Is it really possible to serve a gourmet meal for a group of guests from a motor yacht galley?
A group of lucky Riviera owners found the answer is “yes” in a delectable on-water cooking class on Sydney’s Pittwater recently.
Scott Dillon of R Marine Pittwater hosted 25 Riviera owners to the tutorial on board with chef, cooking blogger and reviewer Alex Morris.
The team boarded a luxury motor yacht and headed for the quiet of Morning Bay on the western side of the Pittwater. No marina, no shore power. Just the well equipped galley, a fully-stocked pantry and fridge and a skillful chef.
Wendy Phillips was thrilled from the moment she stepped aboard.
“We were served champagne as we left the marina,” she said. “The highlight was Balmain bugs and bubbles on the flybridge. Brilliant!”
For Rohan London the experience was as much about connecting with like-minded Riviera owners as learning new skills in the galley.
“We are new to the Riviera family so it was great to meet some like-minded people,” he said.
“The chef did a sensational job. A stand-out for us was seeing him cook fish in its own juices with a little lime added. The lesson was simplicity from what appeared a complex process.”
The four-hour class was not simply a cooking demonstration. Alex encouraged every one of the guests to participate in the preparation and cooking – as well as the eating afterwards.
Christine Barrow is already applying lessons from the class.
“Before the class, I was afraid of burning food such as bugs,” she said. “I stood with Alex and watched how he controlled the barbecue. It was a great experience.
“We are on our Riviera in Port Stephens right now and I am really happy cooking seafood on our barbecue.” she said.
“We also learned how to whip up some new dressings and sauces.”
The menu included kingfish and coconut ceviche (marinated raw fish), prawn rolls with spicy yoghurt, barbecued bugs with chilli lime butter and barbecued asparagus salad with prosciutto and goats cheese.
Wendy Phillips summed up the day: “The organisation was perfect. Scott and Daniella worked quietly behind the scenes all day to make sure it ran smoothly. Scott’s attention to detail makes these events complete.”
