Our competitions give chefs and crew from attending yachts the chance to showcase their culinary skills and creativity, competing for top honours in their yacht’s category.
Yacht chefs specialise in turning charter dining into a world-class experience, crafting bespoke menus that cover everything from elegant morning spreads to sophisticated multi-course dinners.
By pairing ultra-fresh, locally sourced ingredients with premium wines and spirits, they deliver tailored gourmet cuisine and unmatched personal service, set against a stunning oceanic backdrop.
The competition is split into three categories according to yacht size - 180ft and over, 126ft - 179ft and 125ft and under. The judging of the 180ft+ category will take place on Saturday 5th December, the 126ft-179ft category on Sunday 6th and the 125ft and under on Monday 7th. The prize giving ceremony will be held on Tuesday 8th, 17:45-19:30, location TBC.
Chef Competition
The theme for this year’s Chef Competition is 'The Culinary Compass - Charting the Future of Yacht Dining'.
Chefs are invited to create a three-course dining experience that represents their culinary north star - the philosophy, passion and professional identity that defines them as a yacht chef. Each course should reflect a distinct point on their culinary compass:
First Course - Origin (where you come from): A dish inspired by your culinary roots; the cuisine, culture or mentor that first shaped your identity as a chef.
Main Course - Mastery (where you stand today): Your signature; the creation that best represents your craft and culinary identity today.
Dessert - Horizon (where the profession is headed): A forward-thinking, innovative creation that points toward the future of yacht dining; unexpected, imaginative and technically brilliant.
Each chef will be presented with a mystery ingredient(s) at the Chef’s Briefing, which MUST be showcased in one of the three courses; if the mystery ingredient(s) is not utilized, points will be deducted from the overall score.
Competition day
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The competition will be held onboard each yacht.
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The scheduled 30-minute time frames will be allocated to each participating yacht at the Chef’s Briefing.
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Judges will arrive at the yacht 5-10 minutes prior to the 30-minute time frame to ensure they have enough time to enter and be seated for the judging process. The 30 minutes will begin as soon as the judges have sat for service.
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You will be notified just before the judges' arrival.
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You will have 30 minutes to serve your 3-course meal to the panel of 5 judges and the coordinator of the competition.
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You will provide 6 printed menus: 1 for the coordinator and 1 for each of the 5 judges.
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For each course: serve 5 taster-sized dishes and one full-sized presentation dish (to be photographed). All 6 plates of each course will be tasted by the 5 judges and the coordinator.
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Please note: You are required to stay within a 30-minute time frame and if the time is extended, points will be deducted from your overall score.
Yacht Table Design and Service Competition
The theme for the Yacht Table Design and Service Competition is 'The Compass Setting - Charting the Future of Yacht Table Design'.
The compass has four cardinal points - North, South, East, West - each one a gateway to a world of its own. For centuries, these four directions have carried mariners toward new cultures, new climates, new cuisines and new experiences. Now, the table becomes the compass.
Stewards and stewardesses are invited to choose their compass point and bring it to life at the table - through design, service, atmosphere and every considered detail in between.
Competitors are not required to represent all four compass points in their table design. The four cardinal directions are offered as inspiration but your design need only choose one direction and make it your own.
At the Chef’s Briefing, the stewards/stewardesses of each yacht will be presented with one bottle of the sponsored wine or champagne, so please ensure the bottle is collected at this time. The sponsored bottle must be showcased within your table design; if it is not, points will be deducted from your overall score.
Register now!
You can enter the competition by completing our online form or by emailing chefscomp@antiguayachtshow.com.
Please note:
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We only accept 10 yachts in each yacht size category.
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The first 10 successful entries will receive an email within 48 hours of registering to confirm receipt. Please ensure you receive this email, as without this confirmation you will not be eligible to compete.
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At that time, you will also be given additional instructions.
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A briefing will be held for all confirmed entrants at the beginning of the show on Friday 4th December 2026 at 15:30-16:30 CST.
Find out more about the Concours de Chef or get in touch with any enquiries.
