The 35th MYBA Charter Show opens April 28 in Portosole Marina, Sanremo — and as ever, one of the show’s most anticipated events will be the superyacht chefs' competition.
The 2025 theme will be Wellness on a Plate. Chefs will be asked to prepare a “healthy and indulgent brunch” that uses foods rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants — while still offering the sort of luxury cuisine guests expect. Judges will look at originality and creativity; choice of ingredients; taste and flavor; presentation; execution, craft and technique; and overall impression.
The judges all share Michelin-starred CVs as leaders of some of the finest kitchens in Europe and abroad. They include:
Matteo Baronetto: As executive chef at Del Cambio, the Michelin-starred Turin restaurant that dates to 1757 and once counted Mozart as a patron, Matteo garnered a Michelin star six months after the restaurant reopened in 2014. A chef steeped in the traditions of his native Piedmont region, he is an intuitive innovator and a chef who defies easy categories.
He recently announced he is stepping down as executive chef at Del Cambio. After a handover period, he will begin a new, entrepreneurial venture, the details of which are not yet widely known. Safe to say, it will bring a loyal clientele.
Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen: The South African’s diverse background includes yacht chef, food stylist and photographer, publisher and cookbook author, and of course, chef. His Restaurant JAN in Nice’s Old Port neighborhood received a Michelin star in 2016; since then he has opened restaurants in South Africa and a bistro next to Restaurant JAN. He’s also launched a homeware range, a creative and culinary studio in Cape Town and a television series.
An innovator, the builder of a growing culinary and media empire, and a man who gives back to his homeland while representing it around the world, Jan Hendrik is an exciting voice in the culinary world.
Antonio Mellino: Patriarch of Michelin-starred Ristorante Quattro Passi, Chef Antonio Mellino holds court from the coastal village of Nerano, on the Amalfi Coast. The restaurant, which he opened in 1983 and now runs with his family, boasts three Michelin stars. Local ingredients help create a menu rich in seafood dishes that lean on local traditions while also branching into creative new areas.
With his son alongside him in the kitchen, Chef Antonio maintains a commitment to Michelin excellence while helping to reimagine traditional coastal Italian cuisine.
Alongside the chefs’ competition, the tablescaping competition will be themed “A touch of jade.” The contest will be open to all interior crew from the vessels of chefs in the competition.