Laura Shaughnessy is the former managing editor at Dockwalk.
As a superyacht chef, you may spend more time than you want in the galley and not enough time getting out to refresh and be inspired.
Ex-yacht chef Titta Uoti-Väisänen knows this well, which is why she created Superyacht Foodie in March 2021. Her company provides a social space to share unusual, new generation, sustainable food and drinks — many of which are vegan or gluten-free — to the superyacht community. While they don’t sell directly to the yachts, they focus on supporting food producers, provisioners, chefs, and stews by sourcing and promoting a bank of fine foods that often fly under the radar.
As a former superyacht crewmember, Uoti-Väisänen is well-versed in how to store, transport, and deliver her products to superyachts on a global level.
The concept is unlike other companies because it doesn’t sell the produce directly to the yachts or charge a commission to the provisioners. “Superyacht Foodie is unique because it is a marketing platform introducing new products to the provisioners, and at the same time creating demand for the new-generation food and drinks by showcasing the products to the yachts via their social media and hand delivered tasting baskets,” she explains.
The former yacht chef personally tests each brand before adding them to the Superyacht Foodie basket — she launched with 17 brands from Finland and beyond. “Our aim is to help yacht chefs and chief stews rediscover their passion for provisioning and inspire them to try new generation produce with a healthy, sustainable edge,” Uoti-Väisänen said in a press release. “Some of the products are also vegan or gluten-free, or both, which can really help when creating menus or choosing a range of suitable drinks and snack for owners and guests with dietary requirements.”
She reports that “the provisioners also liked that the testing and sourcing was already done for them and that they were given the contacts for the food producers so they could liaise directly.”
They partnered with provisioners and yacht agents, including Evolution Yacht Agents, Green Chilli, and Froggy Gourmet to deliver summer tasting baskets to chefs and chief stews aboard nine yachts ranging from 53 to 110 meters. Email info@superyachtfoodie.com if you’d like your food brand to be considered.
This column is taken from the August 2021 issue of Dockwalk.