Page 46 - DreamScapes Magazine | Fall/Winter 2022

ISLAND FARE FEATURE
Ooh La La St. Martin! Go Where the Cool Chefs Are
BY MEGAN HONAN
When Alexandre Deglise offered to cook me Churrasco Entraña steak, I knew it would be good. Alexandre is head chef and owner at L’Atelier Bar à Viande et Poisson, a lip-smack- ingly good steakhouse tucked away in Orient Bay, St. Martin.
46 DREAMSCAPES FALL/WINTER 2022
INSIDER TIP
At Hot Spot, sample a homegrown tradition called Johnny cakes—a warm, baked bread patty.
What I didn’t expect was the warm hospitality that immediately made the place feel homey, almost as if I’d been an islander in a past life.
In fact, it’s the very concept behind the newly opened atelier. “I have these warm childhood memories. Every Sunday, grandmother made us a family lunch. She called the little room we used to cook in l’atelier,” he reveals, comparing his dining experience, which is best enjoyed gathered around the table, to his grandmother’s house.
Rebuilding Paradise
Far from the all-inclusive lifestyle the Caribbean is known for, St. Martin is rich in spirit: jovial locals, five-star restaurants, breathtaking vistas and 37 beaches—many of which are world-class—that stretch as far as the eye can see. “One for every square mile,” declares Elsie Marishaw, my local guide as we zip in a tiny car past craggy shore- lines, pocketed with protected inlets and coves.
But times haven’t always been good in St. Martin. In 2017, Hurricane Irma, a Category 5 storm, struck, leaving a wasteland behind and a battle to rebuild. The hurricane caused mass destruction across the 88-square-kilometre island, which is split between two countries—the French territory of St. Martin and Sint Maarten, a Dutch territory.
Prix Fixe Fine Dining
Now, five years later, the island has seen a revival, with an influx of new restaurants and luxe villas transforming the destination into the next European hot spot for jetsetters and renowned chefs alike. With an enticing blend of French and Caribbean gastronomy, top European chefs like Michel Portos, Laurent Huguet and Jimmy Bibrac have