The Galley

Last week was the 2010 Best Charter Yacht Chef Competition at the Newport Charter Show.  The Newport Spring Charter Yacht Show, organized by Newport Yacht Management, is the only exclusive charter show in the United States.  From June 22nd to June 25th, this industry event had charter brokers touring yachts available for charter along the eastern seaboard primarily in the Northeast.   The show was held at the Newport Yachting Center in beautiful downtown Newport, Rhode Island - the center of the New England yachting scene.

As food is a highlight of a charter, the chef competition is an important part of the show.  The yacht chefs have the opportunity to show off their cooking skills in a competition that replicates the real life conditions that happen during a charter.  The contest follows the mystery basket format with the ingredients provided by the Farm to Yacht™ program from The Captain’s Concierge.  Farm to Yacht™ brings local, responsibly grown, produced and harvested food to yachts.  The chefs were supplied with ingredients from 16 different growers including Allen Farms, Aquidneck Farms, Aquidneck Honey, Baby Greens, Greenvale Vineyards, Highland Greenhouse, Ocean State Shellfish Co-op, Reynolds Barn Goat Cheese, Rhody Fresh, Schartner Farms and Young Family Farm.

The mystery ingredients that the chefs received showed off the diversity of what is being grown in the Newport region.  There were 38 of the items were harvested within 20 miles of Newport: ground beef, oysters, clams, micro-mustard mix, chard, mesculun mix, radish, zucchini, summer squash,  micro-arugula, pea greens, lettuce: boston & red leaf, swiss patty pan squash, grape tomato, baby carrot, bok choi, sugar snap peas, eggs, garlic scape, mint, rosemary, sage, oregano, chive, basil, parsley, cilantro, strawberry, blueberry, honey, fresh goat cheese, edible pansy, edible nasturtium, milk and wine.  The lemons, limes and pineapple (the official welcoming symbol of Newport) were also supplied.

The competition scenario was to have a guest onboard request a local, seasonal meal that the chef would source from local producers with short notice and make substitutions based on what was available.  The competition was not meant to stress the chefs by having odd, creepy ingredients.  The one challenge was having both shellfish and ground beef together.

The preparation for contest started on Tuesday.  The Farm to Yacht™ ingredients were at their freshest as most had been picked Tuesday morning and were delivered to The Captain’s Concierge office that afternoon. The chef competitors met at noon to review the rules:  They were preparing four servings of any meal, any cuisine.  The entry must fit on one of your yacht’s standard dinner plates.  They had a 15 minute window in the judging area for final touch-ups,plating, table setting, presentation, tasting and scoring.  The chefs also received the list of ingredients provided and what they could and could not use from their pantry.  In choosing spoons, they found out their presentation order with much debate as to which is better - to go first or last.

The Grande class for yachts 100ft/30.5m+ had five entries:

• Chef Daniel Fourdain from m/v Kipany who enjoys Provencale French cuisine.  He likes the variety of cooking onboard and one of his favorite cruising grounds is Alaska.
• Chef Bradley David is onboard m/v Nice ‘n Easy.  This is his second year as a charter chef and he enjoys both travel and experiencing new cuisine.
• Chef Mary Sarah Vernon is on s/v Galileo.  She is a yacht chef because she loves to cook with 16 years as a restaurant/catering chef and six years onboard yachts.
• Chef Christopher Wear is in charge of the galley on Heritage III.  He is passionate about fresh, local, sustainable ingredients.
• Chef Peter Ziegelmeier is master of the galley onboard m/v Rena.  An experienced competitor whose favorite cuisine is Mediterranean and Asian.

At 8:00 am Wednesday, the Grande class chefs gathered in the tent and picked up their ingredients.  While it was a bit chilly and foggy, everyone was in good spirits and ready to get their galleys humming along. The chefs joked back and forth and commented on the quality, quantity and freshness of the ingredients. Most of these chefs also participated in the chowder contest that was also happening on Wednesday - so they had double the fun.  The clock was ticking all morning as the chefs pushed to make their timelines.  They were also visited by show media, The Captain’s Concierge staff and the judges.

Action photos from the galleys as the chefs prepare their entries

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The feedback from 2009 competitors was that they would like to be judged by their peers, specifically land-based, restaurant chefs.  They were tired of the charter politics that govern the judging at other competitions and wanted professional feedback that would be useful.   As the Best Charter Yacht Chef Competition is a contest for chefs, a panel of judges made up of chefs from Newport restaurants was put together.

Chef Edie Banky is from Canfield House on Memorial Avenue. The Canfield House serves American cuisine at its finest in one of Newport’s most romantic fine dining restaurants.

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Chef Jake Rojas is chef/owner of Tallulah on Thames.  This brand new restaurant focuses on modern, fresh and local.

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Chef Mike Conetta is in charge at Moorings Seafood Restaurant and Bar.  This waterfront restaurant on America’s Cup Boulevard is known for fresh seafood.

