How long did you work in yachting? Can you tell me about your yachting career – highlights, low points?

I was only working on yachts for three years, but my goodness was it an intensive three years!!
It all began back in good old Antibes where I went to pick up my first gig. It was a great introduction to the industry being surrounded by the exciting buzz of everyone on the search for their first job on board one of those very mysterious Super yachts.
One week after completing my STCW I had landed a head chef position, little did I know that working on this relatively small yacht would soon lead to me running all food and beverage operations across all my new employers yachts, properties and jet.
The Boss would like to always operate as a fleet and so on occasion we could have up to 6 yachts all together in one place.
When you walk down a dock and it is taken up all by yachts you are working with ranging in size from 30m up to 90m its hard not to be impressed and it felt great to be a part of it.
After being with this employer for two years I decided it was time to find a job where I could get some sleep, as it was a real 24/7 job!

I then joined a 70m yacht with a fantastic owner and crew. This was the last yacht I worked on bringing the total amount of yachts I had worked on to 9.

How did you know it was time for you to make the move to land?

In a nut shell I had found the woman of my dreams and I decided that after a year and a half of talking via Skype and only spending a few weeks here and there together it was time to jump ship and start a new chapter.
I had already started the process of setting up a business while I was working on my last yacht and so it was a natural step.

What was the most difficult thing about the transition?

Having to go and buy my own toiletries!!
Only kidding, I would say the thing that got to me the most was having to pay bills again, I had gone three years with out a single bill and when I came back to life on land money tended to flow out of my bank account a bit quicker.
After a short while I came to terms with Mr tax man and his friends all getting a share of my earnings and it is all quite normal again now.

What was the best thing about it?

I can spend every day with the woman I love and just to have a home to come back to everyday is an amazing thing.
I also bought my first television shortly after leaving yachting, which some of you will understand the meaning of that as it is not really the purchase of a big television that is exciting, but the fact you have somewhere to put it.

What do you miss most about yachting?
Amazing locations, great people and walking into my cabin to see my clothes perfectly ironed and folded in a beautiful neat pile, having only been dropped off downstairs hours earlier wink emoticon

What do you do now?

Having spent over twenty years working in high end kitchens prior to joining the yachting industry as well as working a few years in luxury chalets and villas across Europe, I decided to create a company that supplied only very skilled chefs and front of house staff to the private sector.
With this I created Back to Front Luxury (www.backtofrontluxury.com).
I spend a lot of time headhunting staff working on land from Michelin and 5 star establishments to bring into the private side of things as well as working with some of the best that already work in the industry.

It has now been running for just over two years and have built up a collection of fantastic clients and staff that keep coming back to my company and recently had one of the very first chefs I placed also join the company which has helped to open new doors due to their experience of working in Russia and the fact that we both share the same high standards means that it is a good partnership.
I created the company to deliver only the best to the best and so we do not deal in numbers, but prefer to deal in quality.

Do you have any advice for fellow yachties about going land-based?

Do not feel afraid of going back to work on land, it is very easy to get used to the way of life on yachts and the money that comes with it, but if working on yachts is not what you see for your future, grab the bull by the horns and go for it.
I just had an old sous chef of mine that still works on yachts come to visit me and he asked me do I not miss yachting. My answer was certain, I had an amazing time and have some wonderful memories, but I would not change it for what I have now.