Yacht Club Monaco: nine superyacht chefs at the peak of their art

Under the aegis of its La Belle Classe Academy training centre for Luxury Yachting professionals, for the third year running Yacht Club de Monaco has partnered bluewater for this one-of-its-kind culinary competition on 7th April 2022.
"As part of Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting, we want to position Monaco as a centre of excellence in the Luxury Yachting sector, and that includes for training," says Yacht Club de Monaco General Secretary Bernard d'Alessandri. "A competition like this one is a great opportunity for professional superyacht chefs to showcase their skills".

Jury of Complementary Talents
Chaired by Chef Nicolas Sale, who heads up two Michelin star restaurants and is international president of the Disciples d'Auguste Escoffier, and supervised by Joël Garault, President of Goûts et Saveurs, this year's jury comprises talented chefs such as Benoît Nicolas, voted 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' 2015 in the gastronomic cuisine category and is now a professor at the Ecole de Gastronomie Ferrandi, Paris, and Didier Anies, voted 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' 2000, now Executive Chef at Château de la Tour in Cannes and Jean-Claude Brugel, 'Meilleur Ouvrier de France' 1996 and qualified teacher at the Paul Valérie Lycée in Menton. Wendy Van Den Schrick, Moët Hennessy Private Ambassador, completes this jury of experts.
Of note this year is that for the first time since the competition launched, there is an anti-waste criterium overseen by Chef Gilles Brunner, professor of cuisine at the Lycée Technique et Hôtelier de Monaco (vocational and catering school). The concept is simple: if one of the mystery ingredients in the basket is not used, the chef is given a penalty based on an external scoring grid.
For the 2022 edition, nine chefs of different nationalities are set to compete. All are working on superyachts, such as Joshua Kent, Chef of the M/Y White Rose of Drachs (65m), Simon Cuel from M/Y Hampshire II (78m), Palmire Leblanc from M/Y Dayboat (35m), Gloria Chaillon from S/Y Atmosphere (53m), Daniel Harding from M/Y S (33 m), Alexandre Perez from M/Y Ava II (49,95m) and Micail Swindells from M/Y Go (77m), Nicolas Petit du M/Y Latitude (43m) and Ivan Holmes from M/Y Kjos (38m).

Art of the Good Like at Sea
Each chef is required to create a dish from a basket of mystery ingredients, mainly seafood produce, put together by Chef Joël Garault with support from Maison del Gusto. The basket will be unveiled before each of the three rounds of 40 minutes from which three finalists will emerge. For the grand finale, these three will prepare a main dish and a dessert in a bid to win the contest.
This exclusive private rendezvous is the perfect opportunity for owners and all the crews to see their chefs in action and support them.
The Zepter Group are providing cookery elements and professional knife sets to help the nine chefs to meet the tight deadlines and produce creative tasty dishes that will get the Jury's vote.
For Yacht Club de Monaco, the competition is a way to pay tribute to trades in the Luxury Yachting sector which numbers 252 companies in the Principality, and position Monaco as Capital of Advanced Yachting.