Heart and sole – Going global in the galley

Alberto Affer, chef aboard Heesen’s 80-metre flagship superyacht Project Cosmos, gives the lowdown on what it takes to make it in the heated world of the superyacht galley.

If food is the way to the heart, chef Alberto Affer must have a legion of international admirers. He’s been cooking up a storm for the past 40 years, working in restaurants across 17 different countries. Once the executive chef at Hotel Royal in Vienna at the height of its two Michelin star success, he later turned to the adventure-filled world of superyachts. As the newly appointed chef aboard Heesen’s Project Cosmos, his number one pointer for chefs looking to break into the dizzy world of yachting is to first gain experience in quality restaurants across a range of different foods, working with respected, head chefs who can teach them the tricks of the trade.

“To become a well-rounded chef, you need to experience a variety of cultures and cuisines,” he says. He believes that, aside from being classically trained, having a rich and diverse repertoire of recipes, ingredients and styles will provide the necessary foundation for life on a superyacht. “When working aboard a yacht, especially a busy charter boat, chefs need to be adept at changing from one type of cookery to another. Charter guests typically only stay for one to two weeks at a time, and they want to sample as many different types of cuisine as possible, from Asian and Middle Eastern to Mexican, Italian and fusion.”

Food plays a central part in a successful charter, from the all-important breakfast to themed evening meals. Excited by the opportunity to have a private chef on call, guests often arrive with recipes that they’ve been recommended and local dishes that they’re keen to try, says Affer. “It’s easier these days to look a recipe up online, but that will only provide you with the necessary ingredients, not the knowledge to serve it to a superyacht standard.”

Having himself mastered seven languages, Affer also recommends being able to speak English – to better communicate with both guests and crew – as well as having a diplo­matic approach to life at sea. “The crew are not your colleagues, they’re your second family,” he explains. In addition to preparing all the guest meals, a yacht chef needs to keep the crew well fed and to be able to accommodate a list of dietary requirements. “You need to keep a small international supermarket on board, stocked with all the spices and ingredients that you may need. A growing number of people require vegan alternatives, and if a guest requests a certain dish, it’s really poor form to have to say no.” Provisioning a yacht is renowned as being one of the toughest jobs for the chef, especially when heading to remote destinations such as Antarctica.

“If a guest asks for fresh strawberries while the yacht is cruising through the Gerlach Strait, even a magician can’t accommodate that!”

laughs Affer. However, to mitigate against such an event, the captain and chef will agree on a pre-planned programme at the start of the season, with a day-by-day breakdown on locations and guests. Aboard a yacht of Cosmos’s size, Affer is joined by two other chefs who take their leaves on a rotational basis so there are always two chefs on board. But for yachts below 50 metres, there is typically one chef working solo. “It’s quite a tough job being a yacht chef, and you need to have the passion to deliver your best work every day,” he says. “On previous yachts where I was on my own, I tasked myself with making fresh bread each morning, even the croissants for breakfast, along with fresh pasta for lunch and ice cream, etc. It sometimes meant working 20-hour days, but the more you do, the more you’re appreciated by the owners, guests and crew.”

Compared to sailing boats, a motor yacht galley is spacious. But compared to a professional restaurant kitchen, it’s strikingly tight. But this compromise is balanced by the world-class equipment found on board and the access to whatever ingredients are required, virtually regardless of cost.

At present, there are no qualifications required to become a superyacht chef. As Affer says, “If you’re a good chef on land, you’ll be a good chef at sea, and vice versa.” Though culinary schooling sets a solid foundation, there is no replacement in his eyes for the experience and knowledge gained on the job.

“Being a superyacht chef allows me to travel the world, enjoy watersports in places I would never otherwise visit, to discover new ingre­dients and delight people every day with my food,” he says.
“Every day you learn something new.”

TEXT BY Julia Zaltzman