saint lucia with Nina Compton
July 21 - 27, 2024
Experience the wonders of Cosmos st lucia, an eco-luxury villa, during a week with world-class chef Nina Compton.
July 21 - 27, 2024
7 Days, 6 nights
From $6,500
SOLD OUT!
The wonderful Nina Compton is taking us to her home island of St. Lucia and the week is going to be unlike any other Rêverie has ever hosted (we are continually pinching ourselves over this one).
Nestled deep in the rainforest of that beautiful Island, we will be housed at the stunning luxury resort Cosmos, which overlooks a protected heritage site and the Piton Mountains of St. Lucia. This open air, privately owned Villa sits high on a ridge just south of Anse Chastanet Beach and just north of St. Lucia’s old French Capital, Soufrière. The panoramic vista is unreal and right outside your door.
This retreat will focus on the history and technique of the Island’s food, naturally. But we will also get to explore this space, from markets to waterfalls, with a native - who happens to be a world-class chef - as she shows us the special secrets her Island holds for her. With Nina, this trip will be unlike any other and we are so honored to work with her on getting you there!
What will you do?
Seafood workshops! Accras! Snorkeling!
All of this plus award-winning chef Nina Compton as your host? It is several dreams come true and we feel pretty chuffed that we get to help host this incredible human in her hometown.
Nina brings a lifetime of rich experiences as a chef to this retreat - and, not for nothing, she is just one of the best hangs you’ll likely ever have.
We’ll dig deep into the heritage of the Island, the food, the recipes and the natural landscape. There will be a typical Rêverie style emphasis on food - always plenty to eat and always looking for our next snack - but we also look forward to incorporating some wellness, health and moments of discovery in nature. The landscape of the Island requires this and we are happy to accommodate. Morning yoga will be available at the Villa. Hikes, Sulphur Springs, waterfalls, rainforests, beaches, boat rides - we aim for it all!
This is bound to be a Rêverie trip for the books and you don’t want to miss it!
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While we hope everyone will participate, all experiences are optional ! Please feel free to take time for yourself whenever you like.
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Rêverie has carefully selected activities and experiences that we believe represent the best of the region and our own expertise, aiming to provide an optimal experience for the participants.
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Cooking is communal and we have the opportunity to cook together, learn from experienced cooks, and practice new techniques. The kitchen is an open space for everyone - come on in!
YOUR GUEST CHEF
Get to know:
Nina Compton
Winner of the 2018 James Beard “Best Chef: South” and semi-finalist for 2023 James Beard “Outstanding Chef, ”Nina Compton is Chef/Owner of award-winning restaurant Compère Lapin in New Orleans’ Warehouse District and Bywater AmericanBistro (BABs) in NewOrleans’ “Sliver by the River” Bywater neighborhood. In March 2023, Compton opened Nina’s Creole Cottage – a fast-casual restaurant in Caesar’s New Orleans new celebrity chef food hall. Her latest venture, ShaSha Lounge: Social Aid and Pleasure Club, will open in mid-2023 as an NFT collaboration with several other top Chefs from across the United States.
Born and raised in St. Lucia, Nina grew up with the flavors and beauty of the Caribbean. At Compère Lapin, Nina creates robust dishes that meld the flavors of her Caribbean upbringing and love for French and Italian cuisine, while highlighting the Gulf and Louisiana’s beautiful indigenous ingredients. Since opening in June 2015, Compère Lapin has received critical acclaim including Eater National’s “Best Restaurants in America" and a rave review inThe New York Times. The flagship restaurant features robust dishes that meld the flavors of Compton’sCaribbean upbringing and love for French and Italian cuisine, while highlighting the Gulf and Louisiana’s beautiful indigenous ingredients. Bywater American Bistro – which opened in March 2018 – features contemporaryAmerican fare, showcasing the chef’s culinary craftsmanship while focusing on seasonal ingredient-driven cuisine in a casual, convivial setting. Nina’s Creole Cottage is Compton’s first fast-casual concept and features affordable, heritage-inspired dishes.
