Chef, 130-foot CRN motoryacht Parvati

Date interviewed: December 2010

How did you get into the business of cooking onboard yachts?

I’m a native of Wellington, New Zealand, and even as a boy I always jumped into the kitchen with my mom. The smell of roasting onions got me in there.

I went on to study cooking formally in New Zealand. I covered all the basics of French cuisine and international fare. That was in 2003. Then a friend of mine went to Europe to cook at a ski resort, and I followed him. I didn’t want to go to some restaurant in London and pour drinks. I wanted to go to France and learn more about that food. At the ski chalets, I started talking to chefs who worked there, and they told me that during the summers they sometimes got jobs cooking on yachts. So I went to Antibes.

Did you immediately find full-time work?

In May 2006, I got a one-month trial aboard a motoryacht called Shenandoah. I did fine, but the owner ended up wanting an Italian chef. So I went and did some traveling in Spain, learned about the food there, and then in August 2007 I joined the 130-foot CRN motoryacht Parvati, where I still work today.

How do you like cooking for charter guests aboard Parvati?

I like chartering. The owners are lovely people, but I enjoy a change in the group. I can do dishes for charter clients that are similar to what I’ve done for the owners, but I get a chance to tweak them and perfect them by trying them out on all the different guests.

What are some of your specialties?

I make a nice spaghetti with lobster and fresh tomato sauce. People also like my dessert of poached quince with homemade vanilla ice cream, caramelized nuts, dried bananas, and sweet sherry. Every charter, I do that dessert. It’s always a winner.

To me, it’s fun to mix things up. I love to cook Japanese one day, Malaysian the next day, Italian the next day, and so on. I like to vary things. It makes the food feel really international.

Do you also have recipes for charter guests with strict diets?

We’ve had charter clients onboard who eat wheat-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, who have nut allergies—nothing is a problem. We are prepared for anything.

Parvati is part of the charter fleet at Camper and Nicholsons International. She takes 10 guests with eight crew at a lowest weekly base rate of €75,000. Any reputable charter broker can tell you more or help you book a week onboard.