Chef Spotlight
Mississippi Chef Goes Caribbean with Rum Runner Dish
(See Recipe Below)

Brent Merilson doesn't have a problem with preparing time-honored traditional dishes for his patrons at the Bay City Grill in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

In fact, the chef, who owns and operates the restaurant with his wife, Kelly-Jo, likes nothing more than culinary sacred cow-tipping.

The Bay City Grill advertises itself as specializing in classic Gulf Coast seafood and grilled steaks - but with a "contemporary flair."

"I based my style on Caribbean and Cajun influences," Merilson said. "Most of the dishes I do are familiar, but nothing is traditional. I try to change everything. I try a little twist."

An excellent example is Merilson's Rum Runner signature dish. It consists of grilled Mahi-Mahi topped with a coconut rum sauce.

"It's a sweet, spicy sauce," the chef said. "It's a heavy cream sauce with jalapeno, minced garlic and coconut rum."

The Rum Runner is one of the top-selling dishes at the Bay City Grill, possibly because of its exotic Caribbean flavor profile.

"It's something different," Merilson said. "It's a lot of flavor. It hits your mouth all over the place. Caribbean is a flavor I like best. They use a lot of sweets and peppers."

Caribbean is also an excellent complement to Cajun cuisine, which also makes unique use of peppers. Merilson has found that locals who are used to Cajun usually go for Caribbean dishes as well.

Chef's Roots Go Back to Family Restaurant

Like many chefs, Merilson got his first experience in food service working in the family business. But in his particular case, he wasn't born into the business.

He married into it.

His first job was working with his mother-in-law at her restaurant in New Jersey. The young would-be chef was still studying electronics, a field he would continue to work in while also holding jobs in food service.

"I did some short-order cooking for her," Merilson said.

When Kelly-Jo's family moved to Mississippi, she and her husband followed. They worked at the Harbor View Cafe in Bay St. Louis.

Again, Merilson was in the kitchen, while his wife worked in the front of the house. Soon, the couple was ready to branch out on their own.

"My wife and I decided to do our own thing, so we opened the Bay City Grill."

The restaurant opened in 1997 and has done well.

"It's outstanding - extremely busy," Merilson said. "I do about 90 hours a week. That's what it takes. It takes a lot of commitment.'

by David Noel, Editor

South East News

Date: August 1999

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Rum Runner
by Brent Merilson

Ingredients:
8 ouncesMahi-Mahi filet
8 to 10Medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cupHeavy cream
2 ouncesCoconut rum
1 tablespoonJalapenos, diced
1 tablespoonGarlic, minced
2 ounces Butter
A pinchPaprika

Preparation:

1. Brush fish fillet lightly with butter.
2. Sprinkle with a pinch of each seasoning and place over grill, cooking each side approximately four to five minutes.
3. In medium skillet, melt butter over high heat. Add shrimp and saute until fully cooked.
4. Add garlic and jalapenos; continue sauteeing until tender.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Deglaze pan with rum, then whisk in heavy cream and paprika. Return to heat.
7. Reduce liquid to a slightly thick consistency. Pour over Mahi-Mahi and serve immediately.