As the summer Mediterranean cruising season winds down, we can take a step back and put the spotlight in the galley. One of the vital crew roles on board a yacht is the Chef. The role encompasses many different operational levels; Executive Chef, Head Chef, Sous Chef, Third Chef, Crew Chef or Cook-Stew/Deck. The role is vitally important as everyone on board needs to eat, crew, owners, and guests!

Today’s Yacht Chef is considered as a multi-talented individual who needs to not only prepare healthy and nutritious fare but also cater for various diets on board. From vegan to vegetarian and specific medical conditions, nut allergies and coeliac disease for example, the chef needs to provision and prepare for all.

Have you ever wondered what the diet of the ordinary sailor or crew was before the invention of food refrigeration and other highly complex modern food storage methods?

The staple diet of 16th century seafarers

The staple food or victuals (provisions) of the 16th century British seamen were ships biscuits, beer, salted beef and pork, fish, butter and cheese. Later on bacon and peas were added to the menu. Victuals on board would vary by nation and for example the Spanish Armada also provided for ships biscuits or bread, wine of various sorts, salted pork, rice, cheese, beans, fish, oil and vinegar. When Ferdinand Magellan left Sanlúcar de Barrameda in August 1519, the five sailing vessels were laden with more than 10,000 kilos of biscuits amongst other goods (sardines, garlic, onions, honey) in preparation for their journey around the globe.

The ships biscuit or “bisket”, signifying in French “twice baked” was considered as the staple seaman’s diet and sailors relied on these long-lasting biscuits made simply with flour and water during their voyages. By baking and re-baking to dry them it would allow the biscuit to keep from spoiling and being infested with weevils. In the 19th century the ships biscuit was commonly described as “Hardtack”. Tack was derived from the British sailor slang for food and hard due to it being very coarse and hard. Hardtack soon signified unappetising and almost too bad to eat food.

There was also a predetermined ration of water, beer, wine and later rum for seamen. The British Royal Navy regulations allowed each sailor one gallon (3,7 litres) of beer per day. Magellan, to keep sailor morale high made allowance for 2 rations of Xérès wine per day. The French Navy in the 17th century allowed for approximately 700ml of wine per day. There were also rations for drinking water however this was often used to de-salt the beef, pork or other salt-preserved foods.

From hardtack to fresh provisions

Food was always an important subject and when possible, the vessels were re-stocked with fresh food and water at every port. Vessels commonly sailed with a compliment of live animals on board. This would include pigs, chickens, goats, cows or sheep and supplemented the salted provisions with the animals’ milk and flesh for the first weeks of the voyage.

In the early 1800s, the French Chef Nicolas Appert created a method of hermetically sealing glass jars with cork, wire, wax and boiling water. This method was followed by British merchant Peter Durand who patented the method of storing food in cans made of tin. Canning was invented and as consumption increased so did the science and methodology behind safer canning. Food preservation has constantly evolved since the early days and today’s yacht galley often boasts the most technologically advanced methods.

So, don’t forget to express your gratitude to your Yacht Chef to avoid being served Hardtack at your next meal. And remember, your bellies and their contents are the real engines of those glorious shinny white vessels we love so much!