ShowBoats International — April 2017

APRIL 2017 WWW.BOATINTERNATIONAL.COM

PHOTOGRAPHS: RODDY GRIMES-GRAEME

APRIL 2017

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Three victorious

superyacht chefs explain

what helped them win

the Culinary Contest

at the Antigua Charter

Yacht Show 2016

One of the highlights of the Antigua

Charter Yacht Show is the Chefs’

Culinary Contest. Below left: chef

Charlie Blacker’s lunch is served

S

ourcing ingredients in the world’s most

remote destinations, middle-of-the-night

calls for pizza and dealing with seemingly

endless lists of dietary requirements: the

life of a superyacht chef is never straightforward.

While some guests might still crave buffalo wings

and quesadillas, the pressure to wow others with

show-stopping meals has never been greater.

Molecular gastronomy has stretched far beyond

the kitchens of the Fat Duck and El Bulli and the

confines of a galley are expected to produce food that

is both delicious and theatrical.

The theme for the Culinary Contest at the Antigua

Charter Yacht Show – a three-course surf ’n’ turf

Caribbean luncheon with a tropical fruit dessert –

highlighted the task superyacht chefs regularly face

of elevating classic combinations to modern culinary

standards. Thirty-one chefs stepped up to the

challenge – sponsored by Boat International Media,

Laurent Perrier Champagne, Bacchus Divine Wines

of Antigua, Liat Quikpak Express and National

Marine – to show off their onboard skills.

This year’s three category winners raised the

standards in both imagination and complexity.

Whether it was sourcing unusual ingredients such as

land snail caviar or crocodile, cooking dishes in front

of the judges or highlighting ethical produce such as

lionfish, they all went above and beyond a traditional

fine dining experience.

So how do you find the perfect balance between

classic comfort food and contemporary dining? And

how do you satisfy the most demanding of charter

guests? We spoke to the new champions to find out.

WINNER 164FT PLUS

Charlie Blacker

Yacht Trending, 164ft

Blacker made the leap from the turf of the Guards Polo

Club in Windsor, near London, where he was head chef,

to the surf of yachts six years ago. His winning three

courses focused on the overall dining experience, with

a starter of salted mahi-mahi rolled in coriander and

tamarind that he prepared in front of the judges. He

believes that immersive dining enhances the senses and

creates lasting memories for guests

I have always been inspired by the theater of food.

I spend a lot of time eating out all over the world and

use that to help me create dishes. It is not just about

filling your belly; it is about the whole experience.

I’m in my dream job because of our amazing boss.

Everything that I am passionate about he supports.

The biggest challenge of being a yacht chef is that

every meal you create is new because each guest has

completely different dietary requirements and

completely different tastes. For the first three meals

I serve guests on board, I follow the preference sheet

to a T – but I also try and wow them. I find once I have

impressed them I have more of a free rein.

I like to keep it light and modern. It is important

to understand what is happening and embrace that.

I use little bits of molecular fusion because that

is modern food but I also respect the classics.

The taste

of success

Charlie Blacker’s main

course: local lobster

poached in beet liqueur,

served with braised pork

belly

CHARTER

SPECIAL

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Chefs Comp Antigua, 1