Discover Culinary Excellence
About me
A career and service-focused culinary professional, I have been fortunate to have worked across a variety of different yacht programs and in many different parts of the world. Being an active leader of the galley, I continue to welcome the challenges that the industry has to offer, I am a firm believer in making sure the crew are happy and well fed. A large percentage of my freelance positions are from my captains wanting me back as they know I fit right in to their crew dynamics with ease.
I have demonstrated outstanding longevity throughout my career and this is something I definitely pride myself on.
I enjoy working hard to exceed the expectations of owners and charter guests and have an excellent ability to listen and communicate effectively, to understand and cater to individual needs and desires, dietary constraints and food intolerances. Equally important, my positive attitude and communication skills with fellow crew have contributed to success in delivering the best possible food and beverage service and guest experience.
BREAKFAST:
Juice of the day: Papaya, orange, lime
Shot of the day: Pineapple, mint, ginger
Smoothie of the day: Pink dragon fruit, banana, yoghurt, almond milk
Selection of fresh breads, pastries
Muffin of the day: Blueberry and lemon cream cheese
Fruit platter and berry bowls
Overnight oats with chia, date, apple topped with maple syrup and toasted nuts
Cooked breakfast menu to order
Daily special: Rosti potato with smoked salmon, spinach, egg and hollandaise or Lobster, spinach and bearnaise sauce
LUNCH:
Seafood ceviche with samphire and horseradish snow
Langoustine and baby artichoke salad with dill beurre blanc sauce
Pea and mint falafels with heirloom beetroot salad, lemon herb yoghurt sauce
Seabass with antiboise sauce and candied aubergine
Assiette of carrot salad with ginger labneh and sunflower seed crunch
Squid ink risotto with chilli crack calamari and salsa Verdi
Cubes of wagyu with citrus basil sauce and pickled cucumber salad
Grilled asparagus, spinach salad with confit egg yolk and toasted nuts
Tonka parfait with hazelnut gianduja and raspberry sorbet
DINNER:
Canapes:
Truffled pain perdu with bacon jam and pecorino
Popcorn cone with salmon ceviche and avocado salsa
Cruditie garden with olive soil, artichoke and anchoiade dips
Langoustine tartare with cultured cream, frozen citrus
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Confit of duck beignets with spiced plums, ginger sauce
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Pan fried turbot, charred cabbage, hazelnuts, iberico ham, sherry wine sauce
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Chocolate marquise cream, chocolate crunch, clementines and orange gel
References
References
Susan Elliott was the Head Chef on board the Motor Yacht NAHLIN from February 2010 until September 2020Sue joined NAHLIN in Hamburg Germany at the end of a long and protracted restoration and rebuild. From her very first day on deck Sue applied herself to the job at hand, namely getting a 9 5 - meter classic yacht out of the yard and into service. Setting up the Galley and training the Galley crew was a big task, I doubt that anyone could have done a better job than Sue. From the off her work ethic and commitment came to the fore and she was an inspiration to the long-standing crew members. It did not take long for Sue and I to form a strong working relationship and for me to rely on her in every respect. After a challenging delivery passage to the Mediterranean and extensive shake down cruise with owner and family it was clear we had struck gold with Sue. The owner, his family and friends were effusive about Sue's cooking, her high standards and passion were clear to all. For me, having someone I could rely on so completely enabled me to concentrate on other areas. Sue set the bar high, some failed to attain the standards expected but the end result was a fantastically well organised and operated Galley. During Sue's time on board, NAHLIN has cruised extensively in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, West Coast of Scotland, Norway, New Zealand, Polynesia and Tonga, including with two trans-Pacific passages. Sue's constitution was occasionally challenged but never found wanting, even in the roughest of seas. As well as being a fantastic Chef Sue was also a highly valued crew member, caring and motivating her less
experienced crew mates and the older ones too! Every crew member's birthday was celebrated with an amazing cake created by Sue, she worked tirelessly on every front. In this very brief summary it can be seen that I rate Sue very highly, during my time at sea I have been lucky to work with some amazing individuals, Sue is at the top of my list.
Steve Hammond
Sue joined GRACE in Nice for the second half of the busy summer season, cruising with the owner and their guests throughout the Amalfi and Cote d’ Azur regions, and capped off the season with a very successful charter of 10 American guests (fine-dining aficionados) with a gourmet food tour of Corsica. Arriving onboard with an extremely high recommendations from industry colleagues, Sue impressed me greatly the way she set about her detailed assessment, preparation and cleaning of her new galley and cold/dry stores to work with. With a few days to prepare for the upcoming cruise, not only did she manage the catering for crew (the crew chef was on leave), she was incredibly self-motivated to also source her own guest provisions (as much as possible, rather than using a provisioner). Throughout the cruising period, Sue’s menu planning for the owner and the charter guest was exceptional, well thought out, constantly liaising with the guests, and thus their dining experience was one of great enjoyment. With her vast yacht and restaurant experience and knowledge to share, Sue also took the time to help educate and train the relatively new and ambitious crew chef on catering planning techniques (considering crew with dietary needs) and fine dining menu creations, with the culinary skills that are required. Although working in a seasonal capacity, where she saw ways to improve the overall service, Sue encouraged those to explore better ways to perform at a higher level. All the crew got along very well with Sue, appreciated her hard work and passion.
Sue Elliott joined Nympheas in December 2023, initially on a consultancy basis for the galley. In April 2024, she transitioned to a full-time role as Rotational Head Chef. Her initial brief was extensive and critical to the project’s success. She collaborated closely with the Captain, crew, Owner’s team, project managers, designers, and the build yard to plan and implement additions and upgrades to the galley. This included designing workflow, organizing storage solutions, and sourcing and procuring all galley equipment—ensuring the setup met the Owner’s strict kosher requirements, which were not intended for charter use.
Sue also took the lead in recruiting and securing approval for her rotational partner and their Sous Chefs. This required thoughtful research, interviews, and careful coordination with the Captain, Owner’s team, and ultimately, the Owners themselves. Following the yacht's maiden voyage, the Owner made the decision not to charter the vessel, which significantly changed the brief and overall ethos of the operation.
Throughout, Sue has demonstrated exceptional dedication to her role. She invested long hours onboard and continued developing operational procedures even while on leave. Her commitment to excellence and high standards have left a lasting impact on the yacht’s culinary program. I initially brought Sue onto Nympheas from a previous vessel we had both worked on, confident she was the right person for this pivotal role. She brought me much-needed peace of mind during a particularly demanding and critical stage of the build.
I will miss working with her greatly and she will be the first person I call when I take on another command.
Until then, I wish her every success.
Dùghall macLachlainn
Master: MY Nympheas
