Two Green Stars Align to Make Caribbean Culinary History
Bucuti & Tara will welcome the Caribbean’s first restaurant led by a chef honored with both a Michelin star for culinary excellence and a Green Michelin star for sustainability
Epicurean excellence meets environmental elegance this summer as Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba’s premier adults-only oasis, prepares for the opening of Terra by Jeremy Ford. This boundary-breaking restaurant will be helmed by Chef Jeremy Ford, whose Miami-based Stubborn Seed holds a prestigious Michelin Star and was recently further distinguished with a coveted Michelin Green Star for sustainability. This latest achievement means Ford is bringing this pedigree of one of the rarest and most respected culinary combinations in the world to Aruba, making it a first for the island and the region.
In a meticulous match of hospitality excellence firmly rooted in a foundation of sustainability, Ford has chosen Aruba’s heralded Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Tripadvisor’s No. 1 Best Hotel in the Caribbean and No. 5 Best Hotel in the World and the Caribbean’s first and only certified carbon-neutral hotel, for this new destination dining experience. Together, they are redefining what it means to dine well, with both purpose and pleasure.
“As we eagerly anticipate the groundbreaking debut of Terra by Jeremy Ford, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to Chef Ford, and his team on earning the prestigious Michelin Green Star, one of the highest honors in sustainable dining. Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, the world’s most sustainable hotel, is proud to soon welcome guests to a culinary experience that both elevates their wellbeing and delight, while also honoring our deeply shared commitment to the planet,” shares Crescenzia Biemans, Chief Corporate Officer, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort, Aruba.
The Rarest of Stars for Sustainability in Fine Dining
Ford, the winner of Bravo television’s Top Chef Season 13, is the mastermind chef behind a shared portfolio of culinary hot spots including Miami, Las Vegas, and the Florida Keys. The James Beard Foundation nominee’s Miami-based Michelin Star restaurant joins a new elite level with the recently earned Michelin Green Star, an honor bestowed only for the finest in culinary sustainability.
Few chefs or establishments in the world can claim both. Ford’s meticulous approach to sustainability—from responsible sourcing to waste reduction, energy-efficient operations, and community collaboration—will further shape the fine dining experience of Terra by Jeremy Ford. Guests will delight in unique flavors backed by the most stringent sustainability standards that care for them as much as they do the planet.
A Destination Dining Experience Rooted in Responsibility
Terra by Jeremy Ford will be a culinary destination for resort guests and locals alike, offering an experience that transcends traditional fine dining by placing equal importance on flavor, origin, and sustainability. The menu will celebrate the bounty of Aruba and the region through seasonally evolving dishes, regenerative cooking techniques, and ingredients sourced both locally and from Ford’s Farm, the chef’s 5.5-acre organic farm in Homestead, Florida. This hands-on venture allows Chef Ford to cultivate vibrant vegetables and aromatic herbs with care, ensuring every plate is a direct connection between the land and the plate.
What makes Terra truly unique is that it is being built with the island, for the island. This is not an imported concept, but a one-of-a-kind culinary vision created with local chefs, farmers, fishermen, and artisans. Chef Ford is developing Terra in partnership with third-generation Aruban hospitality pioneers Maurice and Karim Neme, whose family legacy has helped shape Aruba’s tourism identity for decades. Their deep ties to the community ensure that Terra will be a heartfelt tribute to Aruba’s culture, ingredients, and environment.
Guests can expect an unparalleled dining experience where elevated culinary techniques, sustainable sourcing and the island’s natural beauty come together in harmony. Terra by Jeremy Ford promises to be a landmark for destination dining in the Caribbean, born from a shared legacy of excellence and sustainability, and brought to life at the iconic Bucuti & Tara, the resort that redefined eco-luxury for the world.
To learn more, visit Bucuti.com.
About Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort
Declared the first certified CarbonNeutral® hotel in the Caribbean in 2018, Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort is the No. 5 Hotel in the World and No. 1 Best Hotel in the Caribbean according to Tripadvisor. Aruba’s premier adults-only boutique resort is led by celebrated hotelier and environmentalist, Ewald Biemans, who holds many accolades including multiple Hotelier of the Year awards. The resort is nestled on the powdery white sands of Eagle Beach, home to protected sea turtles and named one of the “Dream Beaches of the World.”
Home to the Caribbean’s Safest, Healthiest Vacation Experience and Aruba’s Health & Happiness Code seal, Bucuti has 104 well-appointed guest rooms, suites and penthouses. It offers sunbeds and shade for every guest; freshwater infinity pool; spa; WiFi; and complimentary iPad for use during stay. Award-winning healthy dining is enjoyed at oceanfront Elements, Tara Lounge and private beach dining. Reserved exclusively for guests and their friends, the open-air SandBar offers top-shelf cocktails and live music daily along with the Caribbean’s first Healthy Hour. The resort is IGLTA and TAG Approved® as an LGBTQ-friendly hotel. Bucuti & Tara, a worldwide sustainable tourism leader, holds eco-certifications of CarbonNeutral®, LEED Gold, Green Globe Platinum and Travelife Gold and was named the World’s Most Sustainable Hotel/Resort in 2016 by Green Globe. The resort exemplifies an all-embracing commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations deemed Bucuti & Tara’s sustainability program “highly replicable and scalable” for hotels worldwide to emulate.