Experience:

• Galley Design

  • Moonrise, 99m, Feadship – Designed from sketches of empty spaces on the GA, 2017.  Build completed and in Service. Galley Design will be repeated on the 101m under contruction

  • 140m, NDA – Designed from empty spaces, 2 x galleys, plus 3 other outdoor and indoor cooking spaces, 2020.  Launch in 2024

  • 84m, Feadship – Designed from empty spaces on the GA.  Launch in August 2023

  • 140m, NDA - Designed from an empty space on the GA. This was a small galley that needed an efficient design to feed up to 22 guests from a small space

  • 70m, NDA - Designed from an empty space on the GA. Very small space for two chefs and all the equipment needed

• Galley Refits

  • Ecstasea, 86m, Feadship – Complete galley refit in 2014.  Completed.

  • Mogambo, 74m, Nobiskrug – Complete galley refit 2017.  Completed.

  • Arience, 60m, abeking & rasmussen - Complete hotline refit, 2022, completed

Name is Brennan Dates and I’ve been a Head Chef on superyachts for 19 years, working for some of the most dynamic and far-reaching programs in the industry.

In that time, I’ve seen and worked in some incredible galleys as well as some incredible kitchens on land, built with ingenuity and My intelligence. Unfortunately, I have also seen my fair share of cooking spaces that were not even close to being fit for purpose.

What was the one thing that all these badly designed spaces had in common? There were no Chefs involved during the initial drawing phase of the project. Regardless of the size of the yacht, a badly designed galley will impact the owner and guest experience detrimentally as the crew will not be able to provide an efficient service while they’re on board.

Many would argue that all chefs are different and would want different layouts, designs, and appliances, which to some extent is sort of true. we are thankfully all very different, but what we all have in common is the skills and experience to understand how a galley needs to function.  Chefs will be able to provide practical experience and insight when it comes to working in galley conditions and their real-life knowledge is invaluable. Just because we are all different doesn’t mean a chef shouldn’t be involved from the very start of the project. As it stands right now galleys are being built by people that have never worked for one day in a galley.

In my experience over 3 refits and 5 new build projects, the best ideas and solutions all came from collaborations between Chefs, Engineers, chief officers, Designers, Captains, and Shipyards. Listening to industry experts collectively is the only way that a service area can be built to its full potential.

In my opinion, very much like running a successful yacht, teamwork is the single most important aspect of designing a galley.

Brennan DAtes