Hub - FROM GALLEY TO GRANNY

FROM GALLEY TO GRANNY – What Comes After Yachting?

St. Tropez, July 30, 2024 – After four decades navigating the high seas and catering to the whims of the super-rich, seasoned yacht chef Claire Dubois is contemplating hanging up her apron and retiring her paring knife.

At 78, Claire finds the physical toll of the job increasingly demanding. “I’ve flambéed more lobster than I can count, but my knees and back are starting to give up the ghost,” she jokes with a sardonic smile.

Claire’s illustrious career, marked by exotic locales and impeccable dishes, is coming to an end. The relentless pace has her contemplating a life ashore, but not without some peculiar habits. “I’ll miss strutting down the passerelle, so I’m having one installed in my house back home,” she says with a smirk. “Because why should the exit from my living room be any less grand?”

Retirement isn’t exactly smooth sailing. Without a formal pension plan, Claire faces an uncertain future. “Retirement for yacht crew is like Bigfoot,” she deadpans. “Everyone talks about it, but no one’s actually seen it.”

Claire plans to keep her radio by her side, even in the afterlife. “I might be six feet under, but I’ll still be tuning into maritime chatter,” she jokes. At home, she’ll stick to her old habits: labeling every box and item, sleeping with a safety evacuation plan taped to the wall above her bed, and keeping a life vest in her wardrobe. “Old habits die hard,” she says with a shrug.

Even in retirement, Claire’s quirks will persist. She’ll buy large quantities of groceries as if she’s feeding a crew, and she’ll call her husband “Captain” in their domestic haven. If her tumble dryer breaks, you can bet she’ll shout for an “Engineer,” expecting an immediate fix.

As Claire’s final voyage draws near, she remains humorously fatalistic. “Life after yachting might be different, but I’ve survived worse. Maybe I’ll finally get to write my tell-all book: ‘Boiling Point: Memoirs of a Yacht Chef.’”