The Chef’s Competition is a popular part of the busy charter show, with large numbers of yacht chefs competing for honors against their peers. The 2019 theme was gourmet ‘Street Food’ with all contestants invited to showcase their cooking talents by crafting gourmet dishes that are inspired by the vibrant and fresh flavors of street food. The competition gives chefs a chance to use their creativity and create an alluring dish that is worthy of the high standards of Greek and international gastronomy. This year the competition was judged by an esteemed line up, including Chef Angelos Lantos of Spondi Restaurant in Athens, who is the first Greek chef to be awarded two Michelin Stars, together with Thanos Stasinos, Executive Chef of some of the leading Greek and European restaurants, and Maarten Jansen of esteemed shipyard Feadship. 

Working to theme, Chef Panagiotis Flakas of M/Y Tacos of the Seas created a delicious line up of four different skewers made of Octopus, Tapioca, Fava and Potatoes, each bursting with flavor and presented in a beautiful and appealing way. The judges appreciated Chef Panagiotis’ gourmet interpretation of this popular ‘Street Food’ style dish. Chef Panagiotos is a highly-experienced chef, with more than 12 years of experience. After working in some of Greece’s leading restaurants and hotels he moved to work on yachts where he is passionate about creating incredible food for guests of Tacos of the Seas. He specializes in Sushi Fusion and Japanese Cuisine as well as Greek and Mediterranean cooking styles.

For their entry Chef Stelios Koutrouvelis and Chef Theo Kokkinakis on board M/Y Ouranos created a ‘One Menu in One Sandwich’ plate that showcased four different flavours - King Crab, Carpaccio / Foie Gras / Pastitsada and Fluffy Lemon. This enticing plate incorporated a range of delicious flavors that the judges greatly enjoyed. Chef Stelios and Chef Theo hugely enjoyed the opportunity to create their own twist on ‘Street Food’ flavors, as they always take the opportunity to work with the best of local produce when catering for a charter. Both chefs are hugely experienced and take great pride in the presentation of their dishes and have a creative flair in the kitchen. The Chef’s Competition was the perfect platform to showcase their combined skills.

Crew of yachts entering the Chef’s Competition were also eligible to enter the ‘Best Tablescaping’ competition. This category of the competition invites yacht crew to show off their talents for preparing table settings for a special meal, tailoring the set up to suit the competition theme. Stewardess Christina and the crew of Tacos of the Seas rose to the challenge creating an inviting environment to showcase the yacht’s dining environment and Chef Panagiotis’ beautiful food, receiving first place in the ‘Best Tablescaping’ competition for the efforts.

Food and beverage is a hugely integral part of any charter and all IYC yachts have exceptional chefs on their crew. These impressive competition results show how much charter guests of Tacos of the Seas and Ouranos have to look forward to being hosted on board.

Congratulations to all participants in the Chef’s Competition and ‘Best Tablescaping’ Competition at the Mediterranean Yacht Show 2019.

To learn more about a charter on board Tacos of the Seas click here.

To learn more about a charter on board Ouranos click here.

For more information on IYC’s range of services please contact the IYC office most convenient to you. IYC has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Miami, Nantucket, Great Lakes, London, Monaco, Greece, Russia, Croatia, Montenegro, Scandinavia, Malta and Corfu. To contact an IYC office click here.