Clay Conley to Debut Buccan on the Island

It looks like both chefs from Azul, the über-luxe eatery in Miami's posh Mandarin Oriental hotel, (will) have restaurants in Palm Beach. Michelle Bernstein was first with her eponymous eatery in the opulent but financially troubled Omphoy resort. Now her successor, former Todd English culinary director Clay Conley, is leaving...

By Bill Citara

September 2, 2010

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It looks like both chefs from Azul, the über-luxe eatery in Miami's posh Mandarin Oriental hotel, (will) have restaurants in Palm Beach.

Michelle Bernstein was first with her eponymous eatery in the opulent but financially troubled Omphoy resort. Now her successor, former Todd English culinary director Clay Conley, is leaving Azul after five years at the stove and coming to Palm Beach to open his own restaurant.

Slated to debut by year's end, Buccan, named after the wooden device used to roast meats over a fire in the Caribbean, will feature cuisine stylistically similar to Conley's Mediterranean-based but eclectic fare at Azul, though with a much more casual atmosphere and at much lower prices. Look for a wood-fired oven and grill, a raw bar, and a menu composed mostly of small plates.

Buccan will take over the space formerly home to the star-crossed Beach House Bistro, which will undergo major renovation to give it a rustic, urban, and "organic" look. More details as they become available.

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