Rotational head chef Shay van der Kraan of Scott Free on being flexible with menu plans.
I worked as an apprentice chef from the age of 17 in Australia before moving to Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK.
I became a superyacht chef just under five years ago after doing three seasons in the French Alps as a private chef. I started as a sous chef on an 278-footer and have been a head chef on yachts for about three years.
What I love most about my job is the places it takes me, and the opportunities it presents. Plus, having access to all the best produce around the world and top-of-the-line galleys to cook in.
The most difficult part of the job is that you can’t just specialize in one cuisine or style like in a restaurant; you have to know it all, and every day has to be different. Provisioning can also be a challenge, especially in places like the Caribbean.
One thing I have learned on the job is to be flexible with my menu plans. Anything can go wrong at any time!
I like to think of my cooking as simple, fresh and refined — modern European with French techniques.
I love working with duck. It’s such a lovely meat to work with and it’s delicious, but I’m also a sucker for a good carbonara.
The strangest request I’ve received would have been in France. Some guests wanted me to cook some horse meat — was a new one for me for sure.