Restaurant Spotlight – Rickie’s Flamingo Café

On any given Sunday, barefoot tourists and locals of Providenciales mingle at an airy, lemon-colored building facing the beach of Grace Bay. On the restaurant deck, people chat at the bar, families watch their kids on the beach over lunch, and a swimsuit-clad group plays volleyball not far from the water’s edge. Officially, this is the Flamingo Café. For the restaurant’s Sunday faithful, it’s simply Rickie’s.

Since 2005, Rickie’s has provided a haven for people of all ages to wind down with the weekend and enjoy traditional Turks and Caicos food. The sunny building with pastel panels and wooden deck flooring offers a lively, carefree environment for its patrons: a true representation of its owners, Rickie and Stacy Clarke.

“It reflects who we are,” says Stacy, dressed in a bright yellow polka-dotted blouse. “I’m not a dull person, and neither is he, so we wanted to keep it vibrant.”

Vibrant it is, but don’t mistake Flamingo Café for just a beach bar. Rickie, 43, learned to cook as a child (his mother, Oseta Clarke, is the best chef in the Turks and Caicos, Stacy says) and has worked as a chef for most of his adult life. For six years, Rickie worked as sous chef for Beaches, where he also received formal culinary training. He also spent a year as personal chef for the Turks and Caicos premier.

Rickie, who was born and raised in Grand Turk, most enjoys making soups: okra, split pea, pumpkin – the list goes on. And as a true island boy, he can prepare any fish, lobster or conch dish to perfection. It’s only fitting that one of the most popular dishes on Rickie’s menu is the curry grouper.

“It’s just my passion. I just love it,” Rickie says. “I love when it all comes together.”

 
 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Translate
Scroll to Top
Scroll to Top

Newsletter

Stay up-to-date

 


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact