What are you doing / where are you working right now?
I’m doing a variety of short term freelance jobs this summer, I’m currently in New England on a 55m Motor Yacht for a month
Who is your food hero (dead or alive) and why?
Alexis Soyer (French) was one of the first celebrity chefs in the UK, feeding starving Irish during the Great Famine from his own funds.
What three ingredients could you not live without?
Great olive oil, Good sea salt flakes and French cheeses
What are your three favourite cookbooks and why?
White Heat by Marco Pierre White (early 90’s inspiration during my Apprenticeship), Larousse Gastronomique (Comprehensive and great reference), Culinary Artistry (food flavor combination guide which is great for menu writing and developing new dishes)
What three kitchen gadgets could you not live without?
A very sharp 25-30cm chefs knife, a good Steele to keep it sharp, and a D shaped/speed peeler.
What piece of equipment should every yacht have in the galley?
Bigger fridges and freezers!!
What would you say are some of the most overrated ingredients?
I think they all have their place but it’s the imitation and miss-use of certain things that is problematic
What would you say are some of the most underrated ingredients?
A wide range of fresh herbs in good condition are essential but often overlooked
What has been the most popular (or requested dish) on a yacht by a guest so far?
Sushi and Sashimi, but also Tempura Prawns were so popular on a 2 boat Charter I did with Naomi C on our yacht and Sean Puff Diddy on the other….. I was sending platters of Tempura by tender over to his boat 24/7!!
If you were a guest on a yacht, who would you want to cook for you and why?
A great Australian chef like Ezard or Christine Mansfield for their amazing South East Asian fusion foods which are perfect for the heat of summer…… or Gordon Ramsay just to see if I could make him drop the F bomb!!
What music do you listen to in the galley (if at all)?
Because the day is long in the galley every genre has its place from Rasta Shack, to Classic Rock to Club Space and Cercle mixes for the evening
Best galley tip/hack?
Always use a damp cloth under your chopping board to stop it sliding and a folded dry one to keep your knife peeler and tasting spoon on.
What is the most difficult location you have ever had to provision in? And what bit of advice can you give to figure out where to go?
Pacific Islands are difficult but generally I recommend getting everything fresh flown in from Holland, UK, Anchorage in Livorno, Froggy Gourmet in France or the Meat and Fish Society in Palma Mallorca
What is the hardest part of your job?
Creating new interesting menus for long term charters or live aboard owners
What do you see as being the biggest challenge for chefs in the industry moving forward?
Keeping their integrity and cooking from scratch when there are so many pre prepared sub-standard products available
What would you say to people who stereotype chefs as being prima donnas with big egos?
Chefs have an attitude because they always put their heart and soul into the food and creating art on the plate…… all artists have an attitude!
What is your attitude toward crew with dietary requirements?
Be what you say you are 100% of the time
What is the weirdest most bizarre thing you have ever been asked to cook?
A guest once brought a suitcase full of camel meat and made me cook it
Name something you have cooked for guests that you are most proud of.
A great Souffle is always impressive and finishes off a charter nicely
When you are interviewing a chef to work for you, how do you know if they are any good?
Ask how they cook an omelet and make them do 2 or 3 at once
What one thing should all chefs do to help the environment?
Separate garbage and recycling and never pour used oil down a drain….. put in the engine room dirty oil disposal
What one thing can chefs do to limit food wastage?
Cook like it’s your restaurant and imagine you paid for the ingredients
If you weren’t a chef, what would you want to be?
Professional musician
Name: Bernard Fagan
Years’ experience as a chef: 28
Nationality: Australian
