Dine Differently: Unique Culinary Experiences On A Yacht Charter
Coming together for a delicious meal, from breakfast to dinner, is one of the many highlights of a luxury yacht charter. With a dedicated, talented, and professional chef onboard at all times, they are ready to tailor each menu to your preferences, day's mood, and destinations. From the most exquisite tasting menus to a relaxed family-style affair, each dining experience can be as different as the next.
But, culinary experiences onboard aren't just limited to the typical multi-course dinner; there are various ways the chefs and crew put together the most incredible experience that leave you wanting to return for more. Here are some of the most unique and our favorite ways to dine while on a yacht charter:
Catch And Cook
No matter where you choose to cruise, there will be opportunities to fish during the itinerary. With sophisticated onboard equipment and expert crew to help, being involved in the catching of the freshest fish is one of the most exciting ways to dine.
Perhaps a bluefin tuna off the Mediterranean coast, or a Mahi-Mahi in the Caribbean, whatever is caught; you can then watch the chef work their magic through filleting and prepping it into various ways, like delicate sushi rolls, ceviche or flame-grilled. It's not all about what's fresh from the sea that day, but joining your chef in the morning to explore the fresh produce markets ashore can also be rewarding, while you then enjoy sampling the local ingredients throughout your dishes that day.
Culinary Theatre
There is nothing better than watching the chef create masterpieces. When dining on a yacht charter, the chef has various opportunities to come and create tableside. Taking an element of a dish, such as tableside guacamole on a Mexican night, to watching a table-poured or flambeed decadent dessert at the table creates an element of fun to a meal.
Various yachts for charter have dedicated spaces for interactive cooking during the whole meal, like teppanyaki stations and sushi bars. Not only can you watch how it's done, but you get to experience the chef's passion and skills first-hand. Plenty of yachts have professional-grade pizza ovens and barbecues onboard for a grill night or pizza party, perfect for those more relaxed evenings.
Private Setups
If dining in a picturesque setting onboard, from the aft deck, sundeck to a sophisticated main saloon, isn't enough, the chef and crew have endless imagination and equipment to take your dining experience ashore. This isn't just a simple restaurant table but q private, pop-up dining experience.
For romantic meals, setup’s like a hidden cove in Croatia or your own sandbank in the Bahamas, to dine in candlelight provide the ultimate evening setting. During the daytime, chefs can create a luxury picnic hamper for you to take to the beach or even on a hike. Some of the best culinary moments don't have to be served at a table but in a unique way in some of the world's most amazing settings.
Michelin Starred Takeovers
While the chefs onboard charter yachts are expertly trained, typically with fine dining and Michelin experience under their belts, to change it up for one night, they can arrange for a guest Michelin or even celebrity chef to come onboard.
These collaborations are perfect for one of your nights during a week-long yacht charter where you can sample a bespoke tasting menu, or even get a Michelin-starred chef specializing in a particular cuisine for a themed evening.
Teach And Taste
Having an amazing chef cater for you during your yacht charter is a great experience, not only to sit back and indulge in their menus but also as an opportunity to learn from their particular skillset. If you have an Italian chef, enjoy a pasta-making workshop, or have a Greek chef show you have to perfect a souvlaki.
For family-friendly charters, having the chef teach children is an excellent way of keeping them entertained when they need a break from the watersports; cupcakes and cookie-making lessons are typically well-loved. A yacht is also an ideal platform to bring on outsiders for such masterclasses, which can also be relevant to where you cruise. For example, when you charter in New England, having an expert oyster shucker come on board to teach you the tricks provides a great evening. It isn't just the meals but the accompanying drinks; from sommeliers to master mixologists, either within the crew or experts that come on for the evening, you can experience wine and cocktail pairings, learning as you go.
Safari Suppers
A yacht is the perfect platform for a dinner party, with an idyllic setting, thoughtful table decor, and gourmet menus. But for something slightly different and to add some uniqueness to a dinner party, a safari supper can be arranged.
This is where successive courses, typically based on various regional themes, are enjoyed in different yacht locations. The destination is usually unknown, and guests answer a clue before moving on. Aperitifs could be enjoyed on the bow, starters in the main saloon, mains on the sundeck, dessert on the aft deck, ending with after-dinner cocktails and coffee in the upper deck lounge.
However you choose to dine onboard, your chef and crew will make each meal unforgettable. Contact our expert consultants today to discuss your next yacht charter experience.