The MYBA Charter Show is one of the most important fixtures in the annual yachting calendar. It brings together a curated fleet of superyachts with a qualified audience. What is on the daily agenda?
Viewing exceptional vessels, networking, exchanging information and insights, enjoying quality time with colleagues who have become friends over the years, learning about the latest industry developments and celebrating the beauty of yachting. Above all, it’s about paving the way to a successful charter season.
It’s a show that is all about quality. And food is certainly one of the highlights of the MYBA Charter Show, and of any charter vacation. MYBA has long recognised this and, a decade ago, established the MYBA Superyacht Chefs’ Competition. From the very beginning, the aim of the competition was to create greater awareness about the exceptional culinary talent that guests can enjoy on board a superyacht.
The competition is always fierce and oceangoing cuisine is consistently proving that it has no reason to be jealous of the restaurants that it competes with on land. But what does it take to win this competition? The recipe is simple; creativity and originality; adherence to the theme; execution and technicality; taste; presentation; and, overall impression.
It takes an exceptional panel of judges to determine the winners. A stellar one we dare say. A panel that, over the years, has included Romain Fornell of “Caelis, the youngest-ever chef to receive a Michelin star, Antonio Mellino of the two Michelin starred “Quattro Passi”in Nerano, Oscar Manresa who is a pillar of Barcelona’s gastronomic scene and has written a book about the famous “Boqueria” market, and the Catalan twins Javier and Sergio Torres of “Cocina Hermanos Torres”, which earned its third Michelin star in 2022.
The chefs are very competitive, and to be judged by such an esteemed panel is a real plus for them. One chef said, as he looked at the judges on stage at the prize-giving ceremony, “There are 5 Michelin stars standing up there; I never imagined that my food would be seen, let alone tasted, by these chefs.”
The theme for the 2023 MYBA Superyacht Chefs’ Competition is “Foraged Fare”. With sustainability being the overarching theme as far as food trends are concerned, it is absolutely the right time to challenge the multitude of highly talented charter yacht chefs by asking them to create a guest dinner party using as many foraged items as possible in 3 courses (starter, main and dessert). A minimum of 2 foraged items must be included in each dish. The foraged food items can be gathered over time and pickled, dried, frozen, or preserved in any way. They can also be gathered at the time of the competition.
Although mushrooms, berries, other fruits, and greens are among the most popular foraged foods, a variety of other wild edibles can be gathered, such as roots, nuts, seeds and seaweed. Even fish and shellfish are forageable in the wild, depending on where you are. The possibilities are endless and chefs are encouraged to explore them!
It is a challenging theme, but rising to the challenge is part of the job description when it comes to superyacht chefs. Charter guests are discerning and demanding. They are very well aware of the developments on the culinary scene and the superyacht chefs that cater to their needs and wants have to be equally well-versed.
Registrations are already open and the Competition details are available on mybashow.com .
