MONACO, April 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Paulo Ucha Longhin (M/Y Hercules – 50m) is the winner of the 5th Superyacht Chef Competition. Organised as part of the collective approach 'Monaco, Capital of Advanced Yachting', the event was held at the Yacht Club de Monaco in partnership with Bluewater and under the aegis of YCM’s La Belle Classe Academy training centre. This internationally renowned celebration of the art of fine cuisine at sea puts the spotlight on an essential aspect of yachting professions.
Paulo Ucha Longhin has been cooking for 25 years and he started his journey on yachts after Covid. He is currently working on board the 50 metre long motor yacht Hercules. He won the competition with a main course of lobster and a dessert of strawberries and mascarpone cream. “I’m so happy. I was a little stressed but in a good way and as soon as I get to the kitchen I forget about everything and give my best while doing my job. Time of course is an issue, you have to manage but if you start the round being well prepared and organised, then you can really make it work”, said the Brazilian chef. Second place went to Ava Faulkner (M/Y Light Holic – 60m) and the bronze medal was assigned to Mateusz Mitka (M/Y Lady Britt – 63m).
Three tight rounds took the competitors to the grand finale of excellence. The 9 participants had to deal with a mystery basket and 'last-minute' ingredients chosen by the public. Chairing the 2024 edition was chef Glenn Viel. The three Michelin star chef promotes eco-responsible cuisine at the Oustau de Baumanière gourmet restaurant. Passionate about local products, Viel is renowned for combining his Breton roots with Provencal culinary traditions and stands out for his eco-responsible cuisine. Alongside Viel on the jury, the finalist of ‘Objectif Top Chef’ Victoria Vallenilla: “I think they have to look for the creativity of the chef because they don’t have much time to create a dish and it’s much easier when you have time to try things and think about it. If you also think about the technicity they need to have, I'm stressed for them. I think the public has to see the ability to work on their stress and with a very short time of thinking. They see these new kitchens, they don’t know where are things. It has to be quite difficult and also working under pressure with so many people looking at them, it is already a proof of strength”, said Vallenilla.
As tradition, the contestants only found out what was in their basket of mystery ingredients five minutes before they got behind their stoves. During the competition the audience added a missing ingredient to the basket and then voted for the best culinary presentation adding another interactive dimension to this prestigious competition. Winner of the previous edition, Marco Tognon (M/Y Planet – 72m) also gave his contribution on the quality of the dishes presented during the day. At the jury table there was also chef Danny Davies, host of ‘Behind the Line with Chef Danny Davies’ with over 25 years of experience on private yachts. Chef Julien Roucheteau, a former student of the Ferrandi School in Paris, two time Michelin star and Chef Fred Ramos, a disciple of the renowned chef Jacques Maximin completed the jury line up.
This year again the nine superyacht chefs selected to take part had to comply with an anti-waste criterium under the watchful eye of chef Duncan Biggs, requiring contestants to use every ingredient in the mystery basket or risk a penalty from an external scoring grid. “Especially with the global warming issue and the cost of the ingredients going up, it’s really important to have a keep a close eye on the wasting aspect of cooking. I know that it can be difficult, as chefs usually work in very fast-paced environments, but it’s fundamental to consider the matter and be prepared”, said Biggs. This initiative is part of the CSR policy of the Yacht Club de Monaco.
Participating in this fifth edition were: Paulo Ucha Longhin (M/Y Hercules – 50m), Joelyanne Lefaucheur (M/Y Artemis – 33m), Mateusz Mitka (M/Y Lady Britt – 63m), Margot Laurent (M/Y Leonardo III – 43m), Enzo Di Garbo (M/Y L.A.U.L. – 39m), Giacomo Seregni (M/Y Severin’s – 55m), Jérémie Gruson (M/Y Victoria del mar – 50m) and Ava Faulkner (M/Y Light Holic – 60m).
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