I work as a private chef on board a luxury yacht in the British Virgin Islands. Here's what I make for my guests in a day.
20.09.2024 - 09:53
/ insider.com
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Hannah Staddon, a 31-year-old private chef who works onboard the Mucho Gusto , a luxury charter in the British Virgin Islands. It has been edited for length and clarity.
I've been in the industry for around 13 years. I started as a yacht stewardess in the Mediterranean. I worked as a stew for about three years before gravitating toward the kitchen.
At one point, a chef I was working with didn't enjoy baking — but I was pretty good at it. That jumpstarted my interest in cooking, and I saved up through another season to put myself through chef's school back in South Africa, where I'm from.
I worked as a crew chef for a 160-foot yacht for a bit, but I realized I didn't even really like crew cooking because they just made food in big batches.
I cooked for 10 to 14 people daily for about four or five months. But I was getting burned out, and I wanted to be creative and make small, beautiful things.
So, my partner and I started looking for a boat together, and we ended up working together on board Mucho Gusto.
It's been seven years, and we haven't looked back.
I get up at about 6 a.m. As soon as I wake up, I start prepping pastries, laying out the tables, and getting our guests coffee.
I usually make a continental spread for breakfast with homemade granola yogurt, fruit plates, and pastries. Then, I'll have a hot option for the day, like eggs benedict or waffles.
I like cooking light and healthy food. So I do spreads, sometimes with homemade focaccia, and then a protein, depending on the guests' preferences.
I also try to source most of my produce from local farmers and fishermen.
Lunches vary between plated salads and buffet-style courses. I whip up homemade ice cream, so there's always a selection available for dessert at lunch.
I start prepping dinner at about 5 p.m. and usually serve it at around 7 p.m.
Depending on how active the guests have been, I may serve a little snack plate before dinner, like some fresh fruits or a charcuterie board.
By about 7 p.m., once all the guests have showered and are ready for dinner, I'll have set the table. Dominic, meanwhile, serves sundown cocktails.
Unless guests request a lighter meal, we usually do three courses — starters, mains, and desserts. I've gotten good reviews for my sushi spreads, in particular.
My homemade pasta is also generally a winner.
Sometimes, I make black pepper and truffle pasta with sauteed mushrooms and a big wagyu steak. People go nuts for that, so I must be doing something right.
We have an age limit of 12 on board the yacht. But at that age, many kids still have a limited palate, so food looks like chicken nuggets and chips or pizza all week. They generally only eat maybe two or