Writer, playwright, counselor—chef Javier Figueroa-Ray has worn many hats. But, to hear him tell it, cooking and poetry aren’t that different.
“When I moved to the mainland, my writing muse stopped and I began cooking,” he says. “I remembered all of my family cooking and began incorporating that into the ingredients available to me in my new surroundings.”
In the San Juan native’s household, his mom cooked “trendy” (as he puts it) food, his grandma went traditional and his uncle would cook outside on wood. Now, he translates those memories to dishes in his kitchen at Pearl Island Catering, a Caribbean-inspired restaurant at the Jefferson School City Center and at the Charlottesville City Market. “I have an idyllic memory when it comes to cooking. I research, learn, execute and repeat,” he says. “I’m always trying to create a story, a narrative to every dish and every meal.”
We asked the chef to tell us a few of his favorite foodie things, from his go-to cocktail to what sandwich he could eat every day.
Favorite bar: Fellini’s #9, although I truly miss the 9 1/2 Speakeasy. [Owner] Jo Dunkle can mix some serious drinks.
Special-occasion drink: Cosmopolitan. A good vodka, Cointreau, 100 percent cranberry juice, a touch of housemade simple syrup and splash of lemon.
Energy source: COFFEE!!!!
Breakfast: Eggs over easy—that’s all that matters!
Chinese restaurant order: Chicken wings, pork ribs and combination fried rice (no shrimp).
Go-to comfort food: Fried plantains and pork
Sandwich: Banh mi at Vu Noodles. Simply the best sandwich in town! If you don’t like it, I’ll pay for it.
Unusual ingredient: Love
Healthy snack: Water!
Unhealthy snack: Tres leches (the one I make has lots and lots of rum).
Condiment: Sazon
Chocolate: Dark
Grocery store cookie: Whole Foods chocolate chip
Dessert: Vanilla flan
Beer: Weihenstephaner hefeweizen
Ice cream flavor: Cookies and cream
Brunch: sweet or savory? Savory always!
Kitchen aroma: Bread
Bodo’s order: Everything bagel with avocado
Salad bar toppings: Nuts
Cut of meat: New York strip steak
Fish: Sea bass
Vegetable: Cucumber
Midnight snack: Frosted Flakes
Always in the home fridge: Eggs, beer, lots of water in glass bottles, an onion, a pepper and a fruit.
Always in the pantry: Rice, pasta and popcorn
Knife: One that does the job.
Appliance: Hyper Steamer—can’t live without it.
Cookbooks: Too many. …I don’t think we have enough time!
Mentors: My grandmother. She cooked every single day and everything was good.
Dream trip: Portugal. Lots of good wine and great food.
Cooking clothes: All black
Cooking music: Salsa when mellow, heavy metal when I need to crank it up.
Food-related tattoos: None! Can’t decide.
First food memory: My mother’s rice with Vienna sausage
Best meal ever: My friend Kevin Barnard’s backyard smoked pork and sausage, beer and kick-ass margaritas.
Lunch: Whatever is available in the kitchen. Lunch is primetime, so I’m always working.
Favorite food city: Charlottesville
Kitchen shoes: Ugly and really comfortable.
