THE ADVENTURES OF A WAYWARD CHEF

It was bound to happen sooner or later. I just hoped it would’ve been later – much later. And at a more convenient time too. But it wasn’t. It never is. That’s just the nature of a disaster.
The disaster began in the wee-hours of the morning. I was having weird dreams – we were back [...]

Hi Everyone! Sorry for the silence – figuring out how to work, sleep and blog is quite a challenge but now that we’ve finally gotten the HELL OUT OF THE BOAT YARD, I will make an effort to write more… Sleep is so overrated…
So, we did it. That last trip that I briefly blogged about [...]

There is nothing more enticing, disenchanting and enslaving than the life at sea. ~Joseph Conrad
My alarm clock squeals, 4:45am arrives much too quickly at the beginning of my third, 15-hour day – especially with engine room alarms and water-maker alarms going off half of the night due to the testing going on for the sea [...]

Equilibrium has been restored to the crew as we finally settle into our living quarters aboard the yacht. I don’t think I can imagine anything worse than taking 9 people that aren’t too fond of land, desk jobs and offices and stick them on land and give them lots of paper work for 6-months…
It’s funny [...]

Sauteed Halibut Cheeks with Brown Butter, Thyme and LemonRoasted Carrots and Fennel with Anise SeedBroccoli Rabe
I remember when I first began working on yachts. I was on a really poorly run 120-foot sailing yacht anchored out in St. Barth. The crew were rarely aloud to go to shore and we worked for months on end [...]

Chefs Prayer
Our Chef, which art in GalleyHollowed be her NameThy meals comeThy food be done, on stove as it is in ovenGive us this day our daily breadAnd forgive us our trespasses into the walk-in, as we forgive them who trespass against usAnd lead us not into obesityBut deliver us from gluttonyFor thine is the [...]

I’m sure I could be a case study for people drawn to professions with a high burn-out factor. I mean, the trading floors of Wall Street – to this? What was I thinking? I went to school to think rationally, spent years writing programs that turned quantitative data into trading strategies, up at all hours [...]

Due to my freshly signed confidentiality agreement, I can’t post photos of the outside of the yacht, nor can I post photos of the launch which is a bit of a bummer – but, since many companies have a “no-blogging” policy and the yacht owners have kindly allowed my to continue blogging, and actually enjoy [...]

The feel of teak underneath my bare feat – mmm, I’ve longed for this… I look out over the portside well-deck… water… finally…
Ok, granted, it’s brackish and there’s a rainbow of oily scum floating on top and I wouldn’t stick my toe in it if you paid me… but it’s water… and the yacht is [...]

Ok, so, somewhere between the warehouse and the crew house – I’ve misplaced my camera. But sooner or later it’ll turn up and I’ll get some pics posted.
I’ve spent the past 3-weeks coordinating with the caterer for the launch party at the yard, the after-launch party aboard the yacht and the following evening launch party [...]