Chef, 163-foot motoryacht Casino Royale

Date interviewed: December 2010

The luncheon you prepared today received the same kinds of rave reviews that helped you win first prize in the megayachts division of the 2010 Antigua Charter Yacht Show culinary competition. Everyone at the luncheon particularly enjoyed your chilled melon soup with Bloody Mary sorbet, as well as your roasted grouper with lobster and pumpkin coulis. How did you learn to cook?

I’m from Auckland, New Zealand, and I was cooking quite young. I was making full roasts at age eight. I always loved not just the cooking, but also planning the atmosphere.

So you went straight into culinary school as a teenager?

Actually, no. I was a photo lithographer, which means I made plates for the printing industry. My job literally became obsolete when computers took over, so in my late 20s, I decided I would travel. I took a job as a nanny in France, where I saw an advertisement for a cook on a yacht. I was 30 years old, and I had no formal experience, but I went onboard that 58-foot Little Harbor sailing yacht and went from New Zealand to Italy. I really took to the cooking.

Did you get formal culinary training after that?

The only formal training I’ve had was in 2000, when I went to New Zealand to study basic culinary skills for six months. I did restaurant work simultaneously. It made me understand preparation and organization, which is really important on boats.

What types of boats did you work aboard before joining your current crew on the 163-foot Christensen motoryacht Casino Royale?

I was on an 80-foot Mangusta motoryacht, a 100-foot sailing yacht, then bigger boats like the 53-meter Perini Navi sailing yacht Atmosphere and the 50-meter Codecasa motoryacht Lady Ann Magee.

So given the type of people who would be aboard yachts of that caliber, you have experience cooking for seasoned palates. What type of food do you typically cook aboard Casino Royale?

This boat’s owner enjoys comfort foods such as hot dogs, hamburgers, wedge salads, that sort of thing. I am of course happy to cook those things, but my hope is that we will get charter guests who are a bit more adventurous.  I don’t mind hot dogs and hamburgers, but I can do more, and I do love to do it.

What would you say are your specialties?

Versatility is my specialty. For instance, I’ve had guests with the Grenadines who caught fresh tuna and wanted sushin in two hours. It’s no problem. I am happy to do anything. My style depends on what the guests want. Some like big buffets with huge platters, and others want elegant, plated dinners. Either is fine with me.

Personally, I like Asian food, and I love to focus on presentation. But I am able to do many kinds of menus. We have crew members who are vegetarian, and I have a dehydrator, so I can do raw food diets as well.

What else sets you apart from other charter yacht chefs?

I am passionate about food. I don’t like to give the guests sample menus because people might think it’s not the style of food that they want, and then I don’t have a chance to show them that I can give them what they want. I prefer to talk to the guests by telephone to see what they like, and then make a sample menu specifically for them.

What I do is not about what I like to cook. It’s about what the guests love to eat. Guests should enjoy every meal aboard Casino Royale—period.

Casino Royale is part of the International Yacht Collection charter fleet. Any reputable charter broker can tell you more or help you book a week onboard.