On to the next challenge

Do, or do not… There is no ‘try’. ~ Yoda

I love a good challenge. I love working on yachts – it’s a new challenge everyday; coming up with new menus, new ideas, organizing, planning, provisioning, and the unexpected little things that are thrown my way – a weird ingredient, the market running out of something essential, striving to work more organized and clean each every day. It’s like playing a game. Plus, I get to wake up in a beautiful new location every day, what’s better than that?

Yachts ranging in size from 130 to 150 feet have 9 to 12 crew and charter for upwards of $150,000.00, plus incidentals. On a yacht up to about 165 feet, their will be one chef that cooks for crew and guests. Larger than that, there are usually two chefs; one for the crew and one for the guests. My objective for this coming season is to get on a Mediterranean bound charter yacht (or one that is already based there) within that size range. I want it for the industrial kitchen, really; and for the nice budget; and a charter yacht so that I can put a little more pizzazz into the food and have a little more fun showing off; and for the big, wide rimmed Limoges dishes. Hey, a girl has to have standards.

I know I’ll be working my butt off, but I’m ok with that given the right circumstances. There is a certain comfort in knowing that the guests will be getting off of the yacht, that the trip will come to an end - ticking off each day as the end comes closer, it’s a celebrated yachty past time, that and end of charter drinks of course. Plus, with charter guests, it’s different with each group. One group could be vegans, the next week they could be really into Asian, or on a special diet – that’s the sort of stuff that thrills me. Cooking the same thing for the same people all the time drives me nuts. Charter guests tend to be more open about what they will eat, they want the experience and the fun because they are on vacation, a vacation they paid for handsomely.

I’ve been taking my scuba certification courses this week and have my final dive tomorrow. Then, I’m jumping on a plane to Saba to stay at the Ecolodge do some real diving. I know that when I start looking it is all going to happen rather quickly. I’ve already been approached by agencies looking for my resume because they have lots of chef positions to fill. I haven’t even sent out a single resume yet and I’ve already turned down one job and been turned away from another that isn’t open to Americans. Come Monday I’ll get back to the job of job hunting.