While traveling down Highway A1A along the coast of St. Augustine, one is treated to the sights of soft beige beach sand, cresting waves, wind-swept sawgrass, and million dollar beach homes. Rising like the shimmering heat waves from the road is the undeniable urge to take in this slice of Florida with all five senses. The beautiful scenery, the sounds of the ocean, and the aroma of delicious food wafting through the salty air compels the hungry traveler to stop and seek its source. That’s when Cap’s on the Water comes into view.
Cap’s on the Water, a restaurant located between Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine, offers both indoor and outdoor seating. Whether sitting outside catching the last rays of the sun as it dips below the horizon or enjoying the company of family under the soft lighting inside the restaurant, Cap’s delivers delicious menu options that capture the essence of traditional North Florida coastal favorites.
THE CHEF
The list of delicious entrees on Cap’s menu requires the expertise of a skilled chef who takes pride in pleasing the many diners who frequent the popular restaurant. Chef Chip Richard is the young chef who prepares the menu. Originally from Northern New Jersey, Richard moved to the area in 1997, and began his culinary journey at an early age. “I started working in the industry when I was about fourteen at a place called Eddie’s down in Palm Valley, washing dishes and doing some prep cook stuff,” says Richard.
The ambitious chef eagerly learned and became one of the restaurant’s line cooks. Richard then pressed forward with his burgeoning career by attending culinary art school. His ambitions later took him far away from the beach and palms of St. Augustine. Richard says, “I traveled abroad a little bit. I stayed in Italy for a month and a half. I got to do a little cooking while I was there, too.” While traveling abroad, Chef Chip Richard studied and cooked in Germany, southern France, Holland, Switzerland, Nassau Bahamas and more.
In 2003, Richard was hired at Cap’s on the Water as a line cook, and he eventually became the head chef. Over the years, Richard has developed a close relationship with the restaurant’s owner, Bernard de Radd. Chef Richard comments, “He’s kind of like a benevolent uncle to me. He’s always taken care of me.” This relationship and mutual respect has allowed Richard opportunities to pursue other culinary ventures in restaurants such as The Blind Rabbit and others in the St. Augustine and Jacksonville area. For the last two years, Richard’s chef’s hat has hung solely at Cap’s, where his role as the head chef is an integral part of the restaurant’s atmosphere and overall dining experience.
As Chef Chip Richard continues his legacy at Cap’s, the culinary influences from his travels and experiences enable him to provide new menu selections. He says, “I’m working on menu development and taking the restaurant in a different direction from where we’ve traditionally gone. Food is very popular right now. It’s important to keep up on all the trends. That’s how you stay competitive.”
Chef Richard’s open mind and passion for providing the best cuisine for his diners is what causes the innovative chef to draw from everything he has learned in his life. “I cook a lot of traditional southern fare. I like to take some of those dishes and use them as a springboard into other imaginative cuisine. I also have a very strong Italian influence from my time over there. My family is not Italian, but my mother is a great cook, and she cooked lots of Italian food in our house. Traditionally, we would eat Polish and
Irish food, too. But there’s only so much you can do with Perogies and potatoes!” laughs Richard.
The unique tastes acquired from the Mediterranean, Europe, and Asia, influence the young chef as he creates wonderful dishes that give diners a mouth-watering taste of his impressive imagination. The chef explains, “I try not to keep myself penned up into one particular type of cuisine. My daily goal is to try at least one new recipe.” One recipe that spawned from the chef’s daily call to push himself and his repertoire in the kitchen is called The Bloody Mary Baked Oyster. Although he was tight-lipped about its ingredients, Chef Richard insured with a confident smile and a few choice adjectives that it is a very exquisite recipe that may appear on the menu as a special one day.
As a testament to his character and his relationship with his co-workers, Chef Chip Richard warmly shares that none of his endeavors would be possible without the strong contributions, talent, and bond of the entire restaurant staff. “My kitchen crew in the back is bullet proof!” Richard says confidently. “They’re the best in town! I couldn’t do it without them. They are just so solid! It’s a personal connection, too. We’re like a family. That helps a lot.”
CULINARY FARE
Chef Chip Richard and his crew have created a very memorable and tasty array of entrees and appetizers. Created from the freshest ingredients, including seafood that is delivered six times weekly, Cap’s on the Water offers a selection of food that sings on the palate.
The She Crab Soup is a delectable appetizer made from succulent lobster and crab, roasted and puréed vegetables, and a touch of sherry. The warmth and freshness of this soup’s ingredients make it a hearty start to an incredible meal.
The delicious Sweet Tea Chicken, an appetizer comprised of boneless and skinless chicken thighs, marinated over night in an interesting brine of sweet tea, lemon, sugar, salt, and fresh sage from the restaurant’s garden. The moist and tenderized chicken is then cooked using the Sous-Vide method of cooking in vacuum sealed bags at 147 degrees for two hours. The chicken is then skewered and seared on a flat top causing it to be seared outside while remaining juicy inside. The skewered chicken is served with a
southern style vegetable chow chow, and a creamy side of garlic yogurt sauce.
