BOOKING YOUR EXOTIC CHARTER
Any charter broker can help you book a charter yacht in these destinations, but only some charter brokers have traveled off the beaten path. Be sure your broker helps you not only secure the booking, but also talks to you about what other types of preparations (passport visas, inoculations) and supplies (foulweather gear, hiking shoes) you might need, depending on the itinerary you choose.
He fell in love with gastronomy at an early age. Now charter guests fall in love with his culinary renderings aboard 151-foot (46meter) Sanlorenzo Scorpion. Life seems a cornucopia for Netherlands native Jilles Kuppens, who worked his way up the ranks in world-renowned European restaurants— Atelier de Joël Robuchon, Pierre Gagnaire, De Karmeliet—on his path to superyachts. Equipped with a chemistry degree, a keen interest in philosophy and five languages spoken fluently, he cannot be pigeonholed, and neither can his diverse cooking style.
“People always try to pinpoint things,” said Kuppens, who avoids compartmentalizing cuisines as French, Italian, Indian, Chinese and so forth. “I use them all. Being French-classic trained with an inquisitive academic attitude allows someone to get quite creative. Maybe there are really just two types of cuisine: analytical, where ingredients exist and are enjoyed separately, and an experiential one where a variety of flavors merge into a new cuisine altogether.”
Talk cooking with Kuppens for a few minutes, and it’s clear that his forté is not one particular dish. Rather, he seasons the greater gastronomic experience with surprises.
“I rarely make any dish twice, so I don’t really have a signature dish,” Kuppens said. “I like to play around looking for contrasts in taste, color, texture, temperature. Keep it interesting. Gastronomy is about the personal experience. It’s not the same for everybody. It’s about exploring tastes and combinations you’ve never realized before. So many fabulous ingredients can be prepared in so many ways. I love to work with seafood, veggies, herbs—light dishes. But I also love butter. And I love making desserts.”
Charter life seems a perfect fit for Kuppens, who embraces variety and discovering new places—though he admits it’s not always easy. “It can be hard to get the ingredients you need,” Kuppens said. “You’re surrounded by water, yet it can be so difficult to find good fish sometimes. We were in Cuba recently. There were no fish at the market. The fishmonger? Nada. I managed to find one big fish