Sebago Opens New Kitchen
BY STACY WILLITS
Citizen Staff
Snorkeling and fine dining generally don't end up in the same sentence, but Sebago Watersports is changing all that.
Sebago recently opened its own kitchen, the Sebago Cook Shack, and hired its own chef, "Pirate" Ned Loudon, to cater its excursions. Seventeen-year-old Sebago Watersports bills itself "the longest established day-charter catamaran operation in the continental United States." The company, owned by Paul McGrail and Sean Rowley, runs three catamarans: a 53-footer that carries 49 passengers, a 60-footer that holds 65, and a 70-footer that carries 125. There's also two parasail boats and a fleet of WaveRunners.
The Sebago Cook Shack is nestled between the wedding chapel and florist on Lazy Way Lane, catty-cornered from the Sebago reservation kiosk.
"Ned enjoys creating special menus for the weddings, wedding rehearsals, birthday parties, corporate events and other special events we are hosting," said Eric Bannwart, Sebago's director of sales and marketing.
Most charters offer snacks and drinks to passengers who may fish, snorkel, kayak, swim or parasail all day, but Sebago is the first large charter to offer meals from its own kitchen and chef.
Loudon's official title is food and beverage manager, for which he's state-licensed and certified. He sparkled, literally and figuratively, recently as he explained his philosophy on food and life in an apron adorned with a flashing "ALOHA" pin.
"I'm getting job satisfaction here - this is my creative outlet," said Loudon, who has a history in theater with lighting and set-rigging. "And I'm not just making good food, I'm making creations that are appetizing to the eye, as well."
Loudon had a restaurant in Atlanta called "The Props Bar," which featured hard liquor, health food and a theme of theater set-ups complete with lighting and costumes. "You know that bar in 'Pulp Fiction?'" he asked. "Well, it wasn't quite that, but it was pretty close."
After leaving the rat race, Loudon came down to Key West to relax and took a low-stress job selling tickets for Sebago trips.
"When we were thinking about doing this [upgrading the food for charter trips], we immediately thought of Ned," said Bannwart. "Because every day, he would tell us what he had cooked for himself the night before. It was always seared this and baby asparagus that - it was only natural that he came to mind."
"I was reluctant at first," Loudon said. "But I was willing to do it if I had the proper kitchen, and they have spared no expense to do it." The tight space accommodates a walk-in freezer, convection ovens and other commercial kitchen gear. He said he learned to cook from his mother and grandmother, and was cooking for his household by age 12. "My mom taught me that if you start with good, fresh ingredients, you're ahead of the game already."
Loudon's menus for Sebago range from basic, economic fare to high-cost, specialized entrees. He caters weddings, holiday gatherings and corporate events, on the high seas as well as on land.
Making food for a cruise isn't much different from land-based cooking, Loudon said. "It's just making individual portions," he said. "I like making each little thing interesting - it's a more Epicurean approach.
"These boats are so comfortable, and so wide, that you could set down a champagne glass and nine out of 10 times it would not spill," he said. "These are not like the old schooners - salty and yo-ho-ho - these boats are comfy."
Hot and cold coolers keep mass quantities of food safe on board, Loudon said. He's also trained a boat mate in the techniques of proper food storage and preparation, creating the position of "food mate."
"We are constantly responsible and meticulous about food preparation, temperature and storage," Loudon said.
On a recent day cruise, offerings included steamed shrimp, curry Dijon mustard and dill potato salad, tricolor bow-tie pasta salad with artichokes, kalamata olives, hearts of palm and capers, and good old-fashioned fried chicken. For weddings and special affairs, he gourmets it up a little.
"We recently did a wedding where we had 60 baby, frenched lamb chops spiced in a port-wine reduction with fresh rosemary and steamed mussels with champagne-clarified butter and roasted elephant garlic sauce. I also served a whole, hickory-smoked pork tenderloin.
"We will do whatever the customer requires as long as we have the proper notification," he said. Loudon paced the dock waiting for the charter's return; he greets each returning catamaran and checks any leftovers to get a feel for what works and what doesn't.
With the holiday season fast approaching, Loudon and Bannwart said they are hoping that local businesses take advantage of Sebago's offerings for their holiday gatherings.
Contact Sebago at (305) 294-5687.
Article posted with permission, originally published in the November 14, 2004, Sunday edition of the Key West Citizen Newspaper, written by Stacy Willits, Business Editor. Contact her at swillits@keysnews.com.
