Yachting
Yacht chef Charles Blacker on cooking on the open seas
Yacht chef Charles Blacker on cooking on the open seas
It might not be a position in a Michelin-honoured restaurant, but it's a chance to travel the world and explore the world's culinary bounty. For four months, British chef Charles Blacker has been serving up gourmet meals on board 45-meter motor yacht Big Fish, and doing so with a creativity and passion worthy of any renowned restaurant – an admirable feat considering how much more difficult to it is to get high-quality, fresh ingredients while navigating on the high seas. Yet from his well-equipped galley, Blacker is able to conjure stunning and delicious dishes for every meal.
Here, the seasoned chef talks about the challenges and rewards of manning a floating kitchen.
As a chef on board a yacht, you cook for the owners and their guests. How do you cater to their tastes while maintaining a creative edge?
My theory is to ask: "what don’t you like?" It is not about "what do you like?", because I can do whatever with the products I have. Everything. You get the best out of any chef if you tell them what you don’t like.
And [I also consider]: what is the best thing around at the moment? If I need to have XYZ, I have to get it from so and so place, which is going to take a little while. It is not going to be the best when it gets here, but I still try to do the best that I can with it. That is the unfortunate thing about yachting, but that’s the way it is.
It is about using the products from [the port of call] as best you can. My signature thing when I was a chef at home was British food. But I strongly believe in local areas – to use whatever is in season, doing the best I can with it.
Overmarine celebrates 20 years of Mangusta, launches new line
Overmarine celebrates 20 years of Mangusta, launches new line
Would you ever think that the very heart of the Italian yacht building could be based in a small town best known for its extravagant Carnival celebrations and world famous Carrara marble? Based at the Ligurian coast, Viareggio (although geographically facing the Tyrrhenian Sea), is a tough and hotly contested place where competition works next door to competition, including the suppliers.
The density of all of the key players working in Viareggio is intense. It's an Italian 'who’s who' of shipbuilding with prominent names such as Azimut, Codecasa, Benetti, Perini Navi, Rossi Navi, SanLorenzo and Viareggio Superyacht – all just a stone's throw away from Pisa airport. It's also home to Overmarine, whose Mangusta brand for the past 20 years has been all about cruising at a top speed of 39 knots.
An interview with the new CEO of Mondo Marine, Roberto Zambrini
An interview with the new CEO of Mondo Marine, Roberto Zambrini
Family-owned Mondo Marine shipyard, located on Italy's Ligurian coast, produces some of the finest motor yachts in the world. Since the Stroppiana brothers Elio and Ferruccio founded the brand in 1978, more than 65 yachts have been delivered, amongst them the famous 50-metre explorer vessel Tribu, built for Italian textile magnate Luciano Benetton.
Mondo, however, has been going through changes lately, most recently with a change in leadership four weeks ago when CEO Diego Deprati retired from his post. Now at the helm is 54-year-old Roberto Zambrini, who brings with him more than 27 years of varied experience in the marine sector.
We met with Zambrini at the Savona-based shipyard to ask him about the future of the brand.
Centurion: What changes do you see on the horizon for Mondo Marine?
Roberto Zambrini: There is not a lot that needs to be changed. Today, the boat building market is a very difficult one. We all know where we stand. In my opinion, we have to analyse and define the new markets relevant for Mondo in order to continue the growth.
And we have to evaluate the costs accordingly. Due to the tough circumstances of the euro weakness and the increasing oil prices, the whole marine industry at present is not in a position to start any kind of revolutionary action. We have to keep the value of the brand that is already inside the company today and slowly moving towards some other values that we have to build up. … But for sure we are going to work on some new technologies and new lines.
Voiles de Saint Barth a rising star on the yachting calendar
Voiles de Saint Barth a rising star on the yachting calendar
On April 7th, the Voiles de Saint Barth successfully ended its third edition after a week of spirited competition and a race that had sailors navigating around the small island. A mix of other courses rounded out the regatta program, attended by a competitive group of amateurs and family racers. With 65 entries – among them America's Cuppers, round-the-world ocean racers, private yacht owners and a duffle bag-wielding group of sailors from the ranks of Olympic athletes – the participants celebrated the end of the Caribbean winter season, honing their practical sailing skills on the growing circuit of Caribbean regattas.
