Catering on a yacht: what kind of food to order, which restaurant to choose, can you manage it by yourself?
Catering on a yacht is not only an additional comfort while you resting, but it is also delicious. In this article, Bimbarent will share the experience of ordering a catering service on board, tell you about the best menu option, and in what cases you will need a waiter.
Let’s start with an educational program. Food delivery and catering are not the same thing. Second is a set of services. For example, you are provided with dishes (plates, tablecloths, towels, napkins, glasses, buckets for sparkling wine, ice, baskets for festive flowers, etc.). This is table setting, this is the presence of a waiter of a rental boat. Food delivery is just “delivery to the door”.

On popular catering sites, you can find flashy titles such as “individual menu”, “team of professionals”, “special VIP offer”, “perfect service”, etc. It would be nice if everything was like that! But, to be honest, our experience shows otherwise – both in terms of the menu and in terms of “highly qualified personnel”. The fact is that servicing on a yacht requires special skills and at least minimal experience in working on water transport (rolling on the water, closed narrow space, dexterity and speed of service on different tiers of the boat).

Food on the yacht
In our opinion, ready-made food boxes from catering are not quite suitable for yachting. Their menu is designed for classic buffet events, where the main task is to feed a crowd of hungry guests with portions of canapés.
Another popular yacht menu option in Ukraine, when guests come for a boat trip from a banquet. Imagine: the heat is 30 degrees, juicy cabbage rolls with warm sour cream are smoking on the table. Nearby, warm pancakes stuffed with mushrooms are placed in a plastic vessel. A little further away from them, french fries are melting from the sun. Sliced cheeses and sausages are in the center of the table in a slight swoon. Of course, it is also delicious in winter with vodka! However, very fatty food is not the best offer during a hot summer day on a yacht. It should be noted that one Kyiv restaurant on the water has been offering such a menu to customers for several years, taking advantage of “the inexperience of guests who rely on the recommendations of the restaurant.”
Even in the classic Catering Box, you can often find “canapés on skewers”. We scolded them above, but in fact they go well together during the Welcome Drink (gathering of guests before the walk). Do not take a lot of skewers, as in the heat without a refrigerator canapes quickly become weathered.

Before discussing the optimal menu, check the available kitchen equipment. For example, how many refrigerators, is there an extra freezer, ice maker? How many tables and for how many people are they designed? Is there a kettle, microwave, stove or oven? Does all equipment work? Check with your captain for technical details. No one prepares for your trip better than you!
Main dishes. Bimbarent recommends ordering the main menu not from a catering website, but from your favorite restaurant. Or in a fish store where they cook to take away. For summer soups: okroshka, gazpacho or fish soup are suitable. Salads, seafood or meat, whatever you like. Remember that kids love pizza and burgers. It is preferable to warm up the main dishes before serving (the microwave copes with a bang). For dessert, we recommend ice cream, seasonal fruits and berries (cherries, grapes, watermelon, melon, peaches, strawberries, blueberries).

Ice also plays an important role in hot weather. If the boat does not have an icemaker, take a few packs of frozen ice from the supermarket or liquor store (price per kg 0.7-1.5 dollars). The larger the cubes, the longer your drinks will stay cold throughout the day.
If there is only one small freezer on the boat, order an ice box from the catering company. There is enough ice for a whole day of rest for 12 people – relevant for stag and hen parties.

A waiter on board is needed on boats starting from 12 meters, where there is enough space not only for guests and crew, but also for a waiter who will not interfere with all of you. On double-deck or flybridge yachts, the waiter will increase your level of comfort at least by running instead of you down to the galley (to the kitchen) for drinks or new dishes.
By the way, on a 15 meter yacht, with a maximum load of 12 guests, one experienced waiter is enough. Yes, it will not be easy, but with a certain skill, there is enough time for all the guests … How is it possible? Not greedy owners take a skipper and 1-2 crew members for a walk, who help both the captain of the ship and the waiter. Therefore, do not forget to thank the entire crew after the walk (leave a tip).

P.S. Is it possible to order catering with a chef? Of course! A personal chef will be an excellent addition to a trip on the water during a daily boat rental, or when renting a large motoryacht (starting from 25 meters) with a separate kitchen area for the crew.