The Superyacht Chef Competition concluded in style with Chef Aaron Thomas – M/Y Canvas (33m) the big winner out of nine contestants. This seventh edition once again highlighted the demanding nature of the onboard chef’s profession, said the two Michelin star Chef Philippe Etchebest, Meilleur Ouvrier de France, who chaired the Jury: “It requires considerable organisation and foresight. When you’re at sea for several weeks without being able to get supplies in, you have to think of everything, including unforeseen events. I have huge admiration for these professionals”. Organised by Yacht Club de Monaco’s La Belle Classe Academy training centre, in partnership with Bluewater, the event has established itself as unique in the yachting world. “In the last seven years we’ve noted a growing enthusiasm for this contest, both from professionals keen to test their skills ashore, and the public who turn up every year to watch,” says Bernard d’Alessandri, YCM Director and General Secretary: “Our ambition is to showcase the diverse range of careers in yachting, a sector with a promising future, especially for young generations”.
A thrilling final
Nine chefs battled it out throughout the day, in a format mirroring the constraints chefs on board face, after several perfectly timed and executed qualifying rounds. After finding out what they had to work with in the basket of mystery ingredients, contestants had just five minutes to dream up a recipe and then 40 minutes to prepare and plate it. For the finalists they had 80 minutes to prepare a main course and a dessert under the watchful eyes of the Jury.
And the winner is…
As every year, criteria like the last minute addition of a surprise ingredient chosen by the public, and a strict obligation to avoid any wastage, forced chefs to use their ingenuity and keep cool heads. Beatrice Cordy – M/Y Nectar (65m), Gaia Botturi – M/Y Madame Kate (60m), Tony Triest – M/Y Barbara (88.5m), David Kempsey – S/Y Sagitta (46m), Baptiste Liquito – M/Y Infinity Nine (35m), Milan Popovic – M/Y Smiley (35m), Aaron Thomas – M/Y Canvas (33m), Alex Saimbene – M/Y Moka (50m) and Ilija Gojkovic – M/Y Emocean (38m) all impressed the Jury with their elegant dishes.
Away from the crowds at the stoves, the Jury deliberated aboard the M/Y Shockwave (28.7m) moored in the YCM Marina. This yacht is currently undergoing the SEA Index® certification process and stands out for its composite construction that significantly reduces its weight and also fuel consumption by 50% vis-à-vis a comparable size vessel. It was here where the Jury finally reached its verdict and awarded the coveted prize to Chef Aaron Thomas, a former UK Master Chef who won this seventh edition with a lobster dish in two parts: a plate accompanied by asparagus and a morel fricassee followed by a bisque. “The most difficult aspect was the pace: producing several dishes in a very short time while adapting to the basket of mystery ingredients,” said the winner.
Jury 2026: star-studded jury to decide the winner
Chaired by Philippe Etchebest, the Jury’s panel was exceptional: Marcel Ravin (FRA), three Michelin stars (two for Blue Bay, one for the Elsa restaurant at the Monte-Carlo Beach hotel); Carlo Cracco (ITA), a Michelin star icon in the Italian cuisine world; Duncan Biggs (UK), cofounder of Oceanwave Monaco and a superyacht chef; Jeeny Maltese (VEN), a presenter promoting Latin-American cuisines; and Tim Mälzer (GER), restauranteur and TV presenter.
Behind the scenes, the contest was orchestrated by Chef Philippe Joannès, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and YCM’s culinary consultant alongside YCM’s Events Chef Simon Ganache, supported by Frédéric Ramos, President of the Monaco Goût & Saveurs association. Also helping were students from Monaco’s hotel & catering school, keen to experience the realities of the profession. The evening before, around 20 chefs attended the Grand Chefs Dinner at the YCM, as an appetiser before the contest, attended by YCM President HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.
Sharing fine cuisine and expertise
Since its launch in 2015, La Belle Classe Academy has been training tomorrow’s yachting professionals. Passing on knowledge and expertise is at the heart of exchanges at the upcoming 13th Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (8-11 July 2026), the event dedicated to sustainable propulsion technologies.
