Danielle Lacey is the Head Chef on superyacht Beluga. Lacey lives quite an extraordinary life in comparison to most chefs and loves the challenges, variety and flexibility Beluga offers her.

“One day you can wake up in a foreign country and have to go outside to trade rice for fresh produce for the morning fruit salad with local villagers and some days you are paying with a credit card at a local grocer,” said Lacey. An exciting aspect of her job is the locations and countries she gets to visit. “We don’t wake up and walk outside and see the same office or store-front that we pass every day to work. We don’t rely on a delivery from a foreign country to bring the same produce or comforts as we have in Australia.”

A fundamental part of her role is planning out the galley to ensure every charter guest receives a personalised menu for each charter based on their preferences. “Unlike restaurants, once we are at sea we must have all the provisions on the vessel when we leave the dock. After we leave it’s full steam ahead preparing and plating all the delicacies and dishes for our clients, creating a memorable experience every single meal,” said Lacey.

Lacey’s day-to-day is no walk in the park, starting at the crack of the dawn she freshly bakes bread, croissants, and pastries for those with a sweet tooth and an array of healthy and nutritious continental breakfast options for the early risers. Breakfast does not stop there due to the high demand for a hot breakfast to be served to the guest’s table as soon as possible while a warm banana bread, tart or cake must be made in time for morning tea. Before Lacey is able to catch her breath gourmet salads, meats and fresh bread must then be prepared for lunch while different daily occasions may instead require anything from a picnic on the beach, a takeaway lunch for guests to go fishing or a ladies lunch on board. Afternoons are spent preparing the hors d’oeurves, evening courses, desserts and – if in the case of guests bringing back a catch of the day – fresh ceviche or sashimi.

Lacey will be taking part in this years Australian Superyacht Rendezvous across the weekend of 17 and 18 May at Gold Coast City Marina and Shipyard. Whilst Beluga will be showcasing its 114-foot charm over the course of the weekend, Lacey will be luring in potential clients with her mouth-watering canapes and hors d’oeurves. While Lacey has not participated in the Australian Superyacht Rendezvous before, she has participated in multiple yacht shows in both Europe and Australia. “I think it’s a great opportunity for vessels to showcase the capabilities and experiences they can offer potential clients. It’s also a great way for yachting enthusiasts to generate ideas, experience and see the vessels first hand,” said Lacey.

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