Alain Fabregues onboard The Predator 82 at Rottnest

by Hillary Buckman on 18 May 2006 When you put together the perfect day, a striking Sunseeker, one of the best chefs in the world and location, location, location all in the one outing, it surely is as good as it gets.

Alain Fabregues, owner-chef from the Loose Box restaurant in Perth, Western Australia has been around the restaurant scene for over 42 years. He started cooking as a child of six, helping his grandmother make patés. His family has a tradition of cooking which dates back to Napoleonic days (his great-great grandmother cooked for Napoleon's army). Alain was an apprentice in Bordeaux, and later went on to work with various masters of French cuisine. His education and apprenticeship was under the late Jean Delaveyne, the noted master.

Among many international awards, he has won:
• Meilleur Ouvrier de France 1991
• Mérite Agricole1994
• Mérite National 2004

Alf Barbagallo, managing director of Sunseeker Australia, has had the Predator 82 for his own personal use for just over eight months. There are four cabins which provide accommodation for up to eight guests and the furnishings and interior design is modern and very comfortable. With twin MAN 1550 engines it certainly didn’t take us long to get to Rottnest.

Once we were settled in Thompson Bay, the main anchorage at Rottnest, we sat back and enjoyed the sunshine on the aft deck with a lovely glass of Billecart-Salmon Champagne in hand. The outside dinette was set for eight and we were not kept waiting long before we were taken on a gastronomic voyage to France, sampling some of the finest cuisine in the world.

You can read the full story in the May-June edition of Ocean Magazine.