It’s the age-old saying – ‘one team, one dream’, used in all walks of life to describe the importance of teamwork, but I am a strong believer that it is just as relevant in yachting.
During my time at sea, I worked mainly on vessels between 90m and 140m, finishing my career as a Senior Service Stewardess. I met some amazing people along the way, including some world-class chefs who were integral to the guest and owner experience. This is how I learned the importance of ensuring positive collaboration between the interior and galley departments.
What creates the best inter-departmental relationship onboard?
Every department on a vessel works incredibly hard and has its own important responsibility to keep the vessel moving. This said, no ship is able to run smoothly without teamwork and there are inevitably some departments that have to work closer together than others.
When it comes to building a strong galley/interior relationship for service, I believe there are several factors that play into a well-run program.
Mutual respect
Both teams have their own challenges to face both on charter and off, so it is important that there is an understanding of different obstacles. Whilst they might be different obstacles, I think it’s vital that both teams appreciate that everyone is trying to do their best.
Do the galley team know about how many pieces of cutlery and glassware have to be thoroughly polished before a trip? Do the service team understand the intricacies of sourcing the boss’ favourite and hard-to-get-hold of ingredients?
Likewise, chefs should also take onboard suggestions from the interior. On one occasion, we had some last-minute wind come through the anchorage and so we suggested that the chefs remove some garnishing that would likely blow away in seconds, negatively impacting the meticulously planned presentation.
Communication
Communication is also arguably one of the most important factors for a good galley/interior relationship. Without it, the success of a trip can be quickly affected. As the eyes and ears for the chefs, this is where it is the service team’s responsibility to make sure all guest movements and requests are efficiently and thoroughly passed on to the galley team.
For example, let’s say there has been a change in the guest’s schedule, they have decided to come back to the boat from an excursion early. This change can have a big impact on the galley as it can affect meal timings and the guests might be expecting snacks when they return and so on. Likewise, a guest might share a change of preference or a dislike to something that is being served, and it is then important to make sure this has been passed on to the chefs.
Different galley teams will also like this communication to be shared in different ways. I have worked with some who want to know everything, down to the smallest detail, and others who only want to know the most important points. This is where it’s best to have a conversation between departments as to how best work together.
Efficiency
Whether it’s streamlining means of communication or coming up with ways for the interior team to get the food up to guests as quickly as possible, efficiency is key. Some of the best programs I have worked on have had clear plans for service which leads to less stress or opportunities for things to go wrong, better time management and at a surface value, a sleek show for the guests.
Encouraging teamwork
For me, I think the galley/interior relationship can be built in various ways, both on and off the yacht, and this includes but is not limited to:
- Getting away from the boat and into a social environment so that both teams can actually get to know each other. On previous vessels we’ve done crew nights specifically for certain departments, think a deck and bridge team bowling evening or interior/galley dinner. It pushes the team to all talk and build good relationships with people that you might not always see all day, every day.
- Creating clear mission statements as to how the departments should communicate and interact with each other. By leading from the top and instilling professionalism with polite and positive communication, the rest of the team will hopefully follow.
- It may sound obvious but it’s amazing how far a compliment can go, so tell the chefs how good the food looks or how well the interior team ran the service!
- Not all vessels will have the capacity to do this, but if there is a quieter period, why not get the team to buddy up with a member of the other team to see what each department does day-to-day? I’ve also seen entire departments swap where you have the interior cooking for the crew and the galley doing interior duties! By having a better understanding of what the other team is doing, it helps to build mutual respect.
With this said and the Med season coming to a close, use this time to invest in the team and get ready for another great season ahead!
If you need any assistance with galley recruitment or finding your next role, send me an email at jasmin@quaycrew.com.
Photo credit: @yachtieworld and @motoryachtstaysalty on Instagram
