Anita van der Werf
Chef, motoryacht Harmony 1

Date interviewed: May 2008

How did you realize you wanted to become a chef?
I’m Dutch, but I was raised in Curacao. My sister went up to St. Thomas and saw all the big boats, and she told me I could get paid to work on them. I started out as a stewardess on a 62-foot sailboat that I helped deliver from the Virgin Islands to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. I eventually got a job there as a deckhand on a 105-foot motorsailer, which was a big boat 18 or 19 years ago.
    Finally, about 10 years ago, I made the switch to chef. I wanted to be more independent, compared to a deckhand taking orders all day.

What training did you undergo to become a chef?
I started out as a cook/stewardess, so I could learn from a chef onboard a boat, and then I went to the Rosie Davis school in England to learn the basics of cooking.
     My first job after that was as a crew chef on the 158-foot motoryacht Lady Georgina. I liked being the chef, but that kind of boat wasn’t for me. There was so much food wasted. I left there and hopped from private to crewed yachts, gaining experience.

When did you join your current yacht’s crew?
I started in 2007 as the summers-only chef onboard the 105-foot motoryacht Harmony 1 in the Mediterranean. She doesn’t charter in the winter, so during those months, I work as a freelancer on other boats in the Caribbean.
     I like the schedule because I always have new challenges. That’s why I like charter, too.

What do you think makes your yacht’s crew unique or special?
I’ve been on a lot of boats, and I think Harmony 1 has a homey touch. The atmosphere is comfortable. You can relax. I quite like the layout and the interior décor.

How do you determine what meals you will prepare for charter guests?
I look at the preference sheets they fill out, and then I buy whatever I can get fresh. When they come onboard, I talk to the main charterer to discuss their tastes. Most of the time, European people like family style with a good number of different dishes, so I’ll do that for the first meal, and then talk to them about what they liked.

What are some of your specialty dishes?
I vary my foods from Moroccan to Mexican to classical. The guests seem to appreciate that, having the variation.
     What I cook depends on where we are and what the guests’ mood is. I decide in the afternoon what I’m going to make for dinner. I never do a menu for a whole week.

What cruising areas do you like best for incorporating local ingredients?
France and Italy, because the markets are fabulous. The fruits, vegetables, all the sausages—the whole atmosphere. You’re just feeling like, ‘Let’s cook!’

What is a typical day’s menu onboard Harmony 1?
If I can, I do family-style lunches with three or four dishes to give people a choice. Dinner tends to be three courses with a dessert ready if they want it.
     Some people, after a few days, they skip lunch and want just fruit. Our boat’s owner, for instance, only wants fruit desserts all the time. So I can vary things for various people.

What kind of charter guests are your favorites?
I like a challenge. Whatever comes, I’ll enjoy cooking.
     I once worked on an Arab boat and had to learn that kind of food. Truly, I love to cook anything.

What else should CharterWave readers know about you and Harmony 1?
I cook very healthy and light. No heavy sauces. I don’ tlike them myself. I like light, plain, simple food.

Harmony 1 is part of the Merrill-Stevens fleet. She takes eight guests. Contact any reputable charter broker for additional information, including current rates.