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A menu worth waiting for

The first meal of the rest of their lives. To sit at a table that is not moving and enjoy a carefully prepared meal, with cutlery, a china plate, a glass, maybe even a serviette. For the skippers who have just finished their Vendée Globe solo round the world race there may be an element of ritual to their first meal back on land, but mostly it is about the simple pleasures of fresh food and the explosion of almost forgotten flavours and textures.

LES SABLES D’OLONNE, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 08, 2025 : Freelance.com skipper Guirec Soudée (FRA) is photographed having a meal with his family after taking 23rd place in the Vendee Globe, on February 08, 2025 in Les Sables d'Olonne, France - (Photo by Olivier Blanchet / Alea)
LES SABLES D'OLONNE, FRANCE - 08 FEVRIER 2025 : Le skipper de Freelance.com Guirec Soudée (FRA) est photographié en train de manger son repas avec sa famille après avoir pris la 23e place du Vendée Globe, le 08 février 2025 aux Sables d'Olonne, France - (Photo by Olivier Blanchet / Alea)

There may be three skippers still at sea, Manuel Cousin, Fabrice Amedeo and Denis Van Weynbergh all still eating from their restricted menu 30 others have completed their 2024 Vendée Globe. They have all enjoyed their passage up the channel, embraced their loved ones and savoured the joy of having successfully completed a solo round the world race, non-stop, without assistance. They popped champagne, answered the press and were able to celebrate with the crowd from the podium located about ten metres from the pontoon. But it is only after those fixed protocols that the Vendée Globe finishers can finally enjoy a bit of peace and privacy. In a room located near where the press conferences are held, everyone can enjoy a carefully prepared meal of their choice. Indeed in the final days leading up to their finish each sailor decides on their fantasy menu which is prepared by a local restaurant.

LES SABLES D'OLONNE, FRANCE - JANUARY 24, 2025 : Biotherm skipper Paul Meilhat (FRA) is eating his first meal with his family after taking 5th place in the Vendee Globe, on January 24, 2025 in Les Sables d'Olonne, France - (Photo by Anne Beauge / Alea)
LES SABLES D'OLONNE, FRANCE - JANUARY 24, 2025 : Biotherm skipper Paul Meilhat (FRA) is eating his first meal with his family after taking 5th place in the Vendee Globe, on January 24, 2025 in Les Sables d'Olonne, France - (Photo by Anne Beauge / Alea)

Meat and greet….

The most popular choice is the entrecôte steak and fries. Among those who have already finished  nine of them went for steak. For Sébastien Simon, Jérémie Beyou, Giancarlo Pedote, Guirec Soudée and Antoine Cornic their steak was served with their desired fries. Benjamin Ferré wanted sautéed potatoes and green beans as a side dish, Éric Bellion wanted "crudités carrots" and Jean Le Cam specified that he wanted a Roquefort sauce.

Burgers were popular: with fries and green salad for the winner Charlie Dalin. That was the meal that was also chosen by Paul Meilhat, Justine Mettraux and Tanguy Le Turquais. Overall, many of them chose a meat dish. Benjamin Dutreux and Romain Attanasio opted for a rib of beef, Yannick Bestaven for a "steak frites" and Sébastien Marsset for a "pink duck breast". Yoann Richomme chose a chicken curry with rice.

There were also all those who preferred a seafood-based meal. Nico Lunven was able to enjoy scallops with a leek fondue, Thomas Ruyant wanted a fish poke bowl and Sam Goodchild, as a good Brit, had fish and chips. Sam Davies ordered fresh fish, Alan Roura ordered skate wing with capers, Isabelle Joschke ordered fish tartare with mango and Louis Duc ordered langoustines. There were also a few skippers who preferred a vegetarian meal. Clarisse Crémer ordered a goat cheese pizza, Conrad Colman ordered vegetarian lasagne and Violette Dorange ordered ravioli stuffed with “ricotta and basil”. 

Happiness is fruit shaped

For dessert, fresh fruit was popular and that is certainly understandable since the sailors hadn't bitten into a fruit for several weeks. So there were fruit salads on the table of fourteen skippers! Others wanted to rediscover the taste of chocolate by choosing a mousse (Jérémie Beyou, Yannick Bestaven, Benjamin Ferré) or a coulant (Nicolas Lunven). Sébastien Simon preferred a tiramisu, Jean Le Cam a red fruit panna cotta and Sébastien Marsset a lemon meringue tart. The Italian Giancarlo Pedote wanted a Breton recipe by asking for a Kouign-amann.

So for sure the skippers rediscovered certain flavours, ones that they had missed throughout the race. Sébastien Simon had explained that some of his food bags had been rendered unusable due to a diesel leak, Guirec Soudée had no more breakfast foods during the last two weeks of the race. 

But under the circumstances there is not always time to savour the first meal, Sam Davies smiled “I’ve been asked for three weeks: ‘what do you want to eat at the finish, what do you want?’ You dream of this little moment with your loved ones where you can take your time in the warmth, savour it in peace. They take you to the dining room and when the meal arrives I knew that five minutes later they would tell me that I had to leave. I had barely taken a bite when they told me: ‘that’s it, you have to go to the press conference! The room is laughing, the sailor too. 

RACE, NOVEMBER 16, 2024 : Photo sent from the boat La Mie Caline during the Vendee Globe sailing race on November 16, 2024. (Photo by skipper Arnaud Boissières)
RACE, NOVEMBER 16, 2024 : Photo sent from the boat La Mie Caline during the Vendee Globe sailing race on November 16, 2024. (Photo by skipper Arnaud Boissières)

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