ST THOMAS — Experience redefined Caribbean cuisine at Blue 11 in Yacht Haven Grande! Since 2019, Blue 11 has made waves throughout the culinary scene on St. Thomas thanks to its intimate high-end chef’s table approach. Local ingredients at its finest, guests can select from a seven, nine, or eleven course tasting menu guaranteed to excite your tastebuds.
The mastermind behind this award-winning restaurant is Chef David “Benji” Benjamin. Originally from a fishing village in Dominica, Chef Benji’s love for cooking started at a young age when he would accompany his grandparents to watch the fishermen come in every afternoon with fresh fish and lobster. He moved to St. Thomas at age 9 and entered the restaurant industry while in high school. While he has no formal culinary schooling, Chef Benji’s training at some of St. Thomas’s prominent restaurants shaped his career and sharpened his culinary skills. The devastating hurricanes of 2017 left him unemployed, which led him down the path to restauranteur. Blue 11 opened its doors in Yacht Haven Grande in March 2019.
His desire to be different resulted in the unique dining experience found at Blue 11. “I wanted people to come in and try a lot of different Caribbean flavors,” he said. “With a regular three-course meal, you can’t do that because there’s only so much you can do with three courses.” Instead, he packed a plethora of flavors into his tasting menu, which is available in seven, nine and eleven courses. Start off with a watercress salad served with freshly fried plantain chips and a sugarcane vinaigrette dressing. Relish in the flavor of buttery poached halibut served over a cassava foam and topped with a passion fruit butter. Other tasting menu items include pan seared Caribbean lobster tail, local tuna tartare and braised wagyu short ribs, just to name a few. Pair your meal with a wine from their specially curated list that perfectly complements Blue 11’s menu options.
Thanks to his amazing work ethic and undeniable culinary skills, Chef Benji was named Caribbean Chef of the Year in the 2025 Caribbean Travel Awards for continuing to set the standard for modern Caribbean cuisine. Presented by leading online publication Caribbean Journal, the Caribbean Travel Awards celebrate the mosaic of Caribbean travel excellence across 36 different categories as voted on by the world’s foremost experts on Caribbean travel.
Blue 11 is open Wednesday to Sunday from 6pm to 10pm. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Reserve your table online via Open Table or by phone at 340.777.2511. To learn more about Blue 11, visit their website at www.blue11vi.com.
Written by Anquanette Gaspard
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