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Chef Jay Bourassa is at 22 Bowens Wine Bar & Grille.  This downtown waterfront restaurant focuses on a seasonal menu of steaks and seafood.

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All of the chefs and restaurants that are judges support and use local ingredients.  They have the skills and experience to judge the yacht chef competitors with a professional eye & palate.

The judging criteria would be:

• 40% on taste
• 35% on presentation
• 10% on creativity & originality
• 10% on use of ingredients provided
• 5% on table presentation

For a possibility of 100 points from each  judge with a total possibility of 300 points.  The chef with the most points wins.

The presentations started at 12:15pm on Wednesday with Chef Edie, Chef Jake and Chef Mike at the judging table.

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First up was Chef Daniel from m/v Kipany.  He transported his meal via dinghy from Bannister’s Wharf, where m/v Kipany was docked, to the tent at the Newport Yachting Center.  His meal was baked oysters & clams with Newport vegetables with a salad mix served in a  parmesan tuile cup with a beurre blanc sauce.  Some of the judges comments: “Everything was cooked perfect with great seasoning” and “pretty plate”.

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The second chef to present was Chef Bradley from m/v Nice ‘n Easy.  His dish is baked stuffed oysters with clam & herb meatballs with a citrus wine cream sauce.  The side was a goat cheese salad with a blueberry vinaigrette.  The judge comments included “sauce well-seasoned” and “good combination of flavors”.  Chef Bradley was a gracious competitor by sharing his 15 minute time slot with Chef Christopher.

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Chef Christopher from m/v Heritage III also travelled by dinghy from Bannister’s Wharf - this added a level of difficulty for both timing and plating.  His dish was a land and sea sausage with pasta.  On a bed of handmade & hand-cut pasta was 4 different sausage: clam with rosemary, East Beach oyster with horseradish and mint, Moonstone oyster with sage and beef with fennel, basil and oregano  .  The plate included a mixed salad with a strawberry, lime, mint & black pepper dressing.The judges commented: “great use of ingredients” and “sausages were very interesting”.

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Chef Mary Sarah from s/v Galileo G, the only sailboat in the Grande class, cooked a squash and beef napoleon, a puff pastry cone filled with clams & oysters and a mixed salad with vegetables, fruit and cheese. The judge’s comments mentioned “vegetables cooked perfectly” and “very creative - great use of ingredients”.

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Chef Peter from m/v Rena was the final competitor of the Grande Class.He created a Middle Eastern style beef & vegetable puffi with a side dish of Oy Clammers - clam & oyster & vegetable casino style.

This was served on a curried vegetable slaw & salad with curried wildberry vinaigrette. The judge’s comments included “perfectly seasoned - dressing light but flavorful” and “great use of ingredients, very well thought out”.

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All of the plates looked fabulous and were complimented by great place settings from their interior crew.  The judging was a difficult task as all the chefs outdid themselves in showing off there best.  While everyone was eager to know the winner that would have to wait until the awards on Thursday night.  The chefs were able to try each others dishes after the photos from the media table were done.

This was a unique opportunity for inner galley discussion and mutual admiration.CC

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The Premier class for yachts less than 100ft/30.5m had three entries:

• Chef Bruce Scabb from s/v Airielle is also the Captain onboard.  He runs his 46ft/14m sailboat with his wife and enjoys barbeque.
• Chef Meghan Jussaume spends her summer cooking onboard s/v Endless Pleasure, a 51ft/15.5m catamaran.  She grew up on yachts & loves the culinary aspect of vacations.
• Chef Ingrid Weise is on s/v Blue Whale, a 60ft/18m sailboat.  She enjoys cooking for people and cruising in the Bahamas.

This class stepped up to the challenge as their yachts were well below 100 feet and this was the first chef competition for all of them

The Premier class chefs gathered at 8:00 am on Thursday in the tent.  Everyone was a bit tired as the night before was their yacht hops.  They rallied and were excited about the ingredients they received to create their entries.  The chefs choose their numbered spoon to determine the presentation order.  During a busy morning of preparation and cooking, their small galleys were viewed by judges and The Captain’s Concierge staff.

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Chef Edie, Chef Jake and Chef Jay were at the judges table for the first presentation at noon.

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Chef Bruce of s/v Airielle served a grilled kafta with grilled clams & oysters made on his aft deck grill.  His sides were soba noodles topped with grilled vegetables and a greens salad with mandarin infused olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  The judges noted “range of seasonings” and “use of herbs”.

Chef Meghan onboard s/v Endless Pleasure created a clam, oyster, & beef burger served open faced on a sweet bread.  It was topped with bok choy and a sunny side egg with a pineapple teriyaki sauce.  The side was a mixed lettuce salad with roasted vegetables. The judges comments included “good sauce - great idea” and “burger well-seasoned”.

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Chef Ingrid from s/v Blue Whale created a dish themed Garden by the Sea.  A cool pasta salad caramelized vegetables and clams with a berry and honey sauce.  The side was oysters topped with goat cheese and herbs.  The judges’ comments included “veggies - good crisp”.

