Set amid the white sands of Anguilla and blue waters of the Caribbean, the CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa is a destination within a destination. It has “everything you need to stay in,” says vice president and general manager Stephanie Zaharia, “and everything for people to really indulge in celebrations at the resort.”
When WAG last wrote about CuisinArt in June 2014, the resort had just been chosen to host the Great Golf Resorts Around the World (GGRW) meeting in 2016. But this isn’t the only event CuisinArt will be hosting this November. Its third annual Epicurea (Nov. 2-6), mixes food, wine and golf. Recently, WAG caught up with CuisinArt to find out how the resort is preparing for GGRW and Epicurea, and thus what guests can expect should they want to head to the resort in Rendezvous Bay for a little celebrating of their own.
“Great Golf Resorts Around the World is more of a professional meeting,” Zaharia says of the invitation-only event (Nov. 6-9). “It basically reunites all the great golf resorts of the world and brings them to one location… to discuss business trends, golf trends and what’s going on in the world regarding golf and golf resorts.”
That CuisinArt was chosen as host speaks to to its growing reputation.
“It’s a very exciting event for us, because Anguilla, unfortunately, is not really known as a golf destination,” he adds. “We have a very reputable (18-hole) golf course, which is a Greg Norman signature golf course… but it’s not considered to be a destination golf course because of the fact that we have only one.”
Nevertheless, the course is becoming one that golfers are putting on their bucket list.
“Golfers want to have a good golf experience but also want to ensure that they have a very strong auxiliary experience such as cuisine, spa and, obviously, a great beach.”
All of which CuisinArt can provide, Zaharia says. Golfers who attend this year’s GGRW event will also be among the first to experience a sister hotel on the estate called The Reef by CuisinArt — a contemporary complex on some 10 acres that will offer 80 spacious rooms along with several dining options.
Food is essential to a place called CuisinArt. Hence, Epicurea.
“We’re bringing in some experienced chefs that are working at very, very influential golf clubs in the U.S.,” Zaharia says of this event, to which the public is welcome. “They bring their members to come and join them at the resort. They can play golf, obviously because we have a tournament that is designed just for them. And, in addition, every night there’s a different chef that will be cooking their menu and their food for the guests.”
The chefs — including Paul Bocuse and his right-hand man, Christophe Muller — will create meals using local fish and fresh ingredients from the resort’s own hydroponic farm. Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori, an event sponsor, is providing the wines.
“It’s an experience that has sold out in the past and is quickly selling out this year,” Zaharia says. “And why wouldn’t it? It’s a great atmosphere, great golf, great food… and basically the DNA of what CuisinArt is all about.”
For more, visit cuisinartresort.com.
