Fourth Course : Fungi Explosion Ravioli / Mixed Wild Mushrooms / Thyme Beurre Rouge / Parmesan / Micro Greens / Shaved Black Truffle

Paired with Scopaiolo Red Table Wine, Pisa Region

Fifth Course : House Made Cannoli / Amaretto Ricotta / Toasted Almond / Cinnamon / Trebbiano-soaked Apricot

Paired with Vin Santo Sangiovese, Pisa Region

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And of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without a group photo!

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Next month’s Full Moon Wine Dinner will be a vegetarian menu, so stay tuned for more details!

Recap: April Full Moon Wine Dinner

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Tastes of the Iberian Peninsula at Windy Level

Well, if you missed last month’s Full Moon Wine Dinner, all we can say is, we’re sorry! It was a delicious, whirlwind trip through the culinary variations of the Iberian Peninsula: Spain, Portugal, the Coastal Regions, France, and the Moorish influences. Check out the menu and some photos below!

SPAIN : Spanish Vegetable “Paella” / Squid Ink Rice / Saffron Creme

PORTUGAL : Portuguese Pulpo y Caldo Verde / Iberico Shoulder / Kale Chip

COASTAL : Branzino de la Costa Mediterrania / Aioli / House-grown Tomatoes

FRANCE : Rabbit Galatine / Duck & White Bean Boudin Blanc / Parsnip

MOORISH INFLUENCE : Braised Spiced Apple / Fig / Mascarpone Ice Cream

The May Full Moon Wine Dinner is Sunday, May 22nd (we’re looking at you, STJ & STT service industry peeps with Sundays off!), and the menu will be Italian with some Caribbean twists. Check in on our Facebook page this week, we’ll be posting the full menu soon, and there are a few changes to the format this month!

Remember, you can follow us on Twitter @stjohncatering, and Instagram @mathayom for behind the scenes photos and a sneak peeks at upcoming events!

Making it Your Own Part 2-Location

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coral bay view

View from a formal dining event in Coral Bay

If you are having an event on island, you already know this, but this place is beautiful. Exquisitely so. With that said, there are an incredible amount of spaces in which to have your event–but you will want a location that reflects the purpose of the event and your own personality.

outdoordining close up

Outdoor dining from an event at Virgin Grande Estates

One of the most appreciated spaces is right at your own rental villa. If you are having a formal dinner for all of your travel partners, just make yourself comfortable in the indoor or outdoor dining space that the home offers. We will use the linens and table wear to create the scene for one of your most memorable meals.

Wedding in Upper Peter Bay

Wedding in Upper Peter Bay

The set up for a beautiful wedding poolside at a villa

The set up for a beautiful wedding poolside at a villa

 

If you are having a large event, be sure to check the restrictions on the villa when booking. Some will not allow any gatherings, some will limit the guest count to 20, so be sure to communicate this when planning your stay. Having the event at the villa you are staying at allows the party to come to you! We will bring all necessary tables, chairs, and bar set up to make sure that all needs are met.

Welcome party at Sirenusa

Welcome party at Sirenusa

A formal dinner at Grande Bay

A formal dinner at Grande Bay

Don’t have a villa but still want to have a gathering? We have worked with Sirenusa and Grande Bay if you are staying at one of the properties and can offer in-condo dining or with permission, access to outdoor common areas. We have even worked with bars like Dr!nk to host an event with appetizers or even full buffet menus!

A wedding at Oppenheimer Bay

A wedding at Oppenheimer Bay

How about having the event on a beach? One of our favorite locations for weddings to pig roasts is at Oppenheimer Beach. Only a few minutes out of town, this beach has everything you will need: an indoor area with full kitchen and bathrooms, plenty of outdoor space, access to the beach, and a fantastic sunset viewing spot.

If you are one for an adventure, consider dining on a boat, or even better, a helicopter! Just say the word and we will figure out all of the details.

outdoor peter bay dining

Dinner in Upper Peter Bay

Remember, its all about location, location, location!

Call to book your event today! 1-340-777-5464

It’s a Pig in a Box

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What is better than a beach party? A beach barbecue!

What’s better than a beach barbecue? A beach pig roast!

The perfect beach feast!

Chef Mat prepares to carve a pig at a beach wedding at Oppenheimer Bay

If you are ready to create a memorable party with something fun that brings the whole crowd together, consider this unique addition to your event.

Not only is it a crowd favorite, it is also a favorite of Chef Mat. He loves the island vibe that a pig roast creates. It is communal, casual, and as Mat says, “you can’t be pretentious at a pig roast.” Kick off your shoes, enjoy the view and the company–and of course, the smell of roasting pork mixed with the salt air.

La Caja China

La Caja China

While you don’t have to have your event on the beach, you do have to be somewhere outside with space for the portable oven, known as La Caja China, or the China Box. The wooden box has a metal liner and a grate to hold the pig, then a metal tray that sits atop the pig that holds the coals and a lid to seal in the heat. This unique cooking technique cooks the meat in about 6 hours from start to finish–about half the time as a traditional spit does–but the preparation at St. John Catering starts at least a day before.

Chef Mat says that the first step is that the pig is marinated by injecting a chimichurri type sauce called mojo that is bursting with citrus and herb flavor directly into the meat. It is then rubbed in salt and left for 24 hours to cure.

