Julie Grayston Smith is the Owner and Founder of Bouquet Garni Gourmet Foods and a well know face at Windybank Farm Market.
Julie formed Bouquet Garni Catering in 1996 to fill a niche in Bermuda for smaller upscale personalized catering. The award-winning catering company continued until 2006 when at that time it transitioned into a Gourmet Food Company. The successful cottage business has been providing locally made bottled products such as jams, salad dressings and the ever-popular Balsamic Onion Chutney to happy customers for 10 years. Over the years Julie has added freshly made, preservative free, small batch hummus, dips, cookies, baked items, breads to the Bouquet Garni repertoire.
“The best feeling for me is to create a recipe made from local ingredients that my husband actually grows on Windybank Farm and to see first-hand at our market the reaction from our customers…nothing beats it !” Julie Grayston Smith
1. What is your favourite Bermudian tradition?
Christmas Breakfast most definitely, as its all about family. We do a big Christmas breakfast at our home with friends and family, which includes lots of mimosas and yummy food like frittata & smoked salmon.
2. Where is the best place for a fish sandwich?
Seaside Grill on North Shore: you have to share because they are so big, but make sure you get it with local fish and tartar sauce!
3. Where is the best place for sushi?
Pearl, [get the] Samurai Pearl Roll. YUM!
4. What’s the most Instagram-worthy place in Bermuda?
Windybank Farm of course! Especially on Saturday morning! The amazing vegetables on display and the great mix of people that visit make for some great stories!
5. What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Strength does not lie in what you have. It lies in what you can give.
6. What do you like most about yourself?
My perseverance, I never give up. I may step back for a minute and take a breath, but I always push on…
7. What do you like least about yourself?
My inability to say no. I never want to disappoint anyone, although I am getting better in my “old age!”
8. What keeps you up at night?
Nothing, I sleep really well.
9. What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve overcome?
I have had a few obstacles in my adult life, but the one that changed my outlook on my life was being diagnosed and then beating breast cancer — 5 years clear! It gives you a different perspective on life.
10. What’s your favourite thing to do on Sunday?
In Summer: boating with my husband and friends.
In Winter: walking on cool breezy days on the beaches & trails with my dogs.
11. How long have you been in Bermuda?
Born & bred!
12. What’s your favourite beach?
Cooper’s Island.
13. What was your first job ever?
Babysitting — probably every Bermudians first job!
14. Who was/is the most influential person in your life?
My husband Malcolm: he has been the steadying force and voice of reason in my sometimes overwhelming adult life.
15. What’s in your wallet right now?
Supermarket receipts.
16. Do you ever get island fever?
Never, I love my island home.
17. What’s your favourite thing in your office?
I guess you could say my office is my commercial kitchen (as I spend most of my time in there), so on that note my super capacity mixer, it makes life easier on bread making Fridays.
18. What’s your favourite thing at home?
My family.
19. Loquat or Bermuda banana?
Bermuda banana for sure, there’s nothing like a Bermuda banana.
20. St George’s or Somerset?
St George’s, Blue & Blue “shrew & shrew!”
21. Cricket or football?
Sailing, it should be added as a national sport!
22. What are you reading right now?
Becoming by Michelle Obama.
23. What is your guilty pleasure?
Talenti Coffee Chip Gelato and Netflix.
24. What is your biggest phobia?
Not finishing my daily lists!
