The technical parts.

You’re the first to wake up and the last to go to bed. Your day starts at the break of dawn, with a lineup of breakfasts to prepare. While guests finish up their brekky, the chefs already moving onto lunch and dinner prep. And we're talking about different “fine dining” meals every day, folks. No repeats allowed. It's like running a gourmet restaurant on water while doing a never-ending magic show - solo. Chasing the perpetually wow factor, both visually & palatable.

Lunchtime.

Not just serving a regular lunch. No, no. You're serving lunch like an intimate culinary ballet with a side of patience and organization. The goal is to end it with an orchestrated sound of content “mmmmm, oooooh, ahhh, sooo good.” Delivered by owners, guests and crew included, with smiles on their faces.

This is a yacht chefs gratification, it makes all that investment put into the savour of the one bite worth it. We have mathematically, scientifically, artistically strategically methodically engineered and executed a flavour bomb in your mouth. When yacht owners and guests Instagram your food, that’s our secondary prize. That’s our carrot. We eternally chase that micro moment of purpose and satisfaction.

That 48 hr marinade, or 8hr slow cooked, or brine, drying, pickling, fermenting etc. Every meticulous step leading to that bite was crafted days ahead. The mind management it requires to make every meal on board consumes a yacht chefs whole existence and purpose in this world.

And just when you think you can take a breather, ha, joking. We know that is not in our cards. Without missing a beat, we bounce right into prepping and serving crew dinner. But don't get too comfortable yet, because guest canapés are just around the corner, swiftly followed by guest dinner service. Family-style large buffets or individually plated tasting menus? Then there’s building up and plating the desserts beautifully to finish with a bang. No half *ss attempts here. The rule of a yacht chef is “what happens on the yacht, does NOT stay on the yacht.” It will haunt you and stay in your memory bank for a very long time. Your 8 hr marinaded duck breasts, sous vide and seared that was hot and ready in the warmer drawer. Is now cold because the warmer drawer wasn’t working. The big wave that hit the port side earlier made a glitch. Ce la vie.

You better be ready to whip up a storm no matter what Mother Nature throws at you.

After dinner, it's time to clean like an OCD champion and start prepping for the meals the next day.

As a sole yacht chef we hesitantly and wishfully look at the clock hoping it can lie… but it doesn’t. It’s delivers the brutal honesty that it’s 10 pm. There’s still an hour before we’re in bed. We rush to that fantasy finish line with the last bit of adrenaline & cortisol our depraved bodies can produce. But not before we smash back a bowl of fruit loops into our empty tummy’s. Then, and only then are we officially done.

But hey, who needs sleep anyway? Enter our little friend, adrenaline. Yacht chefs have a very unique fight and flight style of survival. I’ve learned to like mine. Some have the gifted gene of being a semi functional alcoholic. Others, (me) turn to a more holistic approach, yoga, meditation and writing into my journal. No one’s coming to save us.

It’s ALL on the Sole yacht chef. Sink or swim. Literally. Gotta make sure you’ve written your “list,” planning is organized, pastries are perfect, bread is proving, the meat is marinating, curing, defrosting, drying, sauces prepped, oils, desserts. The mental gymnastics it requires to execute and prep does-not-end.

But what does it take to be a Super Yacht Chef?

A culinary degree is preferred, but the real lessons are learned in the heat of the kitchen, stages, working under talented head chefs. Patience, creativity, and passion are the secret ingredients that make a chef shine on the high seas. That, thank the universe, I do possess. Sheer drive, determination and healthy dissociation.

And let's not forget the unsung heroes of the galley, like sous chefs and crew cooks. Passion and a great personality are a must. After all, you're spending up to 17 hours a day together. A positive attitude and a thirst for learning go a long way. Experience is a bonus, but a good attitude is the real golden ticket.

So, why keep working in such a high-profile environment?

The answer is simple: you are your own boss, full creative control, the novelty of a new port, locals, ingredients, travel, adventures, the incredible people, and the not-too-shabby salary. It's a tough gig, but someone's got to do it. What’s really satisfying is when you overcome yourself, and surpass any and every curveball thrown at you. That growth, is soul-satisfying.

But how does a Super Yacht Chef find the time to learn new techniques and grow in this whirlwind career?

It's all about sending yourself to different stages, working for free in restaurants to learn new dishes. Plus, staying up to date with the talented chefs you admire. It's a never-ending culinary education.

But what about work-life balance? Well, let's just say it's a bit like trying to catch a slippery squid with your bare hands. When you live where you work, it's tough to turn off. Even when the boss isn't on board, there's always something to do. Yoga, meditation, surf and a few drinks with the crew can help, but in the end, work and life are permanently intertwined.

For young aspiring chefs, here's some valuable advice: find a chef you respect, and go work for them. Slow down and learn before trying to conquer the culinary world on. I’m still on that journey and forever will be.

Carol.