Publication date: 04/23/2025
Pleasure boating: an invitation to the pleasure of sailing
💡 Plaisance: a typically French term that evokes the pleasure of sailing. More than just a nautical activity, “plaisance” embodies a philosophy of life, a call to adventure and freedom.
A boating season is therefore nothing less than a season of pleasures. But what are the essential elements?
- The elusive feeling of travel and freedom that animates every outing.
- The boat, of course: choosing it, buying it and looking after it.
- Practice times, whether for sports or recreation, at sea or on land.
Among these sources of pleasure, the table occupies a special place! Not only for eating, but also for sharing and celebrating the present moment.
But then, can we talk about a ‘lifestyle’ when it comes to boating?
At Port Adhoc, we are convinced of this. That is why we would like to invite you to share a new chapter, where pleasure goes hand in hand with conviviality and culinary traditions.
Cooking and sailing: a way of life to be shared at sea and on land
The art of living is a subject as vast as the ocean. It encompasses a multitude of experiences and pleasures, but there is one place where it takes on its full meaning: the table.
Why did we choose to meet you in the kitchen?
- Because it embodies two essential values of Port Adhoc: sharing and passing on knowledge.
- Because, apart from sailing, nothing is more universal and conducive to creating bonds than the pleasures of the table.
- Because gastronomy is deeply rooted in maritime culture, and tells the story of local ports and traditions.
So we’ve come up with a culinary project that fits in perfectly with the spirit of yachting: Galley Recipes.
Galley Recipes: a culinary journey to the heart of maritime traditions
💡 Cambuse: Derived from the Dutch word kombuis, it refers to the kitchen on a ship. Located between the hold and the deckhouse, it is the place where provisions are stored and where the meals that accompany the voyages are prepared.
Since ancient times, sailors of all civilisations have had to organise themselves to store, prepare and ration their food at sea. But the galley, much more than a simple storage and cooking area, quickly became a central part of life on board, combining tradition, adaptation and culinary ingenuity.
From Antiquity to the great explorations: food under duress
The first sailors, like the Phoenicians and Greeks, transported non-perishable goods: cereals, olives, dried fruit and salted fish. The aim was not gastronomic pleasure, but survival. During the era of the great explorations, voyages became longer, and the question of food preservation became crucial.
Solutions used by sailors:
- Salting and drying fish and meat to prevent putrefaction.
- Ultra-dry sea biscuits that can be eaten after soaking.
- Rum and beer as safer alternatives to water, which is often contaminated.
- Lemon and sauerkraut were gradually introduced to combat scurvy.
The 19th century navy: a better organised lazarette
With the growth of merchant and military navies, the organisation of the galley became more rigorous. Storage areas were created and chefs were appointed to the crews. It was also at this time that recipes evolved to improve sailors’ quality of life.
A few innovations:
- Tin cans (introduced by Nicolas Appert in 1810), allowing for a variety of meals.
- Development of thick soups such as fish chowder.
- Use of spices to improve the taste of simple dishes.
Modern sailing: a friendly and inventive galley
Today, the galley is no longer a simple place of subsistence, but a space for pleasure and sharing. However, even if modern yachting offers more comfort, the spirit of meals at sea remains the same: simplicity, conviviality and authenticity.
Our Galley Recipes are drawn from the memory of the ports of our Port Adhoc group. Each one will take you on a journey of discovery of a region, with authentic recipes adapted to life on board.
What characterises a galley recipe today?
- A simple recipe to prepare
- Because a galley is not the kitchen of a starred restaurant.
- Because the conditions at sea require fast and efficient preparations.
- A frugal recipe for equipment
- It focuses on the essentials, without complex utensils or sophisticated techniques.
- A “pantry” recipe
- Mainly composed of non-perishable ingredients that are easy to store and preserve: tinned foods, pasta, rice, pulses, spices, etc.
Sailing with the flavours of the world
Cooking on board is a real art of adaptation. In the confined space of a galley, each ingredient is carefully chosen for its nutritional value and ease of preservation.
But beyond the practical aspect, cooking at sea is also an invitation to travel. Each port of call is an opportunity to discover new flavours and enrich your culinary repertoire.
With Galley Recipes, we would like to take you on a tour of the world’s cuisines, showcasing the culinary traditions of coastal and maritime regions.
We have designed each recipe as a stopover for the taste buds, a way of prolonging the pleasure of the journey, even once you have docked. These recipes, which highlight typical products from each region, can be reproduced while browsing, but also at home, for a culinary journey from your kitchen.
Port Adhoc: a commitment to an authentic lifestyle
At Port Adhoc, we are committed to offering a leisure boating approach that goes beyond simple navigation. Our ambition is to make our ports true living spaces, where a passion for the sea is combined with the desire to share and pass on knowledge. Our European marinas are gateways to authentic territories that we invite you to discover.
With Galley Recipes, we want to bring the boater community together around a universal pleasure: that of conviviality, at sea as on land.
Our first stop will take us to Port Napoléon, in the heart of the Mediterranean. Get ready to discover a recipe inspired by the flavours of Provence, where red rice from the Camargue and aromatic herbs blend together wonderfully. Join us in a few days’ time to weigh anchor and embark on this gustatory adventure!