YOUR ITINERARY
*Please note that changes to the itinerary may occur between now and your retreat start date*
DAY ONE
sunday 7.21.24
Welcome to the island of Saint Lucia! After your arrival at the Hewanorra International Airport, one of our drivers will pick you up and escort you along the coast, a gorgeous one-hour drive, to the Cosmos Eco-Villa just outside of Soufrière. You’ll be greeted with a rum cocktail, a tour of the villa, and then you will have a chance to settle into your home for the week while you gaze over the magical Piton mountains. Take a dip in the salt-water infinity pool, enjoy some snacks as you relax in the lounge, or have a post-travel nap in your air-conditioned suite. We’ll see you for a welcome cocktail as the sun begins to set, followed by a welcome dinner lovingly prepared by our guest chef and local expert, chef Nina Compton!
DAY two
monday 7.22.24
On our second day, you’ll be greeted with a fresh, local breakfast prepared by the team at the Cosmos Villa and our first (optional) yoga class on the cantilever. The group will then head to Project Chocolat to visit their cacao farm, learn all about the cacao fruit, and then each person will make their own chocolate from bean-to-bar! We’ll stay at the farm for a tasty picnic lunch before heading back to the villa for a restful afternoon. Nina will then lead the group in a dinner workshop, where you’ll learn how to make an island’s specialty: classic Accras!
DAY three
tuesday 7.23.24
We’ll spend our third day relaxing at the villa, enjoying the views and the salty Saint Lucian air - we’re on island time, now! You’ll have a chance to join in for a yoga class on the cantilever in the morning, and then we’ll have a morning Saint Lucian dessert workshop with Nina exploring Paime puddings and Creole bread. In the afternoon, a shuttle will be available to take you to the Anse Chastenet beaches (5 minute drive) where you can enjoy relaxing or even snorkeling to see the incredible water life! We’ll see everyone in the evening for another delightful meal at the Cosmos prepared by the Rêverie team.
DAY four
wednesday 7.24.24
Wednesday morning will ease with breakfast and yoga. Our private vans will arrive for an outing into Soufrière for lunch at a quiet spot, one of Nina’s favorite local dives. After we’re filled with the local tasties, we will take our shuttles to the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral baths where we’ll take a walk around tour of the gardens and then a refreshing dip in one of their private baths. Back home, we’ll tuck into a light vegetable dinner to send us all off to bed with ease.
DAY five
thursday 7.25.24
Our fifth day will be another day at the villa enjoying everything the Cosmos has to offer. A true vacation day! You can join Nina in the kitchen in the morning for an incredibly informative and remarkable workshop about curry - exploring spices, foraging and deep diving into the history with Nina’s famed historian sister Fiona Compton. That afternoon, we will have shuttles available to go to the beaches in the afternoon. In the evening, we’ll talk about building rum cocktails in the evening before having an all out Rêverie grill party - a highlight of every trip with us!
DAY six
friday 7.26.24
This will be our last full day together, and it’s gonna be a REALLY good one! After breakfast at the villa, we’ll head to Soufrière to board our very own, private catamaran! First, we’ll sail the coast up to Castries to visit their local market and see the shops followed by lunch at the Pink Plantation House. Then we’ll head back to our boat and sail down to Marigot Bay for a relaxing stop on the beach. At sunset, it’s time for cocktails on the boat while we sail down to Sugar Beach Resort for a final dinner at the stunning Saltwood Restaurant. This will be a day we’ll never forget! A true island dream with all of your new best friends!!
DAY seven
saturday 7.27.24
After our last breakfast, we’ll say our goodbyes and our drivers will take you back to the Hewanorra airport. You’ll spend the rest of your life wondering if it was real or if it was a dream - a true sort of reverie ;)
Your Yoga Instructor
Yoga with Buki
Buki is a joyful yoga teacher with professional experience in designing and leading vinyasa and hot yoga classes. Her classes create a space for individual healing, allowing inner peace through the use of breath, meditation and asanas, all within the peaceful Caribbean Island of Saint Lucia. Buki is versed with in-depth knowledge about breathing techniques, postures and how the spiritual elements of a regular yoga practice can improve both the mind and body.
