Page 14 - AHATA

a8 local
Wednesday 9 July 2025

Two green stars align to make Caribbean culinary history

Bucuti & Tara will welcome the Caribbean’s first restaurant led by a chef honored with
both a Michelin star for culinary excellence and a Green Michelin star for sustainability

EAGLE BEACH—Epicurean excel- cluding Miami, Las Vegas, and
lence meets environmental el- the Florida Keys. The James Beard
egance this summer as Bucuti & Foundation nominee’s Miami-
Tara Beach Resort, Aruba’s pre- based Michelin Star restaurant
mier adults-only oasis, prepares joins a new elite level with the
for the opening of Terra by Jeremy recently earned Michelin Green
Ford. This boundary-breaking res- Star, an honor bestowed only for
taurant will be helmed by Chef the finest in culinary sustainability.
Jeremy Ford, whose Miami-based wFew chefs or establishments in
Stubborn Seed holds a prestigious the world can claim both. Ford’s
Michelin Star and was recently fur- meticulous approach to sustain-
ther distinguished with a coveted ability—from responsible sourcing
Michelin Green Star for sustain- to waste reduction, energy-effi- and locals alike, offering an expe- sans. Chef Ford is developing Terra
ability. This latest achievement cient operations, and community rience that transcends traditional in partnership with third-genera-
means Ford is bringing this pedi- collaboration—will further shape fine dining by placing equal im- tion Aruban hospitality pioneers
gree of one of the rarest and most the fine dining experience of Terra portance on flavor, origin, and sus- Maurice and Karim Neme, whose
respected culinary combinations by Jeremy Ford. Guests will delight tainability. The menu will celebrate family legacy has helped shape
in the world to Aruba, making it a in unique flavors backed by the the bounty of Aruba and the re- Aruba’s tourism identity for de-
first for the island and the region. most stringent sustainability stan- gion through seasonally evolving cades. Their deep ties to the com-
dards that care for them as much dishes, regenerative cooking tech- munity ensure that Terra will be a
The Rarest of Stars for Sustainability as they do the planet. niques, and ingredients sourced heartfelt tribute to Aruba’s culture,
in Fine Dining both locally and from Ford’s Farm, ingredients, and environment.
Ford, the winner of Bravo televi- A Destination Dining Experience the chef’s 5.5-acre organic farm in
sion’s Top Chef Season 13, is the Rooted in Responsibility Homestead, Florida. This hands-on Guests can expect an unparal-
mastermind chef behind a shared Terra by Jeremy Ford will be a cu- venture allows Chef Ford to culti- leled dining experience where
portfolio of culinary hot spots in- linary destination for resort guests vate vibrant vegetables and aro- elevated culinary techniques, sus-
matic herbs with care, ensuring tainable sourcing and the island’s
every plate is a direct connection natural beauty come together in
between the land and the plate. harmony. Terra by Jeremy Ford
promises to be a landmark for des-
What makes Terra truly unique is tination dining in the Caribbean,
that it is being built with the island, born from a shared legacy of ex-
for the island. This is not an import- cellence and sustainability, and
ed concept, but a one-of-a-kind brought to life at the iconic Bucuti
culinary vision created with local & Tara, the resort that redefined
chefs, farmers, fishermen, and arti- eco-luxury for the world.q

Fun facts about cacti hedges “Trankera”

(Oranjestad) - When off- ward off strangers and wild
roading in inland Aruba, animals that can feed on the
you may notice some cacti cunucu vegetation or cattle.
hedges around various prop-
erties or lined up by certain Nowadays, trankeras are
pathways. These man-made less common, and those
hedges are called “trankera” that still stand are often not ers and seeds were removed,
and play an important role maintained. On the sur- which limits propagation to
in maintaining our flora and face this seems like a bad a minimum.
fauna. development, however this
proved to be beneficial for So, though trankeras don’t
The trankera dates to co- our flora and fauna. Naturally play that big of a role in
lonialism, where settlers es- developed flora around the Aruba’s agriculture anymore,
tablished several ‘cunucu’ hedges offers more shelter our environment still reaps
(farm) on the island. Peo- for fauna. Another aspect the benefits of these long-
ple either used stone walls is the propagation process. standing natural structures.q
or trankera as a fence to When pruning hedges, flow-