Why Dining On Deck Is Better than Any Restaurant

1. Bespoke menu

Everything served on your yacht is custom-created for you and your palate.

Forget choosing from a limited number of generic dishes; everything served on your yacht is custom-created for you and your palate.

Ahead of your vacation, you'll be asked to fill out a preference sheet. Your on-board Chef will familiarize themselves with your likes, dislikes and any other details you might have specified such as favorite cuisines, dietary requirements or ingredients you'd like to sample while chartering. 

Your Chef will then create bespoke meals for breakfast, lunch and supper. All of your needs will be accounted for, and each meal will suit the tastes of everyone in your charter party. 

2. Different setting every day

Whether that means an evening meal against the backdrop of glittering Mediterranean coastlines or a breezy breakfast cruising past the islands of the Exumas, you can expect unrivaled surroundings every time.

The beauty of your yacht doubling as a personal restaurant means you can dine in new settings every night.

Your Captain and crew will know the most picturesque spots to accompany your meal. Expect memorable views over pretty towns, blissful bays and tropical islands.

If you're chartering in Greece, be sure to enjoy a meal in the bay opposite the iconic town of Oia, on the island of Santorini; you can soak up the mesmerizing sunsets to the southwest and see the whitewashed buildings turn peachy pink in the north.  

Your crew will also know the best places for every type of dining occasion. Whether that means an evening meal against the backdrop of glittering Mediterranean coastlines or a breezy breakfast cruising past the islands of the Exumas, you can expect unrivaled surroundings every time.

3. Themed dining nights

This can mean anything from elaborate tablescaping to all-out themed nights that feature extravagant decorations and the crew in full costume.

Your yacht crew will go above and beyond to create a great atmosphere for you to match the tone of your meal. 

That can mean anything from elaborate tablescaping to all-out themed nights that feature extravagant decorations and the crew in full costume. Music, smoke machines, balloons and bubble machines are common as well. Firework displays and karaoke sessions can also be arranged.

You can choose to have entertainment during table service, or wait until you've finished eating to experience the festivities. 

There are countless themed dining nights that the crew can put on for you. Some favorites include Alice in Wonderland, Mamma Mia, and The Great Gatsby; but sometimes crew will personalize the theme specifically to you and your charter party. 

The menu will typically match the theme of the evening, and the guests can choose to dress for the theme as well. Meals like this are a great way to blend entertainment with dining, and will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.

4. Highly trained Chef who's dedicated exclusively to you

Yacht chefs have an excellent range, meaning they can create all types of cuisine and cater to all types of tastebuds and dietary requirements.

Superyacht Chefs are among the most talented and highly-trained chefs in the world. They usually have years of experience crafting exquisite meals for the world's most elite diners, and their standards of cooking are very high.

They'll be trained in a wide variety of different gastronomies from across the globe, and they'll have an excellent range which means they can cater to all types of tastebuds and dietary requirements. Expect contemporary cuisine, zingy twists and impeccable presentation.

Unlike in restaurants or cruises, your private Chef is catering exclusively to you. You'll have their undivided attention and they will be focusing solely on you and your charter party. 

5. Beach picnics

The food will be of exactly the same standard as you'd experience on board your yacht, with perfectly chilled drinks and piping hot food.

Chartering on a yacht opens up new possibilities when it comes to dining; and one of those is beach picnics (or simply just meals on the beach).

You can dine on any beach or idyllic seaside spot which takes your fancy. Your yacht crew will set up the dining arrangement with the same elegant tablescaping as you would expect on board, with optional shading and comfortable seating. You can even choose to have your table set up in the shallow water, so you can dine with your toes in the sea.

The crew put a lot of organization into beach picnics, so the food will be of exactly the same standard as you'd experience on board your yacht, with perfectly chilled drinks and piping hot food. 

Beach picnics are popular for lunchtime meals, but you could also enjoy a romantic evening meal with your feet in the sand. Ask the crew to set up candles, and dine below a star-studded sky listening to the sound of the waves lap the shore.

For a romantic evening meal, ask the crew to set up candles and dine below a star-studded sky listening to the sound of the waves lap the shore.

Beach meals are a lovely addition to a relaxing day spent on shore. Your yacht can drop anchor opposite your beach of choice and deploy the water toys for the morning. Dive in, and enjoy zooming around on Jet-Skis, taking the Seabobs out for a spin or floating along leisurely on the back of Paddleboards or kayaks. Wind up on shore, with your appetite whetted and ready to sit down for a meal.

Afterwards, the crew can organize scavenger hunts for the children while the adults stretch out and enjoy some down time on the sand. When the sun starts to set, enjoy an aperitif on shore before heading back to your yacht for the evening. 

6. Highest quality ingredients

Unlike in restaurants or cruises where ingredients are bought in bulk to feed hundreds of hungry diners per week, yacht chefs can afford to be more selective about their ingredients.

As they're cooking for a small number of people, superyacht Chefs can choose to be more picky and selective about the ingredients they order in. Unlike in restaurants or cruises where ingredients are bought in bulk to feed hundreds of hungry diners per week, yacht chefs can afford to be more choosy about their ingredients, and will usually order in the highest-quality fresh components to make their meals.

