Food accounts for about 75 percent of charter guests’ enjoyment aboard. Perhaps that is a slight exaggeration, but it’s in the ballpark. Patrick Cowley, captain of the 207-foot (63-meter) Feadship Lady Britt, has hosted more than 150 charters, and he concurs.

“Many of our clients have been back more than once,” Cowley says. “One couple chartered us a dozen times. Over those years, they built their own 55-meter yacht, but still came back for one last charter after its launch. With repeat guests, we cannot rest on our laurels, so it’s essential we keep upping our game.”

A sizable part of that game is played by chef Mateusz Mitka, who describes himself as a big man with a massive heart. He offers an array of culinary options, not just during breakfast, lunch and dinner, but also on a 24-hour à la carte menu that includes 54 flavors of house-made ice cream and sorbet. What kid wouldn’t want to try peanut butter and jelly ripple? Over-21 clubbers might skip the martini and enjoy a cold confection of Hendrick’s gin and cucumber sorbet.

To add to the culinary fun, Lady Britt-branded pizza boxes and popcorn containers for onboard movie nights. When guests depart the yacht, they are presented with a gourmet care package, either to supplement a day excursion or for the plane ride home.

The chef, who is 34, says he never had a moment’s doubt as to what he wanted to be when he grew up. Many of his relatives are professional chefs, including his mother, who is head chef at a classic restaurant in his hometown of Kraków, Poland. He was the middle child among six siblings and says the kitchen was central to family life.

“I began cooking with my grandmother when I was 6 years old,” he says. “When my mother and father went to work, I was often in charge of cooking for my younger sisters.”

He attended a culinary college as a teenager. At 17, he left home to learn international cooking techniques. His first stop was Crete. At 18, he headed to the Midlands in the United Kingdom to gain hands-on restaurant experience.

“The other important learning experience for me in England was learning to drive,” he says, adding that he acquired a new passion: motorbikes.

He worked his way up the professional food chain at restaurants in the U.K., including the elegant Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate and at the Farnborough air show while working at the Aviator Hotel. He went on to work as chef at several other Michelin restaurants in Europe.

His yacht experience began just a few years ago. He has been aboard Lady Britt since summer 2021 and works in the galley with a sous chef.

“She is the most beautiful boat in the world,” he says, adding that he prefers to plate every dish with precision. “First impressions are very important. Food has to taste amazing, but it should also look good. I find a slab of steak and a pile of salad are simply not appealing. Nor do I enjoy standing in a queue for a buffet loaded with mounds of food.”

His eye for detail has paid off. At the 2024 Yacht Club de Monaco Superyacht Chef Competition, Mitka took home the bronze award—with the support of the Lady Britt crew.

“Well-orchestrated crew teamwork is our trademark,” Cowley says. “We have crew exercises whereby the crew experience what the charter guests experience. For instance, we ensure the crew test out all the water toys.”

Mitka adds: “I try out practice guest menus with the crew as tasters.”

It’s a lot of tasting to get through 54 flavors of ice cream and sorbet. What fun.

Q&A With Chef Mateusz Mitka

What are some of your must-haves in the galley?

Oregano, pineapple mint and a Bluetooth speaker.

What music do you listen to while cooking?

Could be classical or opera, but just as easily it could be American pop, depending on my mood.

What time are you in the galley in the morning?

I am there at 5 a.m. making morning croissants and two or three different breads to be used throughout the day. The smell of fresh bread baking reminds me of my grandmother.

Speaking of your grandmother, what are some of your favorite Polish dishes?

Frankly, all my culinary training has been abroad and through internships in different countries. I would probably struggle to come up with a traditional Polish meal. Also, I do not care to follow trends of foods established a hundred years ago.

Is it difficult to cook for all the different dietary requests that come with charter guests?

I had an internship at De Nieuwe Winkel in the Netherlands, a vegan restaurant renowned for botanical gastronomy. Their vegan blue cheese is phenomenal. I find it fun to invent new ways to make standard dishes. Plus, “Uncle Google” knows all.

What other loves do you have besides food and motorbikes?

My 6-year-old daughter, Melanie, and I like to explore restaurants in port together.

In your downtime, what do you do to unwind?

I like to read nonfiction. I especially like history and books about World War II, everything from engineering to weapons.

If you were not a chef, what would you be?

I believe I could easily become a mechanic of two-stroke dirt bike engines. 

This article was originally published in the Fall 2024 issue.