From MasterChef to Megayacht

They say life is all about timing and for the head chef of superyacht HBC Andrew Durham, this has certainly been the case. Stepping into the yacht’s galley while moored in Antigua, we sat down with Andrew to learn more about his extraordinary culinary journey.

Andrew is no stranger to life at sea, but it hasn’t always been on board a superyacht. His first experience as a professional chef was in the Royal Navy, cooking for thousands of Royal Marines. Recognised for his natural talent, he was selected for the Navy competition team and represented the service around the world, participating in prestigious competitions such as the Culinary Olympics and the World Cup. Just eight people from the British Army, Navy, and RAF are chosen to form one team. “There are thousands of people at the Culinary Olympics in a huge stadium. There’s an opening ceremony where you walk out with your flags, and it’s very much like the sporting Olympics,” he recalls.

Following this, he became a chef lecturer for the Navy, teaching professional cookery until he was chosen as the Admiral’s personal chef, and he then cooked for royalty and foreign dignitaries in a stately home in Portsmouth.

So, after 13 years, why did he leave? “Without sounding arrogant, I had achieved everything. I had every award, and there was nowhere left to go – no progression for me other than a desk job, and that’s not me – I’m a chef. That’s what fills me with joy.”

During his 12-month notice period, Andrew applied for the TV show MasterChef: The Professionals and made it the final five out of an initial 48 contestants. The show was aired in 2019 and riding high on a wave of success, Andrew was approached by the Gordon Ramsay Group, restaurants in Hong Kong, and even a millionaire who wanted to build an eco-restaurant for Andrew to run.

So how did he make the move into superyachts? “Actually, it’s all part of the same story. After MasterChef, one of the phone calls I received was from a superyacht captain who had watched the show. He said, “With your experience in the Navy, I think you'd be a great fit as a head chef on a yacht.” And I said, 'Oh, amazing. That's great - but no, thank you. I'm off to work for Gordon Ramsay! I'm going to go and open my own restaurant.’” However, with the culmination of Brexit, Covid, and the Cost-of-Living Crisis, saw Andrew having to close the restaurant. “I remembered the call from that captain, and I found him on LinkedIn.” Andrew was on a flight to Barcelona five days later to resume life at sea.

A far cry from the industrial galley kitchens of his Navy days, Andrew’s galley on HBC is on a whole different level – quite literally. Situated on the yacht’s upper deck, not only does he get the panoramic views, but the galley is located next to the main dining area. “It’s prime real estate,” he laughs. This means he can easily communicate with the crew, and his food is off the pass and onto the table in seconds.

Charterers of HBC can enjoy formal dining in the circular upper deck dining room. Retractable glass doors allow this space to be opened to aft, creating a free-flowing dynamic to the exterior lounge space. For al fresco feasts and more casual lunches, the bridge deck is the location of choice, where an enormous dining table can be shaded to suit and meals come accompanied by a gentle ocean breeze.

The demands on a superyacht chef are huge, and there is constant pressure, but Andrew relishes the challenge. “I've learned so much in yachting. Every chef has their thing, whether that’s Thai food, modern British or classic French, but every charter somebody asks for a dish I've never heard of, and then I'll have to look it up. So now, I know about Lebanese food, I know about Mexican food. You have to have the skill to meet any request.”

Food is an integral part of every charter, and the dining experience aboard HBC is a journey in itself. From buffet breakfasts on the aft deck to long, lazy lunches with a view and exquisite multi-course tasting menu dinners. “It will feel like you're in a different restaurant every day – we create a theme for each evening with different cuisines, different atmospheres, different music. It's always a unique and memorable dining experience,” says Andrew.

HBC is an 85.65m superyacht that operates with a crew of 28. There’s accommodation for 12 guests onboard, and the yacht can be chartered from €850,000 per week.