Crews and boats in the Regency Fleet triumphed in many of the competitive categories and opportunities at the CYS Charter Yacht Show at Nanny Cay Marina in November 2019. Similar to any trade show level of activity – Boatshows start early and end at the end. The networking and interaction between crews, clearing agents, brokers and some service providers is constant for several days. The stamina needed to both contribute and absorb the energy abounds – yes, there was static in the air.
Located in the BVI, the charter capital of the world, makes it simple for Regency brokers to visit with crew keeping current with new trends and up to date with refits and refurbishing improvements. A substantial part of any crewed charter is food. We all want what we want, when it comes to nourishing ourselves. Whether you are the meat and potatoes type diner or want micro greens on your nutritious dish or you fit somewhere on the spectrum in between, it helps us to know which charter yacht chefs can deliver to your taste. Some specialise in ethnic cuisine – with enough forward planning to book your charter – we can deliver that too.
The palate pleasing pinnacle of events is naturally the Culinary Contest, sponsored by Moet Chandon, distributed by Caribbean Cellars in the British Virgin Islands. Many Regency chefs anticipate and plan for it while vacationing over the summer. All without knowing what the secret ingredient (lemon basil) will be. Just 2 days notice to adjust, adapt and incorporate it into the ‘Under the Sea’ theme this year. 
A plethora of savory seafood dishes were presented to the judges throughout the day. Starting at 9am and tasting their way through two dishes per boat meant 26 delectable dishes on Saturday, 9 November. Imagine the self-discipline they had to exercise. The physical exercise of getting on and off 13 boats for the day may have helped sustain their appetite during the afternoon as they kept tasting, discussing and evaluating the food based on aspects like Presentation, Taste, Execution and Adhering to the theme.
The charter yacht chefs choose which two dishes from among Appetizer, Entrée or Dessert. Many desserts echoed the “Under the Sea” theme visually, with very inventive and titled creations. Molecular food was incorporated into many of the gourmet offerings with caviar flavored this and pearl extract that.
Accompanying the judges to six charter yachts in the afternoon afforded me the birds eye view, a sweet spot. It is a fast-paced schedule: 20 minutes per boat and 5 minutes in between. The delectable dishes were presented by each chef usually accompanied – verbally with a range from descriptive how tos, cooking bios, family cooking history narratives, culinary achievements and even an accidental experience that led to a career in cuisine – all now combined with the adventurous life aboard a luxurious charter yacht.
The Sweetest Spot a la Best Dessert was imagined by Hannah Staddon on Much Gusto. Just some of the components were Moet Orange Curd, Mango Raspberry Mousse,
Waffle Sand, Coconut Rocks, Mango Sea Sponge plus 3 more!
Even sweeter is Best Dish overall, the culinary crème de la crème award. Titled the Kraken, after the designer sunken wreck in Virgin Gorda, the octopus was cooked sous-vide. Sous-vide means under vacuum in French – cooked for a long time in a water bath at a low temperature. The winning chef aboard Jan’s Felion (a Regency Power Catamaran), Nia Mora said 5 hours at 170 degrees with ginger, blueberries and some home-made Korean marinade. Clearly a tasty and tenderizing process, it may have been just the trick to elevate it above other edible delights on the day.
(Photo credits – Timeless Films & Media)
