I have spent the past decade in the Virgin Islands working as a chef on charter boats. I have always enjoyed cooking regardless of what I am preparing. For me, the cooking part is the easy part. It is the creating, planning, sourcing and shopping part of cooking that is the most effort.

Most visitors to the islands do not realize that our tropical islands are not the producers of an abundance of fresh produce. The island certainly supports the growth of many tropical fruits and vegetables, such as papaya, bananas, mangos, avocados, and starfruit, but these are only available at certain times of the year and not year-round. For the remainder of the year, we chefs rely on imported produce and there are times the pickings are very slim, and sourcing enough produce to provide a variety for a week-long charter can be an enormous task.

As a gardener myself, I grow many of the herbs I use on the boat as well as tomatoes, green onions, ginger and hot peppers in the amounts necessary for week-long charters. I love to cook with ingredients when in season and do so whenever possible. And when not possible, I spend the days leading up to charter visiting every grocery store and market to find the freshest and most appealing items available and incorporate those things into my menu.

One of my favorite produce laden meals to make is tuna poke. I love the variety of colors in the dish and how the flavors all come together. Anytime I get to “play” with my knives, chopping and slicing, is a fun day in the galley for me. I like to make a special marinade for the tuna using ginger and green onions from my garden and make sure to reserve some of the marinade to serve with the dish. Tuna is one of the fish that can be sourced locally in the islands and this is a great dish to showcase its flavor.

Chef Julia Ray, S/Y Shangri La

Baked brioche French toast, sausage links and fresh fruit

Eggs, bacon, homestyle fries, toast and jam

Blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, sausage and fresh fruit

Specialty quiche served with bacon and English muffins

Tostada with egg, ground sausage, Pico de Gallo, queso fresco, and cilantro

Flaky Croissant breakfast sandwich with fresh fruit

Yogurt parfait with freshly made coconut granola and homemade muffins

Mixed greens salad with chicken, candied almonds, strawberries, craisins and goat cheese served with warm bread

Chicken Ceasar wrap served with plantain chips and fruit

Southwest salad with chicken, black bean and corn salsa, tortilla strips and homemade buttermilk ranch

Bacon cheeseburger with broccoli salad and fruit

Spinach salad with shrimp, grapefruit, feta and pine nuts tossed with fresh dill red wine vinaigrette

Chicken sandwich with arugula, muenster and strawberry chipotle spread on seeded bread served with chips and fruit

Shrimp tacos with spicy slaw on warm flour tortilla with fresh fruit

Charcuterie with a variety of cheeses, meats, spreads and fruits

Crab stuffed puff pastry

Fresh guacamole with tortilla chips

Flat bread pizza with artichoke, sundried tomato, feta, prosciutto, and fresh basil

Caprese salad

Tuna nachos with avocado and local hot peppers

Coconut shrimp ceviche

Blackened mahi-mahi fillet served with coconut rice and haricots verts

Grilled steak, mashed redskin potatoes, roasted broccolini and blistered tomatoes

Bourbon glazed salmon served with parmesan risotto and steamed asparagus

Medallions of pork with peach barbeque, sweet potato and roasted local carrots

Cajun shrimp tortellini with garlic toast points

Seared scallops, pureed cauliflower and carrot, mixed greens with citrus balsamic

Tuna poke served with rice noodles and sesame

Banana turnover with chocolate and caramel drizzle

Peanut butter pie with chocolate dust

Smores pie with toasted marshmallow

Frosted fudge brownie

Hummingbird cake with cream cheese frosting

Pavlova with cream and berries

Key lime pie with fresh whipped cream

Vodka- Absolute/Titos

Rum- Paradise/Cruzan Dark

Bourbon- Jim Beam/Bullet

Whiskey- Jack Daniels/Makers Mark

Tequila-Suaza/Patron

Gin-Bombay/Hendricks

Wine

Basic red/white - Josh

Sparkling- La Marca

Dear Sean & Julia,

We can’t thank you enough for this wonderful time. The right mixture of sailing, sun, food and adventure! Everything was perfect. Great beaches and swimming with turtles and card games at night - all highlights. Every meal was exactly what we needed after a day of activity and adventure. Perfect weather and trip of a lifetime. Thanks so much!

Lauren Chris, Helen, Lou

P.S. Major Slay! From Helen

Sean & Julia,

Wow! Thank you both for an awesome trip. We had an absolute blast. The food was amazing. You picked really good spots to enjoy, snorkeling was spectacular. You both were so fun to be around, we very much enjoyed meeting you both. So knowledgable and professional as well!! We will miss you!

Thanks again, Lela & Phil, Philip & Allison

Julia & Sean,

Thank you for a fabulous trip to the USVI! We had such a special time here and we couldn't be more grateful for your hospitality. Julia, thank you for all of the absolutely delicious meals. Sean, thank you for putting up with our chaos and beating all the other boats in the races! We hope you both have an amazing new year with more fun memories aboard the Shangri La. Cheers to 2024!

