Thursday, July 18, 2024 The Westin Jekyll Island Beach Resort, a luxurious four-star hotel located on Jekyll Island in Georgia’s Golden Isles, has launched an enhanced culinary program in collaboration with Chef Lindsay Autry, a three-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: South. The resort has introduced three distinctive dining experiences: Willet’s Lowcountry, specializing in coastal Southern cuisine; Pour Tabby, a charming bar adjacent to a spacious veranda; and Salty’s, a poolside grill perfect for relaxing beach or poolside days. These venues are open to both visitors and locals, offering menus curated by Chef Autry that highlight her unique blend of Southern and Mediterranean culinary influences, showcasing the region’s abundant seafood.
Each establishment aims to become a beloved community fixture, celebrating local flavors and enhancing the resort experience. These new dining concepts will enrich Jekyll Island’s culinary offerings, traditionally known for its casual dining options. Chef Autry explained, “I drew inspiration from the rich character and history of Jekyll Island.
The aim with these new concepts was to celebrate that character, embrace local produce and ingredients, and craft experiences that will attract both Westin guests and visitors seeking a fresh dining experience on the island.” Chef Autry, originally from Eastern North Carolina, developed a passion for cooking early in life, influenced by her family’s peach orchard and her success in 4-H cooking competitions. Her upbringing in the South instilled in her a deep appreciation for culinary arts, leading her to pursue a career as a chef.
After earning a culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University, Chef Autry trained in various cities along the Eastern seaboard (including Charleston, SC, Miami, FL, and Palm Beach, FL) and in Mexico, before settling in West Palm Beach. There, she owned and operated The Regional, a renowned culinary destination. Chef Autry’s exceptional culinary skills earned her three consecutive James Beard Award nominations for “Best Chef: South” from 2018 to 2020.
Chef Autry collaborated closely with the culinary team at Westin Jekyll Island to infuse her sophisticated and diverse culinary perspective into Willet’s Lowcountry, Pour Tabby, and Salty’s. Leveraging Jekyll Island’s rich seafood offerings and her Southern-Mediterranean culinary background, Chef Autry crafted menus that emphasize local flavors, lightness, and refreshment, complementing the hotel’s coastal Georgia setting and the Westin brand’s commitment to wellness. Consistent with Westin’s reputation for promoting wellness, each menu features a substantial array of health-conscious choices, prioritizing local, organic, and sustainably sourced ingredients whenever feasible.
Moreover, the restaurant spaces have undergone comprehensive renovations, including a screened-in veranda for al fresco dining, enhancing the coastal Georgia ambiance with a redesigned aesthetic..
