Chef Tom Checketts is a 39-year-old British chef with a solid history of long hours spent in kitchens on yachts, restaurants, and villas. He has an impressive background working in 1,2 and 3 Michelin-starred restaurants and is now working on MY Amaryllis.
There was probably never any doubt about his fate, as his parents were both successful chefs. His grandparents played an active role in his life at an early age, teaching him how to grow fruits and vegetables during his summer holidays. At age 14, he was washing up at a local restaurant and knew then that he wanted to work with food. So the bright lights of London beckoned and were just the beginning of his culinary journey in the kitchens of Ramsay, Rhodes and Chavot, which would eventually bring him to work on superyachts.
How did you go from washing-up at age 14 to life as a yacht chef?
Before yachting, I did a ski season in Val d’Isére, where I also could have become a professional drinker! I was working in high-end chalets with swimming pools and steam rooms, so it was an excellent introduction to the lifestyles of the rich and famous and prepared me for my future career working on yachts.
It’s been 12 years since a yacht engineer friend suggested I try to work on yachts for a while. I saw it as a great way to travel and gain more experience, and I’m still excited to visit new places.
As a yacht chef, even the short days are 8/9 hours, so camaraderie and banter in the kitchen/galley are always fun to soften the long hours. Spotify, playlists, real crime podcasts (Sword and Scale are my favourite) and BBC Radio 2. It’s also a relief to take breaks outside with a coffee so you don’t get cabin fever! My most stressful moments in the galley are when guests change their plans at the last minute or give you no time to prepare their requests. You want to serve your best, but sometimes it means cutting corners, and this isn’t what we’re about.
Yacht chefs have a very demanding role. Tell me the things that give you a buzz and the things that you find toughest.
The best moments on board are when guests go out of their way to thank me. It’s such a small gesture, but it means so much. I still vividly remember P.Diddy and Princess Beatrice thanking me for the meals, even though they probably didn’t know my name! Working on yachts has engaged me with many other cool, energetic and fun-loving people in the industry who want to travel the world in a professional environment. Organising and serving big parties onboard is one of the most challenging moments. I was working on a previous boat called Oasis, and we do parties onboard for up to 200 guests, all served canape-sized finger food like bao buns, burgers and lobster rolls. At these times, you want to curl up into a ball and cry.
Do you ever feel your creativity stagnating or is it something that always flows?
I have always liked how chefs interpret ingredients in classic dishes to produce different results. One chef can make a lasagne or Caesar salad, for example, and another can have an entirely different version of the same dish. There is no limit to how creative you can be and how you can be both right and wrong at the same time. It’s about learning and constantly asking yourself, “how can it be better, and how can I adapt it to work for me?”.
Do you have any chefs that you take inspiration from?
Right now, the most inspirational chefs for me are Josh Niland in Australia and Gareth Ward in Wales. They’re both passionate and absolute experts at what they do. Gareth’s food is simply out of this world, and he’s the nicest guy to meet. Marco Pierre White was always an inspiration when I was growing up – I could always relate to the rule-breakers.
Where are your personal favourite places to eat, and what else do you do with your valuable time off?
NYC, Barcelona and London are my favourites. NYC sometimes feels like a home away from home to me. I’ve worked at Robertas and Eleven Madison Park over the years and like the city’s hustle and extreme. Barcelona is a vibrant seafood lovers’ destination with intimate restaurants and a high standard of cuisine. London is home. It’s open and diverse and where I know and love. The food scene is the best!
I love to run during my time off. I’ve competed in many triathlons, so I’m always active. I’m interested in classic cars and want to restore a 1960s E-Type Jaguar later this year. I like to eat out when I’m not working and usually book a high-end restaurant with friends and explore to find inspiration.
