Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Dvornik.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My name is Grace Dvornik and I was born and raised in Clearwater Beach, Florida. I am a freelance personal chef and work on privately owned superyachts, private estates, and luxury ranches & villas. I started sailing right out of college after spontaneously applying for a job on a gaff-rigged schooner as a deckhand/prep cook.
What was supposed to be a 3-month summer job ended up paving the way for my long-term career. I did 3 seasons as a deckhand/mate and noticed I was spending a lot of time in the galley watching and helping the chefs.
I had always had an interest in and love for cooking and I thought that becoming a yacht chef would allow me to have a long-term career in the industry. My passion for cooking paired with my sailing experience was what lead to my first job as a yacht chef.
Since my first yacht chef job, I have had the privilege to work on yachts ranging from 64-250ft throughout Florida, New England, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. I have also worked on privately owned islands in the Bahamas, luxury villas in St. Barths, private estates in Florida, Idaho, Nantucket, and New York, as well as several cattle ranches in Wyoming. I have had the privilege to work for Middle Eastern royalty, former U.S. politicians, innovators in technology, and owners of professional sports teams.
In addition to working as a personal chef for high-net-worth clientele on their yachts and estates, I have also recently become certified as a corporate flight attendant so I can offer my chef service on private jets.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being a personal chef presents unique challenges such as last-minute requests, language barriers when grocery shopping in other countries, 18-hour work days, accommodating dietary restrictions, etc. As a yacht chef, one of the biggest challenges is trying to cook in rough weather which causes the boat (and galley) to rock back and forth!
I’ve also had some unusual meal requests, including a Middle Eastern prince requesting that I butcher a whole sheep onboard a yacht and serve it for dinner.
These challenges are always the biggest learning experiences. As a chef, there is always room to grow and expand your skillset. I feel that the learning never stops in the culinary world and have a passion to continue enhancing my knowledge of world cuisines.As a result, I have attended chef schools in England and Toronto and have taken cultural tea service, mixology, and bartending courses via The Yacht Stew Academy. I have also taken macaron and cake decorating classes at local bakery Wandering Whisk Bakeshop (located in Pinellas Park).
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I feel what sets me apart is my personality and passion for caring for others through cooking and serving food. I refer to my culinary style as “upscale, down-home cooking” and try to tell a story through the food I prepare, whether it’s recreating a client’s favorite meal, using the best local produce, or sourcing high-quality items from small businesses. My galley/kitchen is always filled with good music and I love sharing stories with clients, guests, and crew.
I would say that I am most known for my key lime pie. It’s my personal favorite dessert and always a hit with my guests. No matter where in the world I am cooking, my key lime pie brings a little bit of Florida sunshine to the meal!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My grandparents played a big role in my love for cooking. I made my first dish (a scrambled egg sandwich) at two years old and have such fond childhood memories of spending time with them in the kitchen. They have greatly influences my cooking style over the years and I enjoy testing out new recipes for them in-between work contracts.
I attribute my interest in becoming a chef to the head chefs on my first two sailing boats. I spent time in their galleys observing cooking methods, asking questions, and helping when I could. These two fantastic chefs laid the groundwork for my career and still serve as inspiration to me.
I’m also privileged to have a wonderful support system in the culinary field including fellow yacht chefs, friends from culinary school, and my chef school instructors.
Contact Info:
Grace is currently accepting new clients in Tampa Bay and beyond! If you are interested in hiring Chef Grace as a personal chef, private bartender, or corporate flight attendant, please contact her through her website.
- Website: www.gracedvornik.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gracedvornik/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@chefgracedvornik
