Mykonos – the very name exudes exoticism, glamour and a feeling of eternal summer fun.
And the restaurant recently opened by entrepreneur Frank Schilling at The Grove embodies all these qualities with its laid-back-luxe Greek taverna style.
Inspired by trips to Greece, Frank has sought to replicate the same beguiling and exuberant atmosphere of the island of Mykonos at the namesake elegant eatery.
“I love the idea of a carefree, never-ending summer,” he says. “I love the mixtures of food (Greek with Asian and Italian fusions). I love how (the Greek isle of) Mykonos has evolved from a hippy-like retreat for artists into a standard-bearer for relaxed, carefree, summer luxury. I love the Cayman Islands and thought we could grow a similar dynamic here.”
The result is Mykonos Cayman, a dining destination that offers an epic epicurean and music experience.
“I really wanted a relaxed luxury residential finish, both inside and out, where people could come, stay and luxuriate,” says Frank. “A place to meet, to gather, to socialise and to dance. I wanted a spot that welcomed children and made grown-ups feel sexy and alive; I think Mykonos ticks all those boxes. It is a sexy restaurant and the people who come look beautiful here.”
POSH TAVERNA
The design and décor of the restaurant is intended to evoke the feel of a posh taverna, with Grecian colours and textures meeting unabashed and flamboyant luxury.
Indoors, the restaurant accommodates around 200 people, with seating for a further 150 outside, plus a complement of more than 100 staff.
Frank initially hand-drew the floor plan, but with no experience of working in, or designing a restaurant, turned to friends who are chefs and kitchen designers to help with the layout. And he worked with Nitzan Tagansky of Nitzan Design in New York for the interiors.
Many of the main design elements were adapted from ideas seen in fabulous places around the world, then given a Greek- Caymanian slant.
For example, the bar was initially inspired by the heavy monolithic book-matched marble at a place called Sweet Bar in Abu Dhabi. Brass bar lamps such as those found at Scotts in Mayfair, London, were selected, but with unique Grecian curvature and patterns to complement the stone arches which divide the main dining area from the taverna.
The floor in the taverna mimics an old-town look in the Cyclades, but with a more upmarket Venetian stone finish.
“I placed distressed finish whitewash hardwood floors on the ceilings to create a rustic contemporary vibe…it’s both polished and rustic at once,” says Frank. “The light fixture was designed so that people could dance on tables with their hands in the air without hitting it.”
The tables were Nitzan’s creation, using the highest-quality marble they could find, with the underside of the table finished as beautifully as the top.
“In the taverna, the tables are strong enough so that if spontaneous dancing erupts, we can clear the table from dining mode and move to dance mode,” says Frank.
Even the flatware is the height of luxury, featuring gold-plated Christofle, a brand celebrated for its fine craftsmanship.
“I really liked their butter knife and could envision it in gold, so we started to build the collection around that,” says Frank.
Frank also chose most of the finishes, alongside Nitzan, such as the Cayman marl rock stone walls cut into Grecian textures and patterns.
FOOD AND DRINK
While the restaurant supports local fishermen and farmers, food is also flown in each week from Greece, including seafood, oil and flour.
“The goal was to stock the absolute highest quality items – money no object,” says Frank. “I wanted to be incredibly proud of the food because I literally have eaten in a restaurant every day of the year for the past 25 years. I have great expectations.
“We even import our own Greek still and sparkling water; we chose it because it was awarded a gold medal for best water in the world in a blind tasting,” explains Frank.
Franks reveals the restaurant also has the largest 100-point wine cellar in the hemisphere and is the exclusive distributor for Aphrodise, Greece’s equivalent of Champagne.
ESCAPISM
There is also music to enhance the dining experience, ramping up the vibes as the evening goes on, with an in-house DJ well-known on the island of Mykonos, who was due to join the Cayman team full-time in September.
Contemporary European summer music will be played, featuring touring artists and DJs who don’t typically perform in the region.
“We want people to come here and escape,” says Frank. “Whether it is the music piped through a classical concert audio system (designed to titillate without bothering a guest’s hearing aid) or the nine- screen video wall broadcasting a rotation of videos from Greece, everything is designed to sweep the guest away.”
Frank is delighted with the design and offerings of Mykonos restaurant.
“I think the venue came together beautifully,” he says. “I look forward to the high season so we can begin telling our story and putting Cayman on the map with the influencers and those on the avant-garde of music and pop culture who visit here.”
Frank’s grandmother instilled in him from an early age that life is like a movie and to have big dreams.
“It’s very easy in life to settle,’ he says. “My grandmother always inspired me to swing for the fences and to endeavour to make a difference. I wanted Mykonos to elevate our country and raise the bar in Cayman. We keep doing that each day. I never forget her or her outlook on life.”
This article appears in the Autumn/Winter 2023 issue of InsideOut magazine, now available at magazine stands around the island.
