Taking place over three days at the 32nd MYBA Charter Show, the Superyacht Chefs Competition brought together superyacht professionals to showcase their gastronomic skills with a brief to create the ultimate “Mediterranean beach picnic.”
Each chef was given 30 minutes to plate and present their meals to the judges, while stews were also asked to enter the competition to present a “signature beach cocktail.”
The judges for this year’s competition comprised a venerable team of Michelin-starred chefs including Antonio Mellino, Mike Jennings, and Romain Fornell together with Barcelona restauranteur Oscar Manresa and Xavier Torres from the kitchens of Nobu, SushiSamba, and Ireland’s Ardare Manor.
For the cocktail competition, the judging panel included David Rabaud from World Wine Services, Bianca Liard from Gourmet Deliveries, MYBA executive officer Cora Tracey, Verpeka Dolling brokerage house founder Rob Dolling, and John Wyborn from Bluewater Yachting.
From the 48 meter and over category, the team of 62-meter RoMa took first place for both competitions. Chef Anders Pedersen’s menu comprised a wild seabass tartare and flame-cooked scallops finished off with a trio of Mediterranean desserts including a lavender-flavored crema catalán. Stewardesses Fabienne Ortac and Vesna Cocklo won with a prosecco-based tipple topped with thyme.
In the 42- to 47-meter class, first prize was awarded to the team of 46-meter blue-hulled Pisces. Leah Efraimov’s “Pisces peach sour” cocktail featured citrus-infused vodka, peach liqueur, and homemade jasmine syrup while Chef Anthony Fossani served up a selection of colorful dishes including white gazpacho, charred octopus, Galician beef carpaccio, and a sweet dish derived from Mediterranean lemons.
There was another double win in the 41 meters and under category. Chef Michael Hobbins and Chief Stewardess Chloe Maloney of Snowbird — a 39-meter motor yacht with an incredible art collection — took first place.
Maloney’s tangy cocktail mixed Mallorcan Limoncello and gin with Valencian lemon juice, Juvé & Camps Cava, and smoked Spanish lemon tree bark.
For the picnic, Chef Hobbins baked a basket of fennel pollen rolls to be served alongside a basil-infused gazpacho. This was followed by a trio of salads including a poached lobster and caviar dish followed by a dessert of raw boboa bean praline with Valencian lemon sorbet.
Finally, a special “heart and soul” mention was given to Chef Shay van der Kraan of classic sailing yacht Shenandoah of Sark, who impressed with a meal of marinated prawns and house-baked sourdough bread accompanied by a sweet lemon posset.
The MYBA Charter Show will return to Port Vell in Barcelona for the 2023 edition.