Greening The Galleys Of Superyachts

THE GREENING of SUPERYACHT GALLEYS

The world we all live in is changing. Individuals on all levels are beginning to analyse their environmental footprint. And chefs aboard large yachts are now employing technology to serve greener menus on the high seas.

As a chef who has provisioned for long passages on vessels with diverse crews and guests, one of the hardest tasks was to achieve longevity from vegetables, especially fresh herbs and leafy greens. With limited options for either storage and cooling even 80m vessels have their limits, and despite 2 weeks at sea, providing a crisp salad to the most discerning of guests became somewhat challenging.

As a growing number of ultra-rich people seek out deep sea adventures, they bring with them the refined palates and high standards of their millennial parent owners and the gen z and alpha gluten-free pumpkin gnocchi with asparagusloving children. In order to achieve the seemingly impossible in an environmentally conscientious context, cunning chefs have embraced new technology and techniques.

The strategy takes a variety of forms, from conventional onboard farming to a focus on stocking seasonal and regionally sourced products and ever relying upon local suppliers and importers of speciality lines. Every onboard chef must be aware of the local seasons and the availability of local products and sources. One of the numerous skills required of a ship's cook is familiarity with local providers of vital supplies, as well as importers of luxury items, and the most efficient means of transit to receive orders.

With sophisticated tastes and the desire to enjoy at will, it is not uncommon to hear of nocturnal deliveries of fresh, chilled South Australian oysters and Singaporean white asparagus being helicoptered onto distant luxury yachts along with other daily deliveries from abroad. However, in a world where people are beginning to question their ecological footprint, affluent yacht owners are beginning to desire the reduction of their own carbon footprint. In response, superyacht galleys are obtaining local ingredients and adjusting their menus accordingly. Where formerly fresh Alaskan crab was shipped in directly, dinner menus now incorporate daily catches from local fishermen or fresh native vegetables from local growers. And travelling to exotic locations is an excellent opportunity for chefs to introduce guests to new and intriguing dishes and encourage them to embrace more sustainable eating practices. However, chefs are also going above and beyond to find rare and stunning new foods to aid in the shift to more ecologically responsible cuisine.

The best chefs are the ones who can make do with limited resources and still serve their guest’s delectable dishes. The idea of eating a dinner that can only be produced using locally sourced foods is gaining popularity among chefs and aficionados throughout the world, which is great news for cooks producing meals in ever-new and exotic locales. However, as these mobile palaces travel further afield, it isn't always possible to rely on local suppliers, farmers, or provision companies. There are some yachts out there demonstrating that becoming more sustainable is possible by cultivating herbs and vegetables on board. A tempting alternative for vessel kitchens to banks of freezers stocked with frozen provisions is a supply of fresh food cultivated using hydroponics or aquaponics.

On yachts, chefs are growing fresh herbs on sundecks or vertical green walls in the galley. There’s even the potential to plant fruit trees or cultivate an onboard vineyard, or even more extensive forms of market gardening. Ocean Empire, a state-ofthe-art catamaran, has been designed with 2 hydroponic farms and fishing facilities to harvest the sea. Giving the potential for guests to stay as long as they like on the sea. And is powered by 3 main sources: the sun, the wind, and the waves. The world’s largest super yacht has 3,800 square metres of living space, which is large enough to house not only two helipads and a 25-meter swimming pool, but also, as claimed, a sprawling garden complete with a specially developed variety of grass that tolerates salt air, suitable for the walking of pets. Specially designed decks and bulkheads allow the growth of plants’ root systems and specialized hydroponic systems that allow for the pitch and yawl of the yacht are just a few features being added to the latest ship designs. Outside, vegetation is grown that is tolerant to salt and inside, special lights, which mimic sunlight and automated watering, drainage and heating systems are installed.

Although not all plants that thrive on land can thrive on a superyacht, there are various plant species that can withstand ocean conditions. Popular crops grown by chefs include nasturtium, lemony shiso, tree spinach, fenugreek, and Thai basil. Included are aloe, oregano, chives, coriander, lettuces, cucumbers, tomatoes, chillies, mint, lemon balm, kale, Chinese cabbage, micro herbs, rosemary, citrous, edible blooms, capsicum, celery, and sage.

However, the notion of becoming entirely self-sufficient is presently unattainable. It's impossible to cultivate everything you need to sustain human life on board, as humans rely on a wide variety of plant foods (potatoes, pumpkins, beetroot, etc.) that can't be grown aboard. For a family of five plus a crew of ten, the vessel would need to be ten times bigger than the currentday super yachts. So there is still some time until chefs have access to an endless supply of fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices but as mega yachts continue to grow in size and sophistication, such a day is not far off.

With the industry growing steadily at nearly 7% per annum, and an annual turnover of $26 billion a year, the global superyacht industry is keen to invest in research and development to create fully sustainable superyachts of the future.

Until then the designers of super yachts are increasingly incorporating growing environments in the overall design of their yachts. Systems which are producing an arrangement of fresh vegetables for guests and crew members. While fully self-sufficient lifestyles on luxury yachts are still a ways off, chefs everywhere are welcoming the technology that makes it possible to grow fresh food on board. When considering the potential environmental impact of a luxury yacht's galley, chefs around the world are implementing better practices, such as purchasing food locally and installing systems to grow food on board. This not only makes the chef's life easier by reducing the amount of food that must be stored, transported, and prepared, but it also helps save money, protect resources, and saves the environment.