One of the luxuries of being a chef on a yacht is that you get to travel to different locations. Some days it’s all you do. You can be in Monaco one day, St Tropez the next, and then it’s off to Sardinia. And the season has just started. The thought of provisioning as a chef is always at the forefront of your mind. If you’re a well-seasoned yacht chef, the location change is never really a problem. You have your own mental list of which places to go for certain products and produce, with the best economy of movement, and you probably know the local suppliers by name.
Why Sourcing Local Matters
Sourcing local products and produce helps reduce waste, and at the same time supports the local economy of small-time producers. You don’t become a baker, farmer or fisherman to be a millionaire. It’s a labour of love, and many people who choose this career come from generations who probably did the same. They say a farmer is never comfortable away from the farm, and anyone, whether a chef or a farmer, who devotes their life to the well-being of people deserves credit.
There are many reasons why sourcing locally can be a good opportunity for a yacht chef. All Mediterranean places, for a start, have typical regional cuisines and items that are grown or produced nowhere else in that country. Go to Italy or France, and you will find items authentic to the areas you visit that preserve the local culture and traditions. Supporting these values not only benefits the producer but also the broader community and the foundation in these areas, keeping the heritage alive.
Local Markets: A Chef’s Best Resource
During the yachting season, you will see chefs early in the morning doing the rounds at local markets. These markets have no fancy overheads, no overpackaging of products, some are direct from the seller, and the produce you can purchase is superior to much of the mass-produced produce you would find in supermarkets that is flown in from different parts of the world.
Often, these markets are centrally located, where you can literally buy everything you need in the same place: meat, fish, bread, cheese, and fresh produce. It’s all there. Go to Nice and Antibes open-air market in summer, and amongst the vast array of seasonal items on offer, you can find at least 10 different varieties of lettuce, all locally grown. The variety is impressive.
Buying Directly From Fishermen
When buying fish, chefs should also consider buying directly from the fisherman. Get to the boat early enough when it’s unloading, and you can purchase some of the freshest local seafood on offer. It also adds to the guest experience when you can tell the “caught this morning” and “straight off the boat” story about the dish you have just served.
Reducing Waste Through Smarter Cooking
Chefs could be more mindful about using items that are usually discarded and consider incorporating them into other dishes. We have a different attitude towards waste when we know produce is easily accessible. If you have ever done an Atlantic crossing, you will probably know that, as a chef, you don’t waste anything that can be used for another purpose. We sometimes forget this when we are safely tied to the dock.
Returning to Seasonal, Local Eating
The way we eat is going full circle, with many people now wanting to eat in-season, locally grown produce. Because fundamentally, it makes more sense. It’s not a new concept; look at the way we used to eat before supermarkets became such an essential part of our lives. Cuisines were localised, and we ate what we grew and raised. Our culinary carbon footprint was tiny.
If yacht chefs can introduce this way of thinking into their everyday food preparation, even in the smallest way, it will make a difference, even though it may seem unapparent.