The chefs gathered for photo ops and congratulations for making it through the judging.  Everyone took the competition quite seriously and were relieved by the satisfied looks on the judges faces while they were tasting.  They gathered at the media table for tasting and chat.

You can watch the awards ceremony on YouTube 2010 Best Charter Yacht Chef Competition Award Ceremony

At the end of the show day on Thursday, Newport Wine Cellar provide a wine tasting as refreshment for the announcement of the winners.  The judging was difficult as the scores were very close - only 35 points separated first from last place in the Grande class and 1 point separated first and second in the Premier class.  Each of the chefs was called to the stage and the winners were announced:

Grande Class

• 3rd place: Chef Daniel from m/v Kipany
• 2nd place: Chef Mary Sarah from s/v Galileo G
• 1st place: Chef Peter from m/v Rena

Premier Class

• 3rd place: Chef Bruce s/v Airelle
• 2nd place: Chef Ingrid s/v Blue Whale
• 1st place: Chef Meghan s/v Endless Pleasure

Congratulations to the winners - Bellevue Wine & Spirits provided champagne to the first place winners and wine to the chefs who placed second.  There was much celebrating and photos to wrap up the event.

Special thanks goes out to Newport Yacht Management who organize the show and Tom Rowe who organized the judges.  The Captain’s Concierge sponsored and coordinated the The Best Charter Yacht Chef Competition.  Yachting Magazine was a sponsor of the competition.  Thanks to Suki Finnerty for media coverage.  Newport Wine Cellars and Bellevue Wine & Liquors for libations.

For additional information, please contact Winnie DeCoster-Lynch at The Captain’s Concierge, 401.862.5109,  info@captainconcierge.com

For photos and video, please contact Suki Finnerty, 954.494.3975, suki@yachtingtoday.tv

To interview the winner of the Grande Class, please contact Chef Peter Ziegelmeier, 561.635.2342, opistolpete@yahoo.com

Chef’s meeting? Done  Farm Deliveries? Done Shellfish Pick-Up? Done  it looks like we are ready to roll for the first day of the Best Charter Yacht Chef Competition.

On Wednesday, chefs from the Grande class (yachts over 100 ft/30.5 m) will be competing.  At 8:00 am they will pick up their ingredients from the main tent.  The Captain’s Concierge is thrilled to be supplying the mystery basket ingredients.  The following items are from 9 different growers & harvesters who are part of our Farm to Yacht program:

All of these items are from within a 20 mile radius of Newport.  It is amazing many great things are local.  The growing season so far this year has been terrific.  Yachts that are soending the summer in New England will have great local products to cook with.

The judging starts at noon in the main tent.  The judges are local restaurant chefs.  The chef’s have randomly chosen their time slots:

• 12:00 - 12:15   Banyan
• 12:15 - 12:30   Kipany
• 12:30 - 12:45   tbd
• 12:45 -   1:00   Nice ‘n Easy
• 1:00 -   1:15   Gaileo
• 1:15 -   1:30   Rena

It’s charter show week in Newport!  One of our favorite times of the year.  The 28th Newport Charter Show starts tomorrow and runs through Friday.  Currently there are 26 yachts both sail & motor entered to be reviewed by brokers and press.  This industry only gathering is a bit of business mixed with the feeling of homecoming reunion.  So good to see old friends and meet new ones.

The Captain’s Concierge will be doubly busy as we sponsor and manage the Best Charter Yacht Chef Competition during the show.  On Tuesday we meet with chef’s for orientation.  Wednesday is the Grande class for yachts over 100 feet and Thursday is the Premier class for yachts up to 100 feet.  This year we have some great local restaurant chef’s as judges.

The Galley blog will be focused on the show.  We’ll be attempting daily updates from the show so you can follow along if you are not here.  If you are in Newport, please stop by between 12 and 2 to watch the judging under the tent.

Soundtrack to Post:  Busy Bee Song

A great way to spend some down time in Newport is at one of our many beaches.  Unfortunately the beaches are occasionally closed due to high bacteria counts.  The Rhode Island Department of Health test the water quality daily at public beaches around the state.   Please check this website for closure information.

If you are wondering why this is happening in 2010 it’s a combination of out-dated infrastructure and summer population boom.  The old water treatment system allows storm drain and rain water to mix with sewage and overflow into the bay and ocean untreated.  It’s why Newport’s tap is filled with chlorine to the point that it will sting your eyes on the day before a massive rain storm is predicted.

Not all the beaches experience closures.  The problem beaches are Easton’s Beach in Newport and Atlantic Beach (which is one the eastern end of Easton’s Beach and Third Beach in Middletown.  Rarely do you hear about the beach clubs on Ocean Drive such as Gooseberry closing.  You also won’t hear about the water quality in the harbor because there are no official public swimming areas.  Those that you see jumping off of piers and boats probably have no clue that the harbor probably contains high bacteria counts.

Soundtrack to Post:  Stuff that Lives in Water