With the long Easter weekend ahead of us and weekend villa getaways now a thing, Thursday Food shares a few tips on how to turn a regular getaway into a gourmet ‘staycation’.

First things first: Identify a well-appointed villa. Thursday Food checked into Karma Bay, at the Tryall Club. There are several pluses but in the interest of space we share two: One, the most spectacular full moon (perfect backdrop for dinner), and two, an award-winning executive chef, notably George Matthews.

You can either pick up your own groceries or have the chef create daily menus. We opted for both and picked up a few faves like the spare ribs at MegaMart, sushi platters and poke bowls at Rainforest Seafood, Hamilton’s jerked sausages, gourmet ham slices, Best Dressed Chicken, and fresh produce from Stush in the Bush. Chef Matthews knows where to source everything else!

Start your mornings on the verandah of your suite, or one of many cosy nooks, enjoying the sight and sprays of waves crashing against the shoreline as you enjoy your cup of Blue Mahoe Estate Coffee (chairman Lloyd Tomlinson was in residence): Some added Baileys, others (guess who?) condensed milk.

Saturday Moonlight Dinner

Menu:

• Succulent Rainforest Seafoods deboned goat stewed in a Scotch bonnet curry sauce

• Karma Bay’s signature fall-off-the-bone spare ribs brushed with Appleton 12-Year-Old Barbecue Sauce. (MegaMart MoBay has the best ribs!)

• Best Dressed Jerk Marinade Chicken splashed with Red Stripe Beer

• Hamilton’s Grilled Jerk Sausages

• Five-cheese spiced mac and cheese

• Gungo rice and peas

• Buttered vegetables

• Dessert: Cornmeal pone

Sunday Brunch

• Plantain porridge

• Jamaican-style Eggs Benedict drizzled with Scotch bonnet-infused hollandaise sauce

• Crispy fried escoveitch snapper atop mini bammy wafers

• Ackee and salt fish

• Fruits, pastry, coffee, tea, mimosas, coconut water

Lunch

• Sushi platter

• Build your tacos grilled shrimp and charred chicken

• Condiments: Sundried tomato aioli, Mexican cheese, Pico de Gallo, diced vine-ripe tomatoes, sour cream

Sunday dinner an elegant evening affair

• Duo of pumpkin and ginger cappuccino and puréed of red peas embellished with toasted pumpkin seeds and drizzled with annatto oil

• Rainforest Seafoods seared ahi tuna steaks, avocado, spicy ginger soy, lemongrass ginger sauce topped with lemon pulp

• Rainforest Seafoods Poached Tiger prawns atop a cold quinoa salad

• Crispy oxtail (yes, Rainforest does oxtail) spring rolls with spiced butter bean purée

• Stush in the Bush Beetroot Carpaccio topped with marinated feta and drizzled with 12-year-old balsamic reduction

• Rainforest Seafoods Grilled Salmon Loin with three-citrus dill and caper gastrique atop forbidden black rice

• Jerk marinated lamb chop served with sweet potato croquette and Stush in the Bush organic carrot