CAMPBELL ON. HIS BACKGROUNDMy father bought an Optimist sailing dinghy when I was about five years oldand although I didn't take to sailing then, I was bitten by the bug when I startedracing a few years later. As an adult I started a nine-to-five office job inSouthampton, UK, but then I was offered a position as delivery crew on a yachtsailing from Palma to the UK, followed by a trip to the Caribbean. After a fewstints as day crew, I landed my first job as a deck hand on the 46m (152')Windrose for six months, followed by a mate's job on the 73.5m (241')Sapphire sailing across the Pacific. CAMPBELL ON. TRAVELMallorca and Antigua are among my favourite islands - sailing intothe latter is always nice as it's where I started my yachting career, and bothports are familiar to me and offer great opportunities to catch up with oldfriends. Sandbank in French Polynesia, just off Taina Marina in Tahiti, is alsostunning.You can stand knee-deep in water on the reef enjoying a barbecue- the trend was started by the locals and it's now a popular spot for crew andislanders to get together, eat, drink and get sunburnt. Cruising regions still onmy radar include Alaska, the west coast of the US and Micronesia.CAMPBELL ON. BEING A CAPTAINThe first stint as a captain is always a considerable jump from being a mate -you need to be prepared in more ways than one, and qualifications certainlyaren't the only important factor. Being a good captain takes experience,humility and the ability to get on with a variety of personalities. A good senseof humour helps, too.I'm lucky to have a fantastic crew on board Mystery, we are a solid team andeveryone chips in to help with every challenge; I like that and it is rare. Thetwo girls also keep us amused. As you can imagine, having two blondes onboard means you hear classic comments every day - like insisting that redcars go faster than blue ones. I also catch them singing loudly in the crew'smess when they think no one is around, which is very entertaining. One of the most amusing charter guests I ever encountered was a Russianwho requested a different set of chairs at the dinner table mid-charter. He hadsat on them all week without a problem, but one day he freaked out for somereason. It was all resolved quite simply when we got him one from the otherside of the table.CAMPBELL ON. MYSTERYMystery is a great yacht for sailing, which is my passion, and as I've alwayswanted to work on a Swan I feel extremely lucky in my current role. We recentlysailed 7,000nm upwind from the South Pacific, encountering big seas at times,and she really performed well. Having said that I would love to work on a JClass as they have such a rich history in yachting and the America's Cup.Speaking of the America's Cup, I wouldn't mind going out for a blast on oneof the new catamarans. ncaptain'sviewPhotography: Frances Howarth / Jeff BrownWINTER 2012I sea&iI23SPECIFICATIONSLENGTH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34.3m (112'5)BEAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.4m (24'2)DRAFT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.3m (14')BUILDER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nautor's SwanYEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2000/2009GUESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8CREW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4CRUISING AREA . .Mediterranean (summer); Caribbean & Bahamas (winter)PRICES FROM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .US$60,000 per week

Being a superyacht chef is a 24/7 job for Peter Göppel. "I'm usually up at six in the morning,"he explains. "Those quiet hours are when I begin to prepare breakfast, visit the local marketsfor fresh food and work on menu-planning for the day. From eight until 12 it is all go. I have theguests' breakfast to serve and at the same time I start to prepare the crew's lunch. I'll then nipout on deck to chat with the guests about their food for the day before I head back to serve the crewwith one hand while preparing the guests' dishes with the other. Midday to three is all aboutserving up the guests' lunch, and from then until six o'clock I organise the crew's dinner, chat with theguests about their dinner, serve the crew, then start the guests' food. The final six hours of the day area balancing act of serving the guests' dinner, planning meals for the next day, writing shopping lists,ordering supplies, stock control and cleaning. I'd like to say I then get six hours deep sleep, but to behonest you're always on standby on a superyacht."A consummate professional, Göppel has been maintaining this hectic schedule for about five years,having previously worked on C'est la Vie, Opus II and 5 Fishes, before which he trained in restaurantsall over Europe for a decade. Göppel's culinary icons are perhaps the best indication of what you might expect cuisine-wise as acharter guest on board the 62m (203') RoMa. He lists Austrian chef Eckart Witzigmann, who is thefirst German-speaking chef to receive three Michelin stars for his Munich restaurant Aubergine;the two-Michelin starred chef Hans Haas, who also hails from Austria; and the UK's three-Michelinstarred creative phenomenon Heston Blumenthal, who is famed for his experimental cuisine and FatDuck restaurant in Berkshire. Göppel's own style reflects his Bavarian background and the Mediterranean influences he has sincebeen exposed to. While he is not a fan of fusion in the sense of mixing two styles within one dish, he isnot averse to serving his guests an Asian starter followed by a Mediterranean main course. "I would describe it as being a healthy crossover of Mediterranean, Asian, Caribbean andFrench cuisine," he says of his culinary style, which is greatly influenced by his way of life. Travellingso extensively on a superyacht, he has had exceptional opportunities to visit remote corners of theworld and experience first hand the gourmet treats and techniques of many regions."I always read the cookbooks of areas in which I'm travelling, and I visit the local marketsto get inspiration. I also keep in touch with restaurants I've worked for and exchange ideaswith former colleagues. And I love to visit restaurants in the areas in which we cruise. My favouriterestaurant in the world is Auberge Provençale in Cannes, France. It opened in 1860, makingit the oldest restaurant in Cannes, and the service and food are outstanding."Clearly a chef who embraces a challenge, Göppel suggests that as well as dealing with a hectic workschedule, remaining creative and cooking to suit a variety of tastes and requirements, another ever-morecrucial consideration is the need to provide healthy food for his guests. "Cuisine has become much lightersince I first started training. Now the focus is very much more on locally bought, fresh ingredients -ensuring that meals are nutritious as well as delicious is more important than ever."n24Isea&iIWINTER 2012Taste notes with.Peter GöppelChef Peter Göppel describes his typical day on board the 62m (203') RoMa, andoutlines his inspirations for creative cuisine[]charter cuisinePhotography: Jeff Brown