Dear Sean and Julia,

Thank you for an amazing adventure on Shangri La. From the fun hikes and swims to the beautiful sail to the delicious meals, it was perfection. Thanks for all your aid to make it relaxing, exciting and comfortable. Wishing you both a happy New Year

Julia & Sean,

Thank you does not do justice what you two provided Kevin & I. This celebration vacation was the trip of my life, and I know Kevin will only want to travel this way! We appreciate your listening to us and providing all of your expertise to ensure lifelong memories of the U.S.V.I.

Thank you again for all the hospitality and fun a week could hold!

Des & Kevin

TC & Julia, Thank you so much for such an amazing week! You both really knocked out of the park…a grand salami…a no hitter and any other superlative! Every facet of the charter was great. The late(-ish) night talking was the icing on the cake. It was really a pleasure and honor to get to know you both and share in this thing called life. Thank you so much!

Thank you for the most amazing charter! Our whole family had the best time and each one of us has our own special reasons. TC - thank you for being such a capable and smart and safe captain. Your seaworthiness combined with your ability to crack nonstop 12 year old humor made for nonstop laughs. Julia - thank you for providing the most delicious meals! The food and service was out of this world and beyond my wildest expectations. Thank you also for your wildlife knowledge. You are an amazing woman and it was a pleasure to be with you this week.

TC and Julia, Thank you for an amazing time. This has been my favorite vacation ever. I can’t wait to see you guys again. Thanks for the amazing cooking Julia, and for all the laughs TC.

“Riding Dirty” - TC Thank you for an awesome charter. I’d really like to come again! I am trying to convince my parents!

TC and Julia are the best, thank you so much y’all are the best. I’ve not done this in 10 years and you made it so much better than the first. TC, you’ve been the best captain and friend. Julia you’ve been the best chef, always making the perfect food and snacks.

PS. You make the best dad jokes.

BEST EVER! Very fun, great trip. Loved everywhere we went and everything we saw. TC & Julia were the best ever. Love them for everything they did. This is one for the books.

5 Star Julia

This was one of the best trips I’ve ever taken. TC was an amazing captain and made the experience so much better, and he is really funny. Julia was an amazing cook, as well, and was super fun to hang out with. The trip was planned out really nicely and we all had a great time. WE LOVE TC <3

Thank you so much for having us! It was so much fun, I loved the snorkeling! Thank you for having us! The food was amazing, even though I had a bunch of grilled cheeses.

I love the quote on this page, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Being on Shangri La, I can truly say I have been able to let go of worries & felt so happy during my week here in the Virgin Islands. Thank you Capt. TC & Chef Julia for creating such a wonderful trip, delicious food, sharing your knowledge and being such gracious hosts!! Hopefully the Sabbagh-Keyses family can return again to another charter with you both soon.

Shangri La has become my favorite place on the water. Truly, it has felt like home from Day 1. Captain TC and Chef Julia have been wonderful! They have been attentive to every wish and desire during your sailing cruise. They have shared their experiences and knowledge to make this the best trip we could ever dream of. The memories and feelings we take home with us will always be with us. And hopefully, if we are very lucky, we will call Shangri La home again on another sailing trip! Thank you TC & Julia for sharing your paradise with us!

Thank you for showing us such an unbelievable time in our first visit to these majestic islands. Your hospitality was over the top and allowed us to relax and unwind quickly. The meals were spot on and catered to our family’s likes so well. We never went hungry yet always waited for the next feeding time with anticipation! Of particular note were the crab bites, banana bread, shrimp pasta, s’mores pie and can’t forget the looney Leprechauns. We prioritize experiences for our family and seek out adventure as a way to teach our kids about the world, other cultures, and ways of life. This week met all of those criteria and we thank you for taking the time to teach, explain, and tell your stories. It was impactful for the kids to observe the simpler life and gain a healthy respect for the seas! And it in fact inspired Jake to come down and become a Christmas Cove Pizza delivery guy! You may bump into him here in a few years!Thanks again for an amazing week full of many lasting memories. Truly grateful!

Shangri La…”A remote, beautiful, imaginary place where life approaches perfection, Utopia!” But you guys brought Utopia to life for us. And we followed a boat “Memory Makes” - you truly created lifetime memories for us that we will always smile warmly as we recall. And another boat “Chillax” - you created an environment where we could renew our batteries for life’s next big adventure. Julia’s meals were superb but it was more the care and love she put into their detailed preparation that showed. TC - you made us feel safe and not awkward. Nothing was too much trouble as you accommodated every wish and you’re a funny whoa. We couldn’t wish for a better time and crew. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Capt. TC & Julia

Thank you for sharing your boat with us and treating us to the most incredible Virgin Islands sailing vacation. You truly showed us the main of the islands while treating us like queens. Julia, your cooking was beyond amazing. Every meal was beyond delicious. We are in awe and you both treated us to a vacation of our dreams. Thank you for sharing with us your incredible knowledge, style, grace, incredible organization and your beautiful home. We are honored and so grateful to know this special part of the world and hope to come back again one day!

