Same yacht, same day. Breakfast for four on the aft deck at 08:00. Lunch buffet for ten in the beach club at 13:30. Canapés for fifteen at 19:00 on the sun deck in a 15-knot breeze. Formal dinner for eight in the dining saloon at 20:30. Four setups, one interior team, one pantry.
Setups by meal
| Meal | Typical cover | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Side plate, side knife, cereal/dessert spoon, main fork and knife, cup and saucer with teaspoon, water and juice glass | Preserves, butter, condiments, cereals and pastries laid or offered; coffee and tea to order |
| Lunch (casual) | Placemat, main cutlery, water glass, wine glass if taken, napkin | Often family or buffet style; lighter linen, faster pace |
| Dinner (formal) | Show plate, cutlery by course, two or more glasses, dinner napkin, centrepiece, menu card | Full mise en place; slower, plated or silver |
| Canapé / cocktail | No cover — cocktail napkins, small plates, tray-passed bites and drinks | Standing service; bins and clearing points hidden but close |
| Afternoon tea | Side plate, pastry fork, cup and saucer, teaspoon | Stand or tiered service; often on deck |
| Buffet | Cover at the table; food laid on a separate station | Guests collect; you clear, pour and replenish |
Formal, casual and alfresco compared
| Formal (saloon) | Casual (interior/deck) | Alfresco / beach | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linen | Full cloth + slip | Placemats | Wipeable mats, weighted |
| Glass | Crystal, several per cover | Two per cover | Short-stem or unbreakable |
| Cutlery | Full course-by-course | Main setting only | Minimal, laid at the last moment |
| Centrepiece | Low florals, lanterns | Small, simple | Weighted or none |
| Service style | Plated / silver | Plated / family | Buffet / family |
Outdoor service and wind
Wind is the enemy of every outdoor setup.
- Lay as late as possible. A table laid an hour early is a table you will re-lay.
- Weight everything: napkin rings or clips, weighted menu holders, heavy cruets, non-slip under every item.
- Nothing lightweight left free — paper, cocktail napkins and menu cards go under something or in a holder.
- Cover food until the moment it is eaten: cloches, mesh domes, lidded chafers. Insects, spray and sun all reach an open plate.
- Sun turns a buffet into a food-safety problem fast — shade it, ice it, and cut its time out.
- Watch the wake of passing traffic: a superyacht wash arrives without warning and clears a table.
Onboard Notes
- Beach setups start with a logistics plan: what goes ashore, in what, how it stays cold, how you wash up, and how it comes back. Nothing is left on a beach.
- Always take a spare of the fragile things — the tender ride breaks glassware.
- Ask before you strike an outdoor table. Guests often return to it.
- Reset every space the moment guests leave it. The next request usually arrives before you have finished.