On the day of the event, the coals are lit and once they have come to temperature, the pig is laid belly side down and will roast for about 3 hours. Then it is carefully turned over and roasted for an additional hour. The pig then rests before slicing. The end result is a moist and tender meat with a smokey, crisp skin–the perfect combination and what every grill master is after.

Done to perfection

Done to perfection

The meal is complete with a selection of sides including a skillet cheesy cornbread with scallions, potato salad, pasta salad, a variety of vegetable sides and fresh green salad with homemade dressing.

A pig roast is perfect for a welcome party, a birthday celebration, and is absolutely ideal for a beach wedding or any gathering with 40 people or more.

The pricing is $75 per person and includes two chefs to cook and carve the pig, all sides, set up and clean up. Servers are also available at additional cost.

Contact Mathayom and St. John Catering to set up your pig roast today!

Finding the Booty

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The tale of the Java Booty Rub dates back to the year 2010, when Chef Mat was busy working to create a signature hot sauce, and was confronted with the new regulations of the TSA that denied liquids over 3 oz. Still wanting to make sure that visitors were able to take home a memorable (and tasty) reminder of their stay on St. John, Java Booty Dry Rub was born.

The treasured Java Booty Rub

The treasured Java Booty Rub

Drawing inspiration from this Thai background and wanting to create a flavor profile that excited all parts of the tongue, Mat spent hours measuring and adjusting and a week of tasting to make it perfect. The end result is a smokey, earthy, sweet and spicy rub that works on any protein or vegetable and will please a wide audience of diners.

After gaining popularity during private diners, weddings, and other functions, there was a demand for Java Booty with locals and tourists alike. With that, the rub was packaged and offered at Starfish Market in the Marketplace, and most famously at St. John Spice in Wharfside Village, where about 100 pounds are sold annually. There are even diehard fans in the state that receive Java Booty by the pound in the mail.

So much flavor in this little cup!

So much flavor in this little cup!

Wondering what the secret is? We can’t give it all away, but the stars of the mix include coffee, smoked salt, coco powder, brown sugar, chili, paprika, cinnamon, and SECRETS! The current proprietary blend does contain semolina flour as an anti-caking agent, however a gluten-free mix is in the works!

To get your own taste of this treasure, book with us today and request it on your protein! Stuck stateside for awhile? Send a message directly to mat@stjohncatering.com and inquire about having some sent to your doorstep–just in time for summer grilling!

Can We Be Gluten Free?

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Yes!

We work around food allergies and aversions every day in the kitchen. We can easily tweak menus for those who avoid gluten by using alternative starches like rice or potatoes, or grains like quinoa. If you check out our Guest Selection Formal Menu selections for our In Villa Private Chef Services, you will see that most of the dishes that are offered only need small changes to make it appropriate for a gluten-free diet.

Or, let us do what we do best and use our creativity! Selecting the Chef’s Choice option, we are able to use our skills to create something exciting with the most fresh ingredients.

That’s what Gluten Dude, the celiac food blogger, did on his trip to Virgin Gorda in the BVIs (we work on all of the Virgin Islands) this past December and he was NOT disappointed! In fact, he was so impressed he gave us quite the shout out in his blog.

Those who suffer from food allergies are at the mercy of a busy, distracted kitchen whenever they go out to eat and although your server may alert them, the chance of cross contamination is exponentially higher than when being prepared by a private chef. Gluten Dude opted to have a chef for multiple meals.He mentioned the ease of not having to explain his allergy every time they went for food and that he “Never got glutened. Heck…I never even got a stomach ache. Crazy, right?”

From breakfast with complete with GF pancakes to lunch where “we were met with one glorious creation after another” and even a round of sunset appetizers before dinner and dessert, Mathayom was able to impress in every course.

If you have a sensitivity to gluten, be sure to contact us for some of the best gluten-free dishes on the island.

 

 

Supper Club

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Lunch On Vacation

Bored? Got the winter blues?  Gather up a group of friends and plan a supper club.  It’s an easy, fun and social way to try new foods and pass the time on Saturday nights.  Choose a theme like “Italian” or “Asian” and pair up in teams.  Each team is responsible for one course and an appropriate cocktail or wine to pair with it.  Everyone brings wheat they need to serve their dish and drink and away you go!

Each team takes a turn in the kitchen and is first responsible for washing the dishes from the course before.  Then, they prepare and serve their dish.  After that, the next team clears and washes the dishes and then prepares and serves their dish.  At the end, the first team has to clean up the last dishes.

Rotate hosts and get as fancy as you’d like with the décor.  It can be a ton of fun.  With the right group and a bit of guts in the kitchen, you can forget the hassle and expense of dining out and find a new restaurant right in your own homes.  If you’re the organized type, have everyone print out their recipe and compile a cookbook.  After a few rounds, you’ll have quite a variety.

Here are some theme ideas to get started with:

1.    Regional: Italian, Asian, Indian, Mediterranean
2.    Special Ingredients- choose one fun thing:  pasta, figs, prosciutto, bacon, beer, etc.
3.    One pot dishes
4.    Grilled dishes
5.    Local-Organic
6.    30 Minute dishes
7.    Seafood
8.    Leftovers
9.    Pick several recipes from a favorite chef’s cookbook
10.    Vegetarian

Have fun…get in the kitchen!  It’s a great way to save some money and entertain yourselves.