The shipboard chef says one major problem that he frequently encounters is rough seas

Philip Garcia, a native of Newport, R.I., and now a resident of Westerly, has served as the cook for 11 years aboard the F/V Mariette, a clam boat that fishes in the shoals south of Nantucket for most of the year.Garcia also serves as the New Bedford-based fishing boat's first mate and engineer. His father, Azores native Joe Garcia, now 70, is a longtime cook and captain who has worked in New Bedford's fishing industry for decades.Another seagoing cook, longtime fisherman Tom Wicherski, works in the spacious and well-equipped kitchen aboard the scalloper F/V Alaska.Garcia got the job as cook on the Mariette when his predecessor decided to throw in the kitchen towel after admitting that cooking was not his forte.

Garcia, on the other hand, knows his way around the galley and likes to cook. He enjoys preparing a variety of curries and satisfying entrees such as pasta carbonara, spaghetti with homemade red clam sauce, paella, boiled dinners and beef Wellington, which he creates by wrapping a beef tenderloin with pastry made from rolled-out canned biscuits."I have some dishes that I really wow them with," Garcia says of his hungry crewmates. "I make a mean French onion soup."While lunches are usually quick pick-ups such as Hot Pockets or pizza slices, Garcia prepares hearty breakfasts that might include an omelet stuffed with smoked turkey, blue cheese and blackberries.Garcia admits that he's not a baker, but he keeps the freezer well-stocked with ice cream.The shipboard chef says one major problem that he frequently encounters is rough seas. Racks attached to the top of the stove keep pots and pans in place and prevent food from spilling to the deck if the boat encounters a wave or is steaming in stormy weather.

"I've had my share of accidents," he quips, noting that once a meatloaf that was cooling on the counter went sliding off onto the floor when a sea tipped the boat."I've also had some stinkers things that I just wouldn't serve," Garcia admits, adding that when a kitchen disaster occurs, he has to think quickly to see what he can whip up from what's in the fridge.
Garcia says planning meals and having adequate supplies on hand can sometimes be difficult, especially when the demand for clams requires the Mariette to make a quick turnaround and head back to sea.