Chef Benjamin Ferrand of the 50-metre Delta Marine motor yacht Victoria Del Mar has won the sixth annual Superyacht Chef Competition. The event was held at the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCdM) on 3 April 2025, organised by the club in partnership with yacht brokerage firm Bluewater.
Nine superyacht chefs competed in a series of three 45-minute heats, from which three competitors – Christoph Siebentritt of the 74-metre Amels yacht Synthesis, Gaëtan Di Santo of Azimut's 35.3-metre Ocean One and Ferrand – made it through to the grand finale.
"I tried to make [my dishes] super-gourmet, playing with textures with an emulsion, a very tasty sauce from a crab reduction," explained Ferrand, who was ultimately chosen as the winner. "For dessert, I made a light tiramisu with espuma, a crunchy crumble and Suzette sauce. With chocolate, cocoa and a touch of Kaffir lime, I think the theme was well chosen."
Contestants received only five minutes to devise a dish after peering into their mystery basket. Similar to previous years, the chefs complied with anti-waste criteria where all ingredients within the mystery basket must be used or a penalty will be applied.
Chefs were also limited to a single workstation, designed to imitate the reduced galley space on board yachts.
"The Superyacht Chef Competition personifies the culinary art and maritime excellence alliance, reinforcing Monaco’s influence in the yachting world," said YCM general secretary Bernard D'Alessandri. "It highlights an essential aspect of yachting professions and is part of our collective 'Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting' ambitions."
The jury of experts was chaired by chef Jean-François Girardin, a winner and former president of the Société Nationale Meilleur Ouvrier de France. The remainder of the prestigious panel consisted of Mark Reynolds, president of the Craft Guild of Chefs, Ronan Cadorel, Ocean Wave Monaco co-founder Duncan Biggs, Jeeny Maltese and former Superyacht Chef Competition winner, Paulo Ucha Longhin.