While there is no perfect provisioner, a good one makes chefs’ lives so much easier.
Love them or hate them, provisioners are a crucial part of the yachting ecosystem, and something I have leaned on more and more as I’ve progressed in my career and the size of yacht I work on. I genuinely could not do my job without them.
Provisioners are there to get you great produce. I won’t try to guess how many yachting provisioning companies are out there, but there’s certainly one for every taste and style. The question is, how do they attract your business? They will court you by sending hampers, visiting passerelles and hosting events. They will try and poach you from another provisioner, and they’ll do what they can to retain you.
I’ve experienced some rather dubious things — back in 2019 one provisioner announced that 10 percent of whatever we spent that season would be given back to the crew in the form of a night out. Other companies have sent knives, ginger shots and goody boxes. Of course it worked: I’m still using them!
When you find a provisioner, it makes sense to stay with them. There’s safety and comfort in knowing that when you order x, x will come in this brand, this shape and this packaging. If you’re like me and obsessed with efficiency, I even love ordering the same brand of eggs over and over as the box they come in fits perfectly on one of my fridge shelves. It’s the small things.
There’s no such thing as a perfect provisioner, but I sure have my favorites. So I asked them all: “What sets you apart from other provisioners?”
Helen from Gourmet Deliveries emphasizes the company’s longevity — “As a family-owned company with over 20 years’ experience, we deliver a personalized provisioning service that our clients truly rely on.” My favorite thing about them is the insanely high-quality French produce and the beautiful pre-made mochi (the best emergency dessert ever).
Owen at ODP highlights his own experience as a yacht chef — “12 years as a yacht/estate chef and 24 years provisioning — provisioning is my legacy, not my lifestyle. I’ve seen it, done it and am still doing it.” My favorite thing about them is that the meat deliveries arrive in large plastic bags in cooler boxes with no cardboard, so it’s easy to see everything, there’s minimal packaging and putting it all away is so much quicker.
While some people might see Tommy, owner of Shoreside Support, as the new kid on the block, he has confidence in the service they provide. “We’re always evolving and improving through our clients’ feedback while staying true to the personal relationships we’re built on.” My favorite thing is the incredible customer service from Cole, and the fact that they label everything! On a recent delivery, it was a mix of items for both crew and guests. One of the stews recently dragged a load of toilet paper past me, exclaiming how much she appreciated the fact they had labeled the guest and crew toilet paper separately, so she wouldn’t have to spend time examining the label for which was “premium quality.”
Joost at We Supply maintains the highest standards across the board. “We actually deliver what we promise — on time, anywhere — while keeping quality and communication at the highest level.” My favorite thing about them is that it’s a huge and professional team and their delivery drivers are really special. For a whole season we were in Croatia, which meant a solid two-day drive for them. Yet they showed up with big smiles on their faces and always helped us unload and unpack. Going above and beyond is always noticed.
To all the hard-working provisioners out there, I want to thank you for all you do for us — and for putting up with my constant last-minute additions!