After all the stories about our staff's adventures on the Sailing Chef last July, I am sure you are excited to get to know them better. Therefore, each part of this series will introduce one of our staff members.
Today, it is Caner's turn!
Caner Özçelik is the one and only chef on board the Sailing Chef. As you might have seen, he makes the most tasteful and beautiful breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. Besides, he is the 'host' of the boat and he will make sure your holiday will be unforgettable!
The things he does in the kitchen are amazing; he turns freshly caught fish into anything, let's you discover new food-combinations and, of course, he takes into account your food preferences and allergies.
Hi Caner! Where were you born?
I was born and raised in a small village near the city of Datça. This village is called; "Cumali". I lived here together with my parents.
How did you get into the world of sailing?
I have been working on different gulets since 1997. For a long time, I was part of the crew, until I started working as a chef. I wanted to combine my love for food and sailing and to do that, I served my food to the guests on the boats.
What does your family look like?
I am married and I have one daughter. My parents still live near the town where I grew up, which is not too far from Datça. So I see them regularly.
What do you like most about sailing?
I love the feeling of freedom when I am on the boat. We can go wherever we want and that gives me a great feeling. Besides, the silence of the sea, especially at night, makes me calm. Lastly, the fact that my work is a combination of the two things in life that I love to do, satisfies me. And it is even better when I see that other people are enjoying this as well.
What is your favorite thing to cook?
To be honest, I just love cooking. It does not matter what I'm making, whether it's meat, vegetarian or fish, breakfast, lunch or diner. I really love to be in the kitchen.
And if you really had to choose?
Hmmm... I think I would say fish, but only because there are lots of different kinds of fish and they all taste differently. This makes it very surprising and fun to prepare!
When and where did you learn how to cook?
I learned to cook about 17 years ago, in 2003. I was on a boat with someone with years of experience in cooking. After this, I taught myself a few things and made it my hobby and work.
Hopefully, you have learned some more about Caner!!
Stay tuned for the next part in this series in which we introduce another member of our team.
The Sailing Chef Team