Superyacht Chef Competition

Yacht Club de Monaco’s La Belle Classe Academy training centre and Bluewater have joined forces again in organising the 6th Superyacht Chef Competition on Thursday 3rd April. Under the watchful eyes of an expert jury and encouraged by their fellow crew members, nine chefs working on superyachts from 36m to 97m will vie for supremacy at the YCM in this highly original competition. As well as time and space constraints they will be working with a basket of mystery ingredients to create dishes worthy of the finest dining experience, showcasing the outstanding gourmet cuisine served on yachts.
“The Superyacht Chef Competition personifies the culinary art and maritime excellence alliance, reinforcing Monaco’s influence in the yachting world,” explains YCM General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri. It highlights an essential aspect of yachting professions and is part of the collective ‘Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting’ ambitions.
Among contestants is Francesco Federico Benassi, chef on the 50Steel Almax (50m, Sanlorenzo), owned by Massimo Perotti, Executive Chairman of Sanlorenzo, the prestigious Italian shipyard. It is the world’s first superyacht to integrate the modular Reformer – Fuel Cell system, powering on-board hotellerie with zero emissions. Its participation is proof of how keen major players are to participate. “Cooking is my passion, my way of expressing myself,” says Chef Benassi. “I use seawater a lot when preparing fish and seafood to enhance their natural flavours and bring the true essence of the ocean to the plate. For me this competition is more than a challenge, it’s an opportunity to push my limits, learn from incredible chefs and create dishes that tell my story”.
The sixth edition promises to serve up dishes as delicious as previous ones under the supervision of chefs Joël Garault and Frédéric Ramos, President and Vice-President of the Monaco Goût et Saveurs association. They are accompanied by Chef Philippe Joannès, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and F&B Director at YCM, and Chef Simon Ganache, head of events at YCM.
For the first time, the competition has as sponsor, Guillaume Gomez, France’s Ambassador of Gastronomy.
Jean-François Girardin, MOF President, heads an outstanding jury This year Chef Jean-François Girardin succeeds Glenn Viel as chair of the international jury. A Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 1993, he spent 32 years behind stoves at the Ritz before becoming President of the Société Nationale des MOF (Meilleurs Ouvriers de France). He will be supported by a jury of hand-picked colleagues:
–
Mark Reynolds (UK): President of the Craft Guild of Chefs, a leading British organisation for professional chefs. He has 30 years’ experience, mainly in the football world. He was Executive Chef of hospitality at Wembley Stadium, then at the Arsenal Gunners before being appointed Executive Chef at Tottenham.
–
Ronan Cadorel (FRA): Chef at the Royal Mansour in Casablanca, he has worked in prestigious establishments all over the world.
–
Jeeny Maltese (VEN): a specialist in Latin-American cuisine, she favours fresh, natural ingredients.
–
Duncan Biggs (UK): an experienced superyacht chef and co-founder of Ocean Wave Monaco, he is passionate about reducing food waste and promoting reasoned energy consumption.
–
Paulo Ucha Longhin (BRA): winner of the 2024 edition, he favours local products and sustainability in his creations.

A lesson in creativity and reactivity Improvisation is key to this competition as chefs only find out what is in the mystery basket of ingredients moments before they have to swing into action. With only five minutes to dream up a recipe, they need to show they can think on their feet as well as being creative. Anti-food waste is a key criterium; they must use every ingredient in the basket or face a penalty based on an external scoring grid.
To see the event in action, click on: https://youtu.be/GGvdlfZuuAM

To spice up the challenge, the public are allowed to add a ‘surprise’ ingredient, making each dish unique. Spectators also participate by voting for the best presentation. It is this blend of ingenuity, talent and interaction with the public that never fails to captivate the audience and makes for a lively gastronomic spectacle. La Belle Classe Academy committed to excellence Since 2015, La Belle Classe Academy has established itself as a key player in yacht-related training, offering a range of programmes for owners, captains and professionals. Through its training centre, YCM supports yachting’s development and professions. The Superyacht Chef Competition is part of this drive by giving chefs a unique opportunity to express their passion and promote fine cuisine at sea. Press contacts: Ya