With the immense popularity and incomparable success of Fairways Bar & Grill coupled with the recent reopening and metamorphosis of Coco Bistro, there is no denying the fact that Stuart Gray is a Chef with a lot on his plate!
A Provo favourite, Stuart has built himself an impeccable reputation based on consistency, creativity and a wholehearted passion and zeal for the foods he creates. Not a ‘froufrou’ chef by his own admission, Stuart prefers to focus on creating his dishes with the freshest of ingredients, preferably local, and enhancing the flavours with his own particular forte, his distinctive and divine sauces, masterfully prepared to compose the perfect balance to complement the dish without overpowering. An aficionado of fresh herbs and spices, Stuart cultivates his own herb garden that produces an abundant supply of basil, mint, lemongrass and a kaffir lime tree, whose extraordinary leaves are hailed for their intense pungency, particularly in Thai cuisine.
Preceding his arrival to Providenciales in 1993, Stuart honed his original culinary skills at Ontario Canada’s Georgian College, and went on to establish an impressive history at a succession of acclaimed and award-winning destinations beginning with Chewton Glen, a Michelin-star world-class luxury hotel in the south of England, followed by the Windsor Arms in Toronto, Ontario, which embraced the distinctive Relais & Chateaux affiliation. It was while there that Stuart seized the opportunity to take advantage of an executive chef position overseas, in the Turks & Caicos Islands. The rest is history, and Providenciales’ good fortune. Stuart boasts an extraordinary and impressive list indeed, beginning with Anacaona, The Terrace, a brief detour off island as a consultant to Clive & Stuart’s Island Seafood restaurant in Dallas, Texas which included TV spots on Good Morning Texas, back on-island to Fairways Bar & Grill, Aqua Bar & Terrace and finally, Coco Bistro.
Performing for an enthusiastic and dedicated audience of locals and tourists, Stuart has made Fairways Bar & Grill famous not only for his original and diverse menu, but also for his celebrated Asian Night featuring Thai cuisine; the always festive English Pub Night, a homage to his birthplace, England; and his succulent, sought after local lobster creations. Most recently, Stuart continues his culinary passion with Coco Bistro. A virtual tropical garden paradise located in the heart of Grace Bay in a coconut grove, this dining establishment naturally exudes atmosphere. Augmented by Stuart’s imaginative vision and innovative creativity Coco Bistro offers a Continental Caribbean menu boasting the freshest local ingredients and offering fresh fish and meat prepared in distinctive new ways. Only the location is the same.
Maintaining two very busy, successful and well-established restaurants, it’s hard to imagine when Stuart finds time for relaxation. When not in the kitchen, his passion is redirected to spending time with his family and Provo’s own Men’s Ball Hockey League, a pastime stemming from his younger years in minor league ice hockey in Canada, where he grew up.
His future plans? Simply this... to have the best restaurant on island... and to occasionally afford himself the opportunity to play the first 18 holes of the Provo Golf & Country Club!
By Mandy Rostance-Wolf
Reprinted from "Where When How - Turks & Caicos Islands" September/October 2006
Coco Bistro
Chef Stuart Gray
