Lee Barmby
Saint Martin,FWI
Summary
Accomplished Private Chef and Yacht Chef with 20 years of international culinary experience across luxury yachts, restaurants, and private catering. Founder of Lee’s Kitchen SXM, specialising in bespoke dining for villas and events in Saint-Martin. Expertise in menu development, provisioning, and accommodating complex dietary requirements, ensuring exceptional guest experiences and high-quality crew catering.
Overview
2
2
Languages
1
1
Certification
15
15
years of professional experience
Work history
Owner/Private Chef/Lee's Kitchen SXM FWI
Lee's Kitchen SXM
Saint Martin
2025.01 - Current
- Founded and operated private chef service delivering bespoke dining for luxury villas, yachts and private clients across Saint-Martin and the Caribbean. Managed complete guest experience, including personalised menu development, dietary requirements, provisioning, food preparation, service, and kitchen management. Provided services from relaxed family-style dining and crew catering to multi-course private dinners, emphasising fresh ingredients, flexibility, and individual client preferences.
- Managed daily operations, ensuring smooth running of the business.
- Boosted customer satisfaction with consistent quality control measures.
- Conducted regular performance reviews for staff development and progress tracking.
Chef de Partie
Bacchus Restaurant
Saint-Martin
2023.01 - 2025.01
- Joined Bacchus, a leading French restaurant in Saint-Martin, after establishing permanent residency on the island. Returned to full-time brigade environment, leveraging extensive international experience in a professional French kitchen. Delivered high-quality seasonal cuisine, upheld strict food safety and kitchen standards, and collaborated within a busy culinary team.
Relief Yacht Chef
Various Yachts Worldwide 30m - 50m
2021.01 - 2022.12
- Experienced relief chef aboard private and charter motor yachts from 30m–50m, providing temporary, charter, crossing and emergency cover. Responsible for guest and crew catering, menu planning, provisioning, stock control and dietary requirements. Confident stepping into established galleys at short notice and adapting quickly to guest preferences, crew needs and onboard operations.
Owner / Head Chef
The Croque Shop
Brighton UK
2014.01 - 2021.01
- Founded and successfully operated an award-winning hospitality business for seven years, overseeing menu development, kitchen operations, purchasing, stock and cost control. Maintained a 5-star Food Hygiene Rating and 4.7 customer rating, while achieving eight Great Taste Awards and recognition as Best Brunch UK Finalist.
Second Chef
M/Y C2
World Wide Travel
2012.01 - 2014.01
- Worked as Second Chef aboard a 78m world-cruising, fully kosher motor yacht, catering for both guests and crew. Developed strong knowledge of kosher galley practices while working within a highly professional culinary team. Responsible for varied international cuisine, dietary requirements and consistently high standards of guest and crew food.
Education
NVQ Level 4 Catering - NVQ Level 3 Catering, 706/2 Advanced Catering, 706/1 Basic Catering
Plymouth Catering College
Plymouth UK 05/1990 - 05/1994
Skills
- Luxury yacht catering
- Guest & Crew Catering
- Dietary requirements
- Kosher culinary practices
- Menu development
- Food safety
- Stock control
- Charter galley operations
- Pastry, Baking & Desserts
Certification
- STCW95 | STCW Refresher Jun 2022 - Jun 2022
- ENG1 Medical Certificate;
- Seaman's Discharge Book Nov 2025 - Present
- Certificat médical D'aptitude
- Food Safety Certificate Level 2
Languages
English
French
Accomplishments
Finalist – England’s National Chef of the Year – Top 20 of 700 competitors
• Winner – 8 Great Taste Awards
• Deliveroo Awards Finalist – Best Brunch UK
Timeline
Owner/Private Chef/Lee's Kitchen SXM FWI
Lee's Kitchen SXM
2025.01 - Current
Chef de Partie
Bacchus Restaurant
2023.01 - 2025.01
Relief Yacht Chef
Various Yachts Worldwide 30m - 50m
2021.01 - 2022.12
Owner / Head Chef
The Croque Shop
2014.01 - 2021.01
Second Chef
M/Y C2
2012.01 - 2014.01
NVQ Level 4 Catering - NVQ Level 3 Catering, 706/2 Advanced Catering, 706/1 Basic Catering
Plymouth Catering College
05/1990 - 05/1994