Organised by Yacht Club de Monaco partnered with Bluewater, the Superyacht Chef Competition returns for a fourth year. Held under the aegis of YCM's La Belle Classe Academy training centre, the culinary par excellence competition aims to put the spotlight on gourmet cuisine at sea as being another facet of yachting professions. New criteria for 2023 are set to spice up the contest.
"This event is very much in line with our ambition to position Monaco as a centre of excellence in the Luxury Yacht sector, especially the professions involved, while respecting values of the Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting approach," says Yacht Club de Monaco General Secretary Bernard d'Alessandri.
Star-studded jury
Organisers have unveiled the name of the person who will chair the Jury of experts in 2023. He is two-time three Michelin star chef Yannick Alléno, considered by many to be one of the world's greatest chefs, with a strong focus on French cuisine and its heritage. He is also globally recognised for master-minding Modern Cuisine, a movement he initiated in 2013. The 4th Superyacht Chef Competition vintage looks set to surprise eyes and tastebuds again. Supervised by Joël Garault, President of Goûts et Saveurs, the professionals coming to judge the dishes include Chef Nicolas Petit (M/Y Latitude), winner in 2022, Chef Benoît Nicolas, 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' 2015 in the gastronomic cuisine category, and Chef Cristina Bowerman, traditional Italian cuisine specialist influenced by her many experiences abroad.
This year again, for the second time running, the nine superyacht chefs have to comply with anti-waste criteria requiring contestants to use every single ingredient in the mystery basket or receive a penalty, applied in accordance with an external scoring grid. British Chef Duncan Biggs who officiates on superyachts will be in charge of this aspect of the competition.
Mystery basket and what's new for 2023
Flexibility will be key for the nine chefs who find out what's in the mystery basket just before they get behind their stoves. This time, they will be given five minutes of reflection before getting down to the business of creating a dish. During this period, the public can decide to add a missing ingredient to the basket and then vote for the one with the best presentation.
The contest comprises three 45-minute heats from which three finalists will emerge who then have to create a main dish and dessert to determine the overall winner. Reserved exclusively for YCM owner-member yachts, the contest is an opportunity for owners and all those passionate about gastronomy to watch chefs at their workstations which mimic the reduced galley space on some yachts.
All eyes will be riveted on this ingenuity battle, showcasing their expertise in the kitchen, as these chefs always manage to keep the public spellbound. All the ingredients are there for an event that more than lives up to the expectations and image of the Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting approach.