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Stopover at the Case Coco restaurantCaribbean cuisine

Stopover at the Case Coco

Today is Saturday, the patron saint’s day weekend in Sainte-Luce, my home town. Tourists, locals, fishermen, shopkeepers: the town and the seaside are bustling with activity. This lunchtime, I’m going to lunch at one of my favorite restaurants: Case Coco ! I’m going to meet the young chef who has taken over the reins of the kitchen: Timothée.

Timothée, Axel and Thierry

Chef, second-in-command and owner of the Case Coco restaurant

An old Creole hut

The place has come a long way since its beginnings. Right in the heart of the village, this beautifully restored Creole house is superbly welcoming, with its room opening onto the seafront boulevard, opposite the market. Lots of wood, white and turquoise, the atmosphere is very Caribbean. In the middle, the lobster tank is full, and I’m salivating with anticipation! Before service begins, the place is a hive of activity, with everyone busy setting up the bar and kitchen, and getting everything ready for the first reservations. Because, as success dictates, it’s better to make a reservation to be sure of getting a table…

I greet Sylvie and Thierry, the happy owners, and join the chef behind the stove. It smells fantastic!

Meeting with Timothée

Hello Timothée, so you’re the new chef at Case Coco. Tell me a little about your background as a chef…

I come from a pastry-making background. I graduated from Arts et Métiers after 5 years’ training, and moved to Martinique 4 years ago.

As I’m passionate about flavors and have a thirst for discovery, I took up cooking on my own. I started out as second-in-command, but I’ve come a long way since then. Today, I can put my own stamp on the Case Coco menu with my inspiration, my knowledge of techniques and products.

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In the kitchen

Which products do you prefer to work with? How do you shop?

Honestly, I love working with everything: fish, seafood, meat, side dishes: everything inspires me! Of course, I still have a weakness for desserts, which remain my guilty pleasure and require rigor and precision… I prefer freshness and 100% homemade.

There are 4 of us in the kitchen: Axel, my second in command, and two chefs de partie, Germain and Christelle. We communicate a lot, and I’m always ready to listen to their ideas. In our kitchen, we’re on the hunt for waste: everything is reused and transformed into our juices and sauce bases. Zero waste is part of my vision of gastronomy.

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How is the menu designed? Is it changed regularly?

We have a permanent card, which changes every year. I’d like to come up with a menu every 6 months. We offer 6-7 starters, 4 meats, 4 fish and shellfish, 8 desserts and daily suggestions: starter, dish of the day, dessert. It’s market-driven and helps avoid routine, especially as we have a lot of regulars. At lunchtime, we offer astarter + main course + dessert for €28. We’re still the lobster specialists. Fresh from the tank, they’re a best-seller!

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Lobster, star of the plate!

And since I’ve earned it, I settle in for lunch. Federica brings me the menu with a big smile. I treat myself to the lobster menu: Lobster ravioli, parmesan sauce, parsley oil for starters, followed by roasted shelled lobster, full-bodied bisque and emulsion, gratin of lobster and parsley. e and emulsion, gratin dauphinois of christophines and, for dessert, the sublime Speculoos tartlet, pineapple and lemon marmalade, fromage blanc chantilly. A great moment of gustatory pleasure…

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Details don’t make perfection, but perfection isn’t a detail!

Philosophy of Timothée, chef at Case Coco

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