Lori Cady
Chef, s/y Sabore

Date interviewed: November 2006

How did you realize you wanted to become a chef?
My husband and I left our home in Alaska to sail around    the world for about five years, and that’s when I really first had time to cook. We were cruising and I cooked a lot,     and we went back to Alaska for three years, and we   realized that we just really needed to be on the water. 
     When I started as a charter chef, to be honest, I wasn’t thrilled. It’s hard to pick a menu for people you don’t know. But the more I did the job, the more I liked it. It’s been a few years now, and I just love it. I love the organizing part of it, and I’m totally into it. We’re going into our 10th year.

What training did you undergo to become a chef?
I’ve never taken a full-on Le Cordon Bleu course or anything like that. A lot of the cooking courses I took were basic, and I didn’t like that because I know how to cook. So then I started taking specialty courses in Seattle, private classes with eight people and the best chefs in the area. I’ve taken about ten of those.  
     These guys are real professionals. Just seeing how they do things and being in the galley for ten years, I’ve evolved and realized what’s best for the people I’m cooking for.

Why did you decide to work onboard yachts?
We left Alaska in 1991 and got back in 1996. We were just going to sail to Mexico, but we ended up going around the world. We went back to Alaska for three years and couldn’t stand it, and we weren’t even looking, but we got a call from some people in the British Virgins who needed help. It was a 52-foot monohull [sailing yacht]. They thought we could do it.

What yachts did you work on before joining Sabore?
The boat we took around the world was a 37-foot monohull. For the last five years we were onboard a 55-foot sailing catamaran, and there were a few other catamarans in between.
     For chartering, there’s nothing better. The catamarans sail really well, and there’s plenty of room for everybody.

When did you join your current yacht’s crew?
In May of 2006 my husband, Mike, and I joined. He’s the captain.
     We'll do six months on, six months off starting this winter. We’ll work through April 1 of 2007 and then take a break for six months. It’s great because it helps to keep us energetic and fresh.

What do you think makes your yacht unique or special?
It’s a combination of things. The new owner of Sabore who purchased the boat in May 2006 had chartered it five times. Sabore was one of the few boats we would’ve gone full time for. The owners are so nice. We got onboard and immediately painted it with a custom paint job. We did a complete refit even though the boat was only four years old. He had an interior designer come in.
     A lot of times, you work for a boat and it’s all about, “Do you really need a new bimini? Can’t this one last another year?” This was completely different. He really likes our ideas. Everything we come up with, the owner says, “yeah, that sounds fun.”
    One idea was a huge outdoor screen with a projector. That’s a lot of fun. We’re already booked next year with repeat clients. Our past four charters, they all booked repeat charters for next year. It’s really fun to be able to share this with people you’ve chartered with before.

How do you determine what meals you will prepare for charter guests?
They fill out the preference sheet, and I’m mostly interested in what they really like, what they really don’t like, and their allergies. Other than that, I make what I like.
     We e-mail and call them before they get here, so we can judge their personalities and what they feel strongly about. It’s fun when we’re on the charter because they don’t know that I can hear them when I’m down in the galley. Sure enough, two days later, their favorite thing is going to appear and they’re amazed.
     Also, planning the menu and making sure everybody is happy, that’s part of the experience of just doing it for so long. You have to make sure nobody’s going to go hungry, but you want to serve them something they don’t have every day. It’s the combination of those two things.
     I prep as much as I can for the whole day’s cooking before we take off sailing. I like to take people snorkeling, running or hiking in the afternoons. That makes a big difference. We like hanging out with the guests. I think that’s why we get so much repeat business.

What are some of your specialties?
Crepes, is the funny thing. I make crepes in the morning for breakfast, and people just die for them. They can’t believe they’re getting them.
     Also, lots of seafood like nut-crusted sea bass. I usually don’t make ribs for a first-time charter because it’s an unsophisticated meal, but for repeat clients who I think will like them, I make them, and they always ask for them again.
     Everyone usually loves steak on the last night, too, usually with a portobello mushroom sauce. Lately I’ve been working on a topping with blue cheese, too.

What cruising areas do you like best for incorporating local ingredients into your menus?
There’s lots of good spices here on Tortola. And the seafood, there’s a place that gets fresh mahi-mahi and swordfish, and that’s really great.
     But beyond the local ingredients, we love to anchor out by ourselves in quiet coves here in the British Virgin Islands. There are a lot of red zones on the chart that bareboats are not allowed in for insurance reasons. We are able to anchor in these beautiful spots within dinghy distance of bars and shopping. It's a big plus. 
 
What is a typical day’s menu that a guest might experience onboard your yacht?
I’ve got it organized so that I can do a heavy lunch or a light lunch, depending on what we’re having for dinner and how busy we’re going to be.
     I try to alternate what I’m doing based on the activities the guests want for the day.

What kind of charter guests are your favorites?
We like active people who are interested in where they’re at. We tell the brokers we like families and active people and even older groups because we are more mature than a lot of crew. I’m 42 and Mike’s 52, so we’re good for a lot of folks who don’t want to be with 20-year-old crew all day.
     Our worst charter is people who want to sit and drink all day. They should be on a beach somewhere or in a hotel, not on a boat where we have so much opportunity to have fun.

What, if any, awards have you won?
None. But I have written and printed a cookbook, “Cook Like the Wind,” and now there’s a publisher interested in helping me publish it. So that’s really neat.

What else should CharterWave readers know about you and Sabore?
I just think that if people haven’t chartered before, they need to find a good broker and a crew that matches their personality. That’s what makes a charter great.
     We love what we’re doing, but we’re not for everybody. That’s what people need to know.

Sabore is part of the fleet at CharterPortBVI. Her weekly all-inclusive rate for two to four guests is $19,500; for six guests, $21,500;  and for eight guests, $23,500 (just shy of $3,000 per person with a  full boat).

Learn more by reading our First Impression editorial review.