http://www.theislander.net. 69
NEWS 4 STEWS
Stew of the Month
Sylvaine Simon
What did you do
before yachting?
I’ve dedicated my whole
career to the hotel industry.
After studying hotel and
restaurant management, I
went moved to England to
improve my English, and
worked for Relais & Chateaux
for years. I spent seven years
working in Bermuda, and
then decided to move back
to Europe, choosing Mallorca
as a possible place to settle.
A friend recommended the
yachting industry to me,
and I’ve been in yachting
since then.
What do you enjoy most
about working onboard?
I love challenging myself -
getting everything perfect as
possible to ensure that even
the highest expectations
are met.
How do you cope with
inter-crew politics?
It can be difficult to work
and live in such small
surroundings! No one is
perfect - we all know that! I
believe if you accept people
the way they are, be honest
with the crew, respect
everyone’s privacy and be
serious about your work, then
you will be fine.
How do you keep sane
on charter?
As long as you keep organized
and keep calm there’s no need
to get insane. On charter,
I also remind myself how
beautiful it is around me and
how lucky I am – this keeps
me going!What are your best strategies
for spoiling charter guests?
I believe being able to offer
the unexpected will make the
guests feel special. Though
you don’t always have to
do big things to make an
impression – sometimes the
simplest things are the best. I
had a perfect example of this
last year. We had a well-known
guest on board from London’s
high society, who frequented
the most fashionable venues
in the world. I served them a
classic Gin & Tonic and they
were amazed with the taste
and how it was served, and
kept drinking them. They even
commented that they hadn’t
seen it served that way in
England before!What is your
signature cocktail?
I love making cocktails; the
French Martini is one of my
favourites – I recommend
adding a twist of lemon. Also
our homemade smoothies
are fantastic afternoon drinks
for summer, and very easy to
do. Simply blend fresh fruits,
vegetables and herbs/spices
such as basil or ginger, pour
over crushed ice and decorate- guests love them!
What is your favourite
yachting destination?
So many places! But if I have
to choose one I would say
Bonifacio in Corsica, because I
was not expecting it to be
so beautiful.If you could give your 20yr
old self one piece of advice,
what would it be?
Be confident and believe
in yourself.What do you enjoy least about
yachting?
Rough seas - even though I
hate taking seasickness pills, I
still take them; they make me
sleepy and hungry as a wolf!What career achievement
are you most proud of?
My best experience was
running and managing a
restaurant and wine bar in
Bermuda for three years.971 675 294 http://www.supermercadocidon.es
Plaza Portals Nous - Carretera Andratx
A wide range of English & American food,
cleaning products, personal care products,
as well as our extensive stock of wines &
prized gourmet range. We Deliver. Orders
to: [email protected]YACHT PROVISIONING
Best housekeeping
tip/products?
I found a fantastic product
“Marble polisher LOUIS XIII
for natural stone and marble”- it’s great for cleaning tough
marble stains away. If you
have no time to bring in a
professional, this product
works perfectly!
What’s the best thing you’ve
spoilt yourself to at the
end of the season?
Sometime I treat myself to
a good Thai foot massage
Sylvaine Simon
or spa treatment.What’s your favourite
adventure in Mallorca?
Going trekking, enjoying the
beautiful scenery, including a
good lunch stop, with
local products.What’s your plan for the
future?
For now I want to keep
working, to stay busy, happy,
and to build up a good and
secure future for my family.
The future will tell me the rest.Ctra. Palma-Andratx, 35 - Portals Nous
T. 971 67 67 67 M. 971 67 67 69
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