Some of the greatest chefs ever to take to the water made the BVI Charter Yacht Show Culinary Contest an outstanding success. The event was held in November at the BVI’s flagship marine facility – Nanny Cay, a 200-slip marina with a full service boatyard.
The difficult job of judging this year’s competition fell to Davidé Pugliese, chef and owner of Wali Nikiti on Scrub Island; John Albright, who has won numerous culinary awards and is now the lead instructor at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Tortola; and award winning chef Kenny Molyneaux.
I was there in my role as All At Sea food correspondent, judge and culinary contest coordinator.
Food, its selection, preparation and presentation plays an important role in today’s yachting vacation and this year the overall winner was quietly spoken Joseph Stiles. He wowed the judges with what he called Steak and Eggs: Hoisin braised short ribs with a sweet potato and egg yolk ravioli, cilantro salsa verde and candied scotch bonnets
Chef Stiles spends many hours in his galley on M/Y Freedom creating sumptuous dishes. This was his second year in the contest and when I asked him why he wanted to take part, he said it was part of the job “and it is fun and you get great exposure”. He said he likes to come up with different dishes using fresh produce and that when possible he purchases most of his ingredients from Ridge to Reef Farm and Art Farm on St. Croix. “Fortunately their peak-growing season is charter season!”
When not on M/Y Freedom, Styles and his new wife, Britta, take care of an estate on St. Croix and enjoy sailing their 30ft sloop.
Sponsors of this year’s BVI Charter Yacht Show Culinary Contest include All At Sea magazine, Riteway, distributors of Piper Heidsieck Champage; Aragorn’s art studio, Trellis Bay, Beef Island, and Good Moon Farm, a locally grown organic food provisioning service. The contest extends special thanks to Rainbow Visions Photography and Jim Scheiner and Paul Hubbard.
WINNERS:
Overall Winner
Joseph Stiles – M/Y Freedom
Appetizer
1st: Tara Chaille – S/Y Soterion
2nd: Vanessa Bush – S/Y Nexus
3rd: Cara Lillis-James – S/Y Akasha
Entrée
1st: Joseph Stiles – M/Y Freedom
2nd: Tara Chaille – S/Y Soterion
3rd: Claudine Lanthier – S/Y Scents of Paradise
Dessert
1st: Vanessa Bush – S/Y Nexus
2nd: Tara Chaille – S/Y Soterion
3rd: Cara Lillis-James – S/Y Akasha
Coffee
1st: Julie Bennett – S/Y Felicia
2nd: Cara Lillis-James – S/Y Akasha
3rd: Perrine Perrault – S/Y Naej
Capt. Jan Robinson’s Ship to Shore Cookbook Collection is available at your local marine or bookstore. Visit www.shiptoshoreINC.com email [email protected] Tel: 704-277-6521. Don’t miss the new cookbook added to Jan’s collection: DINING ON DECK.
