Pre-Charter Preparation — How to Get Ahead Before Guests Arrive

How to get ahead of your guests and get as much mise en place ready!

Pictured ~ Fermented and dehydrated tomato leather prepared before an upcoming charter, topped with olive oil pearls, balsamic air and micro basil.

The one thing this industry has taught me above all else is to expect the unexpected — and to pick your battles wisely.

We all wish we could make everything from scratch. Please don't let me stop you from trying. But you also have to be realistic. Most of the time you'll be working alone, or with one other chef if you're lucky, in a small galley that may not have all the equipment you'd ideally want. There's absolutely no shame in bringing in high-quality products to help you create an incredible end result. I'm not talking about buying a complete meal — I'm talking about small components of a dish that would take too much time to produce from scratch under pressure.

A great example is Atelier du Homard — two chefs in Cannes who prepare lobster exactly how you need it: raw, cooked, peeled or live, with or without garnish, all vacuum packed. It saves enormous time and eliminates a very messy job. Work smart, chefs.

Every time guests come onboard, I genuinely never know what to expect. Curve balls are part of the job — I've had someone ask for a pizza ten minutes before sending out a three-course dinner to the rest of the table. You just have to be ready for anything.

Here are the basics I always prepare before a charter. It won't cover every situation, but it makes a real difference when things get hectic.

Start with your menus

The first thing I do is create lists of breakfast options, lunch options, dinner options and dessert options. This sets the foundation for everything you can realistically produce with the resources available. Charter guests will often request a few days of menus before boarding — use these lists to build those. Once you're on charter, you can refer to them each evening when planning the next day rather than starting from scratch under pressure.

Pictured ~ White chocolate raspberry dessert. This can be made and frozen ready to go before charter guests arrive.

What I always have prepped and ready

• Cookie doughs and pastry doughs — rolled in cling film and ready to slice and bake. Sweet pastry, pie pastry, flavoured pasta doughs. The options are endless.

• Flavoured butters — truffle, sundried tomato, miso. Roll them in cling film and freeze. An easy way to elevate a dish instantly.

• Herb and flavoured oils — parsley, dill, chervil, chilli, sundried tomato oil. These add colour and depth to a finished plate with almost no effort at service.

• Sourdough — I make double or triple batches in the days leading up to a trip and freeze the extra loaves. Any leftover pieces get dried out and turned into sourdough crumbs, which also work brilliantly infused into ice cream.

• Pizza dough — par-baked on stones and frozen down for emergencies. It has genuinely saved me more than once.

• Desserts — in the two to three days before guests arrive I'll make four to six desserts that will keep or even improve over time. Crème brûlée, cheesecake, panna cotta, apple pie filling, frozen moulded desserts that just need glazing at service, plus any decorations you can make ahead. Coulis and fruit purées are also worth making in batches — they freeze well and are incredibly versatile.

• Dehydrated powders — I make these from leftover scraps like orange peel or dragon fruit skin, grinding and sieving them into fine powders. Fresh As Freeze Dried Products is also a fantastic brand for this. These add a beautiful finishing touch to both sweet and savoury dishes.

• Batch-cooked crew food — when making meals for the crew, I always vac-pack and freeze down extras as backup. Pulled Mexican pork, BBQ ribs, Indian curry bases, lentils, beans, marinated slow-cooked meats — all frozen and ready when you need them.

• Ice creams and sorbets — always have them. I currently run a menu of around 50 flavours which is admittedly a little overboard, but having a strong range of unique options to finish a dessert is something guests genuinely remember. Miso, black sesame, grilled corn, maple parsnip and Ferrero Rocher are some of my personal favourites.

• Stocks and sauces — all types, reduced down into jus or demi-glace where possible. Don't forget a vegan stock and jus for plant-based guests. Making stocks is also another excellent way to clear the fridge before a big provisioning delivery.

• Salad dressings — Caesar, honey mustard, balsamic emulsion. Made ahead, labelled and ready to go. One less thing to think about on a busy service day.

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The list really could go on!

I always over-prepare. What's the worst that can happen? The extra desserts go to the crew? I'm sure they'll cope.

So do your best with the resources you have and work smart!

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