Simon is a professional yacht captain and dive master with a great passion for working and living on the water. Born in England, his keenness for the outdoors started young with a thirst for adventure leading to many destinations around the world. Being a Class V White Water Rafting Guide in New Zealand and riding his motorcycle from Canada to Argentina are just some of these experiences that have moulded him into a person who can thrive In a wide range of scenarios and environments. When it comes to yachting, his goal is to provide guests with an experience of a lifetime. He considers himself a very meticulous person with a keen interest in engineering and enjoy the problem solving that comes with being a captain. When he is not on the boat, he enjoys keeping fit and active, with surfing, kite surfing and mountain biking being three of his favourite hobbies.

Maya grew up in the Washington, D.C. suburbs, spending time between her parents’ home countries of Japan and Canada. A lifelong lover of the water, she spent her youth body surfing in California and sailing the lakes of Ontario. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in Japanese, Spanish, and biology, she decided to fully pursue her culinary passion. Her food journey began with six months of organic farming (WWOOF-ing) in Spain and Portugal, followed by a move to Baltimore, where she immersed herself in the urban farming scene while working at an award-winning French bistro and a natural wine and sake bar.

In 2020, Maya moved to Japan to intern at a Michelin two-star restaurant and work in a traditional noodle shop. She is a graduate of Ireland’s renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School and the Ashburton Yacht Chef Academy. Having traveled to over 40 countries, her culinary expertise is broad and eclectic. Maya has been working as a yacht chef in the Virgin Islands for over five years now. She loves using the off-season to learn new skills—whether that’s staging at top restaurants back in the D.C. area, studying ancient wine roots in Georgia, working a low-intervention wine harvest in Slovenia, or taking cooking classes in Thailand, where she also certified as a PADI Dive Instructor.

Deeply committed to sustainability, Maya thrives on sourcing high-quality, seasonal ingredients and forging strong relationships with local producers. She specializes in foraging, fermentation, sourdough baking, pickling, and preparing fresh catch straight off the boat. Maya’s relentless pursuit of gastronomic knowledge, combined with her ability to seamlessly tailor menus to guest preferences and dietary needs, ensures your group is always well looked after with great food and a memorable time around the table.

Elise’s culinary journey began cooking alongside her family, using ingredients from her father’s garden for fresh pasta sauce, with friends gathered to roll homemade pasta and share meals as the sun set. Her devotion to food blossomed early — by 14 she had started a baking business specializing in elaborate fondant cakes. While studying anthropology and philosophy at Bowdoin College in Maine, she sold homemade hummus, cooked weekly meals for friends, and began working as a yacht chef in the Caribbean during summers and school breaks. After graduating, she received a scholarship for a culinary course in Virginia, taught by Swiss Master Chef Rolf Strub under the direction of Chef Antwon Brinson.

Nearly a decade in the yachting industry has shaped Elise into the chef and mariner she is today, now entering her seventh year as a charter yacht chef. Her culinary interests are further informed by extensive world travels, including a 9-month stay in India, a month in Nepal, and multiple stays in Europe and Central America. Her cuisine is strongly influenced by Asian, French, and Central American methods, ingredients, and philosophies of food. She believes a meal should be both a social event and an experience that titillates all of the senses. Her food is flavorful, colorful, and crafted from the freshest ingredients. She prides herself on making her own bread, pastries, sauces, and fermented goods to enhance and elevate every meal — work that earned her Best Entrée at the 2024 Charter Yacht Society Yacht Show Culinary Competition in the BVI. She is a certified NASM Nutrition Coach, able to craft menus that nourish as thoughtfully as they delight. She wakes up well before sunrise and uses time as her specialty ingredient — allowing her bread to rise, sauces to marinate, and flavors to infuse. Your meals on board will both excite you and nourish you. Elise’s dishes are exquisite; some of them can be found on her Instagram page, @galley_of_Elise.

Additionally, Elise is as comfortable at the helm as in the galley: she holds a 200gt Master of Yachts Unlimited ticket, which includes celestial navigation — please ask her about constellations!

Shelley was born and raised in sunny California. She fell in love with the ocean at a young age and would often sail to Catalina island with her family. After studying graphic design in college she started working on a private yacht in Mexico. Exploring all around Baja California deepened her desire to travel and she has been doing so across different boats for the last 8 years. She enjoys yoga, freediving, mixology and any board sport. Shelley excels in curating unique experiences for every occasion. From theme parties with specialty cocktails, to wine paring one of our chef’s phenomenal dinners- she will be sure to make your trip unforgettable.

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