One aspect of living at Brays Island enjoyed by all of our owners is the dining experience. From hearty southern breakfasts to elegant fine dining, with several options in between. Our food and beverage staff members go to great lengths to ensure that our owners enjoy fantastic and varied culinary experiences – day or night, 365 days a year.
While it is a team effort, Executive Chef Ron Andrews is an integral part of the staff. Celebrating 13 years at Brays Island this January, Chef Ron is versed in a variety of American regional cuisines as well as Asian and European fare. Since joining the Brays Island culinary program, Chef Ron has won medals in culinary competitions, including the 2015 Seafood Chef of the Year for the state of South Carolina. In 2013, he was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs.
Chef Ron’s diverse background provides for flexibility when crafting menus for the two on-site dining options – The Inn and The Plantation Grill. While the dinner menu at The Inn changes weekly, the lunch and dinner menus at the popular Plantation Grill are updated monthly to provide new, seasonal options for owners and their guests. Beyond the menu, owners can even bring in their fresh catches or harvests for Chef Ron to prepare for dinner or process (popular are the sausages or game bird pies).
Consistently incorporating fresh produce grown at the Brays Island farm, or local seafood and ingredients from Grow Food Carolina, it’s easy for him to capitalize on lowcountry flavors. From shrimp and grits to filet mignon and his popular pimento cheese grits, the plates exude flavors of the South and beyond. As menus change with the seasons, so do ingredients. Popular around autumn includes radishes, sweet potatoes, collard greens and kale, and butternut squash all grown on site at the Brays Island farm.
In addition to Chef Ron, our director of Food and Beverage, Alex Young, provides an extensive background and palette for our dining services. As a sommelier, Alex was selected as a judge for the 40th anniversary of the “Judgment of Paris,” an international wine competition which the United States is known for beating out France at the inaugural event. He is continually bringing in new wines, organizing wine expos, and teaching wine tasting classes. Together, Chef Ron and Alex coordinate wine dinners, pairing hand selected bottles with custom menus – one of the Chef’s favorite tasks.