WORKSHOPS
Between all that Nina Compton knows and all that the Island provides, it will honestly be hard to narrow down the incredible opportunities for workshops, menus and outings!
That being said, Nina is excited to dive into the Islands' great abundance of Cocoa, seafood and creole techniques. While our menu will go into great depths of St. Lucia, from salt fish accras to rum cocktails, our workshops will help you learn the heritage and influences of the region, technique and recipes (like Curry and Creole Bread!) and, in general, a wide glimpse into this culinarily rich Island.
Prepare yourself for a Cocoa themed dinner, using local cocoa of course, collaborative market tours and team cooking experiences, seafood techniques and handling, and a pig roast finale. You’ll have the option to get your hands dirty on all fronts or sit back and drink a cool rum drink and simply take it all in.
WORKSHOPS
Paime Pudding
Everything you can do with the cocoa bean!
An exploration of spices and curry
Open kitchen for skills practice at all times
* Due to the nature of the experience we wish to provide, we can accommodate vegetarians, but will be unable to accommodate any further dietary restrictions, including seafood allergies.
EXPLORE
Cocoa is abundant on the Island and we can’t wait to explore the Project Chocolat at the Hotel Chocolat, a premier bean-to-bar-chocolate cocoa plantation. From picking and fermenting to drying to roasting, guests will tour this incredible estate with Nina and learn everything there is to know about cocoa.
What sounds better than a boat ride in the Caribbeans waters? Jumping off for a swim, a snorkel. Stopping in the bays for a midday meal, and ending the day staring up at the Piton Mountains as we sip on rum cocktails at Saltwood Restaurant…sounds like heaven if you ask us!
The food and culture of any place can best be embraced by visiting the local markets and St. Lucia is no exception! We will take a market crawl in Castries with Nina and explore the produce and handcrafts of the area while Nina and her sister teach us about the history of St. Lucia through food - especially how its menu was influenced by French, English, African and Indian cultures.
Just as important as the food we put into our bodies, physical health and wellness will be centered in this retreat. From daily yoga with Suki to a walk at Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and a dip in their mineral baths, we hope to meet good weather and get the most out of all the Island provides in its coasts and rainforests!
OUTINGS
Visit the Project Chocolate Cacao farm to learn about cocoa
Big ol’ boat day with market shopping and cocktails on board
Shop local markets with Nina and browse produce and handcrafts
Yoga at the villa with Suki
Visit the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Everything! Well. Except for your flight to the island. But once you arrive, we’ve got you.
Transfers to and from the Hewanorra St. Lucia (UVR) International Airport
Workshops and all materials associated
Recipes galore !
All meals, unless you go rogue
All rum and beverages, unless you wanna have your own after hours party
Private hired transportation to and from scheduled events while on retreat
All scheduled outings and events during our week (including restaurant meals)
Villa lodging, naturally
GETTING HERE
*Cost of airfare to the Hewanorra airport is not included in the cost of your reservation. Please let us know if we can offer any moral support or guidance with your travel plans - we’re happy to help!
Getting to the Cosmos Villa
Guests will fly into the Hewanorra St. Lucia (UVR) International Airport. From there, we will arrange for pick up during two time slots for the day. For a fee, we can arrange private transport directly from the airport or from your hotel in St. Lucia to the Cosmos Villa. You can also rent a car at the airport when you land and enjoy the meandering drive through the island all the way to the Villa (about a one hour drive with a bit of bumpy terrain leading up to the villa) - just let us know if this suits you best so we can plan your arrival accordingly.
Currency Information
Both US and EC dollars are accepted in St Lucia and credit cards are widely used.
Travel Reservation
If you would like guidance with booking your travel to St. Lucia, please reach out!
We are happy to help make this part of planning your trip as easy as possible.