A Chef’s Guide to Cooking in Your In-Suite Kitchen
How to make the most of your Opal in-suite kitchen during a stay, plus Chef Ryan Phillips’s favorite no-fuss recipes.
Yes, one of the best parts of a vacation is also the vacation you get from your home kitchen. But if you’re a group – a family with little ones, bachelorette/bachelor party, golf retreat, etc. – or a business traveler on an extended stay, sometimes it’s just logistically easier to whip up a breakfast or lunch every now and again from the comfort of your suite. So, it’s a beautifully convenient thing that the bulk of Opal Collection’s hotels and resorts offer an assortment of accommodations with in-suite kitchens featuring everything you need for a crowd-pleasing spread. Take for example, Sandpearl Resort’s brand-new accommodations with state-of-the-art kitchens and dining rooms; The Atlantic Suites on the Ave’s full-size refrigerators, cooktops, and ovens; and The Capri Inn’s private Coquina Cottage with practically every appliance imaginable, down to a blender.
So how do you make the most of your in-suite kitchen? Ryan Phillips, one of Opal’s regional executive chefs, delivers five essential keys, plus some no-fuss – yet flavorful – recipes to try out during your next Opal stay.
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1. KEEP IT SIMPLE BUT HIGH QUALITY
Just because you have a kitchen at your fingertips doesn’t mean you have to cook complex meals that require a cornucopia of different ingredients or spices. After all, you’re on vacation – this should be a relaxing experience. “A dish doesn’t have to be complex in order to be good,” says Phillips. “The key is really just making sure you have high-quality and fresh ingredients.” One-pot pasta is a perfect example. You take minimal ingredients – fresh pasta, local tomatoes, onion, and basil – combine it into one pot with water, cook until pasta is al dente/water evaporates, drizzle some olive oil, then grate some fresh parmesan over.
2. PACK A FEW STAPLE ACCOUTREMENTS
“If I’m traveling and going to be cooking in my accommodations, I always pack salt and pepper and a small container of olive oil,” says Phillips, who actually pours his favorite high-quality olive oil from home into a travel-size container. “Yes, you can pick them up during your travels, but they’re pint-sized and so easy to pack.” And obviously, they won’t spoil.
3. BUY INGREDIENTS THAT CAN GO FURTHER THAN JUST ONE MEAL
Phillips suggests picking versatile main ingredients that you can use in multiple meals: “For example, buy a cooked chicken and shred the meat. You can use that in nachos one day, a pasta dish the next, and a chicken salad after that.” Another suggestion: a nice loaf of ciabatta – great for use in cheese plates, but then, the next day, perfect for gourmet grilled cheeses.
4. THINK LOCAL IF YOU CAN
While there’s nothing wrong with a traditional grocery store, Phillips loves the opportunity to explore local farmers markets while traveling, so he suggests asking the hotel concierge about where to consider shopping for the freshest produce. “I’ve stumbled upon some amazing fruit stands, community markets, and specialty grocers this way,” he says.
5. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OPAL RESORTS WITH GROCERY DELIVERY
That’s right. Several Opal resorts are happy to stock your kitchen with your preferred groceries prior to arrival, including Sunset Key Cottages, The Laureate, The Capitana, and Sandpearl Resort. You just have to email the hotel’s concierge and/or front desk with your list (a $50 minimum required) at least 48 hours prior to your arrival.
Serves 4
Rise & Shine Breakfast Smoothie
Ingredients
- 2 c. soy milk or coconut milk
- 1 c. rolled oats
- 25 frozen strawberries
- 2 fresh bananas, cut into chunks
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add in ice/more milk and blend again to desired consistency.
- Garnish with banana.
*Note: Not all in-suite kitchens across the collection offer blenders, but several do or can provide them upon request.
Serves 4
Farmers Market Vegetable Penne
Ingredients
- 1 Ib. penne pasta
- 1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 zucchini, seeded and diced
- 1 c. small cherry tomatoes, halved
- salt, pepper, spinach, and feta to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a sauté pan on high heat. Add bell pepper and zucchini and sauté until tender. Stir in the cherry tomatoes last.
- Combine pasta with vegetables, season, and top with spinach and feta
Serves 4
One-Pot Roasted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (3 Ibs.)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 carrots, diced
- 4 red potatoes, quartered
- 2 tbsp. garlic, minced
- ½ c. extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rub chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and place in a baking dish.
- Toss vegetables with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Surround the chicken in the baking dish.
- Roast at 300°F for 40-50 minutes until juices run clear.