That means you know you're being served meals made with the best ingredients available.

In remote destinations, sourcing specific ingredients can be a challenge. But in popular destinations like the South of France, Italy and Greece, your yacht crew will have trusted suppliers who can provide them with the best (sometimes not widely known) ingredients and food.

7. Casual and formal options for you to choose from

You'll find the foredeck or Portuguese bridge area is ideal for breakfast, while the sundeck dining arrangement makes the perfect spot for an evening coffee or post-supper snack.

On most charter yachts, you'll typically have at least two dining options to choose from. That gives you alternatives places to dine, depending on the mood of your meal.

Alfresco dining is great for most occasions. The main deck aft is primed for lunch and supper, and on larger yachts you'll find the foredeck or Portuguese bridge area is lovely for breakfast. Meanwhile, the sundeck seating makes the perfect spot for an evening coffee or post-dinner snack. For formal occasions (or inclement weather) there's also the interior formal dining arrangement.

8. Six-star Silver Service

Immaculately-presented table, discreet service and dishes served perfectly on time.

Yacht crew are trained to provide an extremely high level of professional and courteous table service. 

That covers everything; from a spotless, immaculately-presented table to discreet service and dishes served perfectly on time. Anything you want while dining, your yacht crew can arrange for you. 

9. On-demand dining

There's no last orders or room service cut-off time on board superyachts.

Since your private chef is committed to you and your needs, you can expect them to be on hand to cook for you whenever you like (just make sure you practise good charter guest etiquette).

There's no last orders or room service cut-off time on board superyachts. That means if you want popcorn at 12am, your yacht chef can make it for you. Got a craving for grilled cheese at 6 in the morning? No problem- your yacht chef can make it for you. Just make sure if there's any specific that you know you'll want, you ask for it in advance on your preference sheet. 

10. Local cuisine can be integrated into menu

Your yacht Chef will love the opportunity to add some local flair to your menu.

For most travellers, the opportunity to sample local specialities and national dishes is part of the fun of exploring new places. 

If you're open to it, you can expect some meals which integrate the flavors and ingredients specific to the destination you're chartering in. Your yacht Chef will love the opportunity to add some local flair to your menu.

If you're chartering in Italy, be sure to sample locally-sourced mozzarella and bottarga, a fish delicacy similar to caviar that's known locally as 'Gold of the Sea'.

Every country has its own traditional foods and you can expect to sample them on your charter vacation outside of meals as well. If you're cruising the fjords of Norway, enjoy your morning cup of coffee with a side of homemade Serinakaker (almond butter sugar cookies). If you're chartering in the Caribbean, take a seat on the foredeck and watch the sunset with a classic cocktail in hand.

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11. A different experience; catch it yourself

Fishing for conch is a great activity for kids, and it gives you the chance to sample classic Bahamian conch salad in its freshest form.

This one is totally optional, but if you want to take part in the food preparations, you can try your hand at catching the meal of the day.

If you're a keen angler, ask your broker about adding a day of fishing to your itinerary. If you've never fished before, ask your yacht crew to help you get to grips with a pole and line and have a go at reeling in some of the smaller gamefish.

In the Bahamas, one of the local specialities is conch- a type of shellfish that's typically prevalent across the entire region and is very easy to catch. Fishing for conch is a great activity for kids, and it gives you the chance to sample classic Bahamian conch salad in its freshest form.

Watch the food being prepared and smell it sizzling away before being served.

If you know you'd like to have a go at fishing while on charter, be sure to check if your yacht has a barbecue grill. A barbecue is a great addition to a relaxed, alfresco dining set-up where you can watch the food being prepared and smell it sizzling away before being served. 

12. Cooking classes

If you're interested in cooking classes, ask your broker to check whether your yacht Chef would be open to letting you help out in the galley.

Many yacht Chefs will be happy to pass on a few cooking tricks or staple recipes, as well as letting you observe while they expertly pull off complex signature dishes. 

Charter yachts with acclaimed Chefs

Many superyacht chefs are recognized for their talent and dedication to cooking, either by industry awards or reputation. YachtCharterFleet has reached to a number of charter brokers to get their top recommendations for superyacht chefs.

The 38m (126') superyacht 'Vista Blue' has been praised for her Michelin-trained chef Michel Thomas, who has 18 years of experience to his name and is the former Executive Chef of the French American Culinary Experience. 

The 73m (236') motor yacht AXIOMA also comes highly recommended. Sasha Lenz has worked in gastronomy for 25 years and has won numerous accolades, including Germany's Newcomer of the Year 2013, and he holds Michelin star rankings in 3 countries.

For those with a love of exotic food, the  44.68m (147') luxury yacht BERZINC is a great option. Her Mauritian chef, Arotee “Harry” Bhiwa has a wide variety of speciality dishes, with stand-out entries including seared blue lobster with cardamom-spiced potato fondant.

The 47m (154') motor yacht 'Africa I' is a stand-out charter platform for those who are looking for a dynamic dining experience. Head Chef James Perry is trained in a number of different cuisines and is renowned for his impeccable presentation and diverse cooking methods.