He’s Back!

I’m so excited and I just can’t hide it!

My guy’s finally back tomorrow after nearly 5 months away at sea!

Why has he been away for so long? Well, he’s spent the past 5 months cooking as the solo chef on board the private motor yacht Kahalani. He’s spent 101 days with just one day off cooking for 13 crew and up to 11 guests at a time, 3 times at day, plus provisioning and washing up. Starting at 6-7am and finishing around 11pm with a one hour break if he’s lucky. To say his knackered is probably a big understatement! I’m just happy he’s finally sailing home and I can finally relax! I’m sure the cats will be happy to see him too!

This is about the 9th year of him working on yachts and the 3rd year on board this particular yacht. It may all sound glamorous, winters in Florida and the Caribbean with summers spent in the Mediterranean. Usually, especially in the summer, these places are only glimpsed out through the galley’s (ship’s kitchen) port hole (window). With this current boat, they winter in the Med which is one of the reasons why we’re in France. Previously we saw each other spread out over 8 weeks a year. In France, we get to have a bit more of a ‘normal’ life whatever that is!

Why does he work all these hours? He loves cooking, it’s his life. He loves seeing peoples faces when they taste his food, something restaurant chefs very rarely get to see. I think that makes up for all the hours holed up in the galley. It’s also given me an opportunity to see places I would have only dreamed of visiting…Florida, Antigua, Savannah Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, Italy, Palma, Ibiza and I was able to live in Barcelona for 7 years, where I hope we can return to very soon. That city stole my heart and I miss it every day.

I hoping that this is our last year in France. I’ve found it very hard to settle. Coming from a big city to a small retirement town village has been hard. Even after a year and a half I’m not used to it.

I’ve had a quiet summer and I’m about to have a busy winter ahead so expect a few tales of France, motorbike rides, lots of smiles and lots of new adventures in new places!

If you wish to check out my guys amazing work please visit: Rambling Of A Yacht Chef, his Instagram and a recent interview in The Staff Canteen on how he became a yacht chef.