Interesting flavors, impressive arm strength and drinks-carrying nerves of steel were on display as chefs and crew competed on the second day of the Newport Charter Yacht Show. In the evening, crew gathered in the main tent for crew games that included flower arranging, a drinks-carrying obstacle course and fender inflating.
M/Y Temptation stew and social media sensation Emery Wallerich completed the obstacle course — which included zigging and zagging around obstacles, going up and down stairs and finally under a rope — in what was announced as a Newport record 17.44 seconds.
“It’s all about the quick feet,’ she says. “Gotta move the hips.”
Some of the fiercest competition came in the fender-inflating competition. This was inflation done the old-fashioned way, with hand pumps. It was also mostly male crew competing, although Lucy Bergstrom of M/Y Freedom won her heat.
“Some scrubbing, some shammying — I feel like it’s built up my arm strength,” she says of her training.
Going into the final, Matthew Bourgeois, second engineer on M/Y Acta, had the best time at just over 30 seconds — and the raucous cheers from his fellow crew to prove it.
“We talked about it all day, all week,” he says of the buildup to the competition. “It was fun.”
However in the final, Richard Laqueur, first mate on Temptation, won with a time of 29.47 seconds. His competition didn’t start great; in his first round, his pump’s hose became dislodged. (“It slipped out,” he says. “It happens to the best of us.”) But he pumped hard when it counted.
“You pump up enough stand-up inflatable paddleboards — it becomes second nature,’ he says.
Earlier in the day, nine chefs competed. Instead of all preparing a meal for the same theme, each chef was given a different one. They were also allowed to choose ingredients from a “marketplace” provided by National Marine Suppliers.
Competitors included:
Chef Ursula White of M/Y Island Cowboy Theme: Corporate dinner Dish: Pan-seared striped bass served over crispy polenta with roasted asparagus and artisan plantain chips. It was accompanied by zucchini-arugula puree and lemon butter emulsion and topped with crispy julienne carrots.
Chef Daniel Naranjo of M/Y Invictus Theme: Engagement Dish: “The Forest of Commitment” — hanger steak, wild mushrooms, carrot escabeche, French radish escabeche, lettuce puree and fresh pea shoots.
Chef Katie Provenza of M/Y Temptation Theme: Bachelorette Dish: Rhode Island striped bass, crudo, compressed watermelon, pickled shallots, radish, tomato water and chili oil.
Chef David Raghty of M/Y Magnum Ride Theme: Winning a regatta Dish: Konbu-cured duck breast, thyme butter farrotto, carrot puree and orange miso sauce with watercress salad, radish and lemon vinaigrette.
Chef Gabriela Piotto of M/Y In the Zone Theme: Anniversary Dish: Rhode Island striped bass with forbidden black rice, beurre blanc and red watercress-dandelion emulsion, with watercress and finger lime tempura nest.
Chef Kendra Castello of M/Y Freedom Theme: Milestone birthday Dish: Braised beef pho tom gai — hanging tender, kimchi breakfast radish, chef-mixed mushrooms, scored king mushroom, bird's eye chili-braised carrot and finger limes.
Chef Ranada Riley of M/Y Lexington Theme: Family reunion Dish: Cornmeal fried bass with Cajun remoulade, southern fried chicken with pickled onion and hot honey-bourbon Dijon, watermelon sorbet, yellow watermelon salad with herbed cucumber and caviar lime, dandelion greens, beef tallow-fried French fries, macaroni and three cheddars, cornmeal-fried tomatoes with ranch and breakfast radish chow chow.
Chef Garrett Hamilton of M/Y Acta Theme: New Year’s Dish: Striped bass with potato crust on top of a roasted potato and leek soubise topped with crispy striped bass skin and radish, pickled red onion and a side of confit carrots with asparagus.
The competitions continue Wednesday with cocktails and tablescaping. All winners will be announced Thursday.