I was a private chef for the ultra rich on superyachts. These are ALL the diet tips I learned - and the simple steps you can take to eat like the wealthy

I am a researcher at King’s College London and a registered dietitian, but here’s something that may surprise you – my first career was as a private chef, cooking for the ultra-wealthy on superyachts.

These yachts would sail around the Mediterranean from St Tropez in France to Portofino in Italy and then, during the winter months, chase the sun across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean islands.

No expense was spared – meals of lobsters or wagyu beef would be garnished with generous shavings of £200 truffles and served with expensive wine.

My role was to prepare meals for the family, their guests and yacht crew, all with varying tastes and dietary preferences.

Nowadays – although I spend my time between planning scientific studies, analysing data and communicating the latest research – I still go back to what I learnt on board as a chef, the realities and practicalities of putting advice about healthy eating into action.

We all have our own barriers to healthy eating – the key is to identify what makes it harder for you. The good news is, making small, consistent changes over time is what counts.

Here’s what I learned from my time on board...

Time and again guests would come on to the yacht intent on sticking to the most ‘perfect’ diet, but they were setting themselves up for failure.

While they might pick at salads for days, inevitably they would break and gorge on something like ice cream, only to repeat that same cycle.

It’s no surprise – we know from science that this isn’t unique to yacht guests!

A 2012 study published in the journal Appetite revealed that specifically restricting foods such as chocolate leads to stronger cravings and makes them much harder to resist.

In fact, women deprived of chocolate ended up eating nearly double the amount when they were allowed to have it again, according to one 2005 study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Instead of cutting out your favourite foods and sweet treats, try combining them with a healthier option, such as nuts or a piece of fruit.

On board, I would serve ice cream but with toppings like chopped tropical fruit, berries, toasted nuts and 85 per cent dark chocolate. You’ll feel more satisfied and likely end up eating less of it overall, too.

As a chef I was constantly on the go cooking for others and, oh the irony, I often didn’t sit down and have a proper meal myself. Then, by mid-afternoon I’d end up in the snack cupboard (which was usually well stocked by the steward with crisps, biscuits and sweets).

The best option is to always try and take a seat as well as to eat a full, balanced meal at regular mealtimes.

But snacking isn’t a problem if you’re choosing a healthier option and there’s no merit in denying yourself a balanced snack if you just end up making less healthy choices later because you’re hungry.

Research that I co-authored, published in 2023 in the European Journal of Nutrition, found that it isn’t snacking itself that’s the problem, but how healthy the snack is that matters.

Set yourself up for success: have mixed nuts and seeds at hand (if you’re away from home, take some with you in a small zip-lock bag), and keep fresh fruit in sight on the kitchen counter.

Also make sure to stock up the fridge with hummus and veggie-based dips, which will stave off hunger and give you longer lasting energy.

Guests would often arrive with these never-ending lists of foods that they ‘could not’ eat – but only a small handful actually had genuine allergies or intolerances.

Despite my best efforts, these restrictions often led to pretty dull and uninspiring meals.

Healthy eating should not feel like deprivation or punishment – the better it tastes, the more likely you are to eat it.

Think of packing your plate with variety, lots of different flavours and textures.

You could add fresh herbs, toasted nuts or seeds, creamy avocado and crumbly feta.

A good dressing can transform a boring salad or plain roasted veggies into something more exciting and delicious too.

You don’t have to buy one either, all you need to remember is a balance of three parts oil (such as extra virgin olive oil) to one part acid (lemon juice or balsamic vinegar, for instance) with some flavourings, mustard or some spices, a teaspoon of honey, and half a clove of crushed garlic, with plenty of seasoning.

There are also extra health benefits, with the fat in the oil of salad dressings helping to make nutrients easier for your body to absorb.

A 2017 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that adding up to two tablespoons of oil to salad dressings boosted the absorption of vitamins A, E, K, and carotenoids (potent antioxidants) such as beta-carotene and lycopene.

Lots of yacht guests would skip breakfast to cut their calories – and even some scientists argue that skipping breakfast is better for weight loss, although the science is inconclusive on that.

What we do know, from multiple surveys across the UK, US, Australia and Mexico, is that by missing a key eating event those who skip breakfast eat less fibre and key micronutrients.

Calcium and iron levels were much lower than in those who do eat breakfast, as highlighted in a 2018 review published in Nutrients. This is especially important as around 93 per cent of people in the UK aren’t eating enough fibre, with multiple knock-on effects on their health.

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Fibre supports your gut microbiome, the community of microbes that live in your gut, and it supports heart health by, for example, lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and improves blood sugar control.

So my advice is to focus on a balanced breakfast, rich in protein and fibre, such as eggs on wholegrain seeded toast, or Greek yoghurt with mixed nuts, seeds and fruit.

If you’re short on time, make overnight oats the night before in a grab-and-go container, or make a quick breakfast smoothie in the morning – something I’d often do for myself when the breakfast rush was in full swing for both guests and crew.

As a chef for a large group of people with different appetites and moods, it could be hard to judge how much to cook.

I came to embrace cooking too much as it helped me improve the nutrient content of the next meal and it’s a strategy I use to this day.

If you cook extra peas at dinner that’s then the basis of a pea and wild rice salad the next day or make a big batch of roasted veggies to have with protein – but use what’s left in a pasta sauce or stew. It all helps to make healthy eating less of an effort.

This kind of thinking ahead can help improve your diet – in fact, a 2007 study published in Public Health Nutrition found that planning meals and preparing food ahead meant study participants were almost twice as likely to eat two or more servings of vegetables daily.

Leftovers might not sound sexy, but they’re one of the easiest ways to save yourself time and hassle. They are more affordable, too – and mean less waste.