The Voiles de Saint Barth regatta may be considered the 'little sister', not yet having reached the reputation of the St. Barth’s Bucket that has taken place every March for 17 editions. Whereas the St. Barth's Bucket is an institutional happening, kicking off the Caribbean sailing fun and well known for its socialising and holiday character rather than competitive sailing credentials, the Voiles de Saint Barth is about competition and winning the class. Those who succeeded received a limited edition Richard Mille watch – only 100 in existence – with a titanium case, yellow crown and yellow numbers on the turning bezel. With a prize like that, these keen sailors had an appetite for bringing the race home.
'Star Fish' – a new 50-metre star is born
'Star Fish' – a new 50-metre star is born
First, let’s define luxury on board a yacht. For some yachties, formal dinners, high profile receptions and VIP destinations such as Saint-Tropez, Sardinia and Antigua rank top. For others – and we count serial yacht owner Richard Beattie and chairman of Aquos Yachts amongst them – it's all about action, excitement and adventure. With his first expedition yacht, Big Fish, Beattie wanted to create a vessel that would allow him to travel in a relaxed, informal manner on his way to the world's most unspoiled, unsoiled places – some of them only accessible by water.
When we first saw the yacht, we were surprised at a few features that were anything but common for a custom-built luxury yacht. Where was the teak deck? We found grey stone instead, and when we asked the owner why he had decided to go for this type of flooring, Beattie explained that he was not keen to go along with conventions. Instead, he built a yacht that fits his particular lifestyle. That might also explain the open, full beam galley that allows guests to enjoy freshly prepared meals next to the chef at an informal dining table, or admire the sunset from an open-air upper deck crow's nest – a newly developed, cosy spot designed to observe extraordinary sea vistas. We can only imagine what Beattie's newest commission, Star Fish, has in store.
Ocean Independence Charter Portfolio for 2012 unveiled
Ocean Independence Charter Portfolio for 2012 unveiled
Whether you are a seasoned yacht charterer or a newbie, whether you enjoy cruising fast or favour the romance of sails, there are few better options for combining privacy with flexibility than a yacht – which is why we were tickled to attend last week's official launch of the 2012 Charter Portfolio of Ocean Independence, one of the leading brokerage houses based in Zurich.
The event took place right where the action is, in the very heart of the old town with its Swiss banks and luxurious watchmakers. There, Managing Partner Peter Hürzeler and his team welcomed more than 100 international guests and presented the brand new book that includes more than 73 motor yachts and 22 sailing yachts – all shined up and set to sail.
Heesen's biggest, most daring yacht yet
Heesen's biggest, most daring yacht yet
The success story of Dutch shipyard Heesen starts in Oss, a little village in the province of Brabant where time seems to have stood still. Recession, high unemployment rates and currency discussions around the euro do not fill the headlines there, but brand founder Frans Heesen is omnipresent (even the soccer arena is named after him).
The company has enjoyed impressive prosperity, even at a time when many major shipbuilding companies – competitors on a very difficult market – are facing tough times. This simply seems not to be the case in Oss, were one contract after the other gets signed off as Heesen leads his yard from success to success with a full order book and many new and interesting projects in the pipeline.
CURRENT TOP TEN STORIES
- Home & Property The Queen Of Carpet Design ...
- Travel: Destinations Centurion Challenge: Kilimanjaro ...
- Fashion Paris Spring Fashion Trends 2012 ...
- Fashion Milan Spring Fashion Trends 2012 ...
- Yachting Calling Niklas Zennström - Part I ...
- Fashion London Spring Fashion Trends 2012 ...
- Fashion New York Spring Fashion Trends ...
- Gourmet A Taste Of Berlin ...
- Design The Design DNA of Jacob Jensen ...
- Travel: Destinations Weekend Guide: New York ...