Thank you TC and Julia for a trip of a lifetime! The British VI’s were straight out of a dream, and better than I could have ever imagined! Julia’s food was better than any 5-star restaurant and TC and his jokes could entertain for days. Thank you for showing us parts of the world we never thought we could see. Your hospitality was better than anything we could have imagined. Pictures do not do justice and we will never forget this week! Thank you for taking us ions this adventure and all you did to make it so special. The night at Foxy’s was one we won’t forget too!

We had a lovely time aboard Shangri La. It was a the perfect getaway from the January weather. The staff were friendly and attentive while being able to read when privacy was wanted. We always felt safe and comfortable. All of the meals were amazing. We are excited to try to recreate those delicious desserts. Thank you for taking such great care of us and allowing us to make some great memories. It was an enjoyable experience for everyone!

The Shangri La is a beautiful, pristine boat. Our time aboard was relaxing and time to spend with friends. The sunsets and rainbows were beautiful. The hiking trails on St. John Island provide nice vistas of the landscape and up close encounters of the wildlife. The snorkeling and paddle boarding in the beautiful waters is amazing! The meals prepared by chef Julia were amazing! Capt. TC and Chef Julia were very attentive during our stay on the Shangri La. Sailing is definitely the way to experience these beautiful Islands! Peggy & TY

Our 3 day trip on Shangri La was wonderful. We had nice weather, pretty sunsets, sea turtle sightings, fun boat rides and we even traveled with the sails up once. Julia is an amazing chef - awesome meals and desserts. - certainly 5-star! TC knows the history of the islands and has a great sense of humor. They both have so much experience - this boat runs like a well oiled machine. TC and Julia wait on you hand and foot and will do anything they can to make your trip more enjoyable. Bless her heart, even made me different meat options with dinners. We had a fabulous time. I’ll highly recommend TC & Julia to our friends. Best of luck! Love, Gannon & Amanda

I could tell you the last time I felt this peaceful. I loved our activities - the snorkeling spots and beach bars. More than anything, though, I was just happy being. For the 5 of us to get to just enjoy the beauty of the islands had to offer is truly so special. TC & Julia, you made this trip so wonderful and relaxing! Thank you!

Love,Millie

Y’all are amazing. It’s honestly weird to think back on this week because it went by so fast, but in such a laid back and relaxed way that it feels like it was all one day. The food could not have been any better. I apologize for eating like a fiver year old some days. Haha! I will remember you both forever and will be quoting TC for the rest of my life. Next time I come, I will work on not keeping you up all night…

Happy New Year! Much love from the Kirkland Family. It is truly difficult to even put into words how absolutely incredible this week has been! TC & Julia are the BEST. Y’all came up with a perfect itinerary for us novices and managed to skirt the weather and crowds perfectly so that we felt just enough away from the riff riff while join gin in a tiny bit! Let’s see…Julia’s painkillers were by far the best, but we did enjoy sampling all the ones at Soggy Dollar, Gertrude’s, One Love, Bitter End, Foxy’s and the Willy T! Our little jaunt to Bubbly Pool and the new Jost Van Dyke signage was really cute…New Year at Bitter End, followed by Cooper Island and Norman Island all bookended by Christmas Cove. Snorkeling was incredible, especially the Indians - Wow! Actually, really sailing to St. John was fabulous. Millie and I loved going over every meal including happy hours and desserts. I am sorry none of us but me could finish it all but Julia - truly, your cooking is the best I’ve ever had. All of it! The two of you spoiled us rotten, I’ve not spent a week this pampered in my whole life, and we - well I - needed it. I cannot wait to come backhand let y’all just take us to your favorite spots. Lastly, from me, this week would NOT have been as special with anyone else but the two of y’all. We love you both and know our home in Nashville is open to y’all anytime!

TC & Julia - Wow…what an incredible adventure!!! Thank you for the exciting trip, far exceeding our expectations. Great food, great conversation, great excursions, …mixed with a few beautiful “medium” hikes. Julia, thank you fo your 5 star fare, wonderful drink creations & morning coffee!! We couldn’t be around here longer, spoiled by your incredible cooking, and still fit through those passageways. TC, thank-you for your attention to every detail, great story telling, and guidance to beautiful bays and exciting bars. We are leaving this beautiful place with our hearts, souls and stomachs overflowing with gratitude for making this the trip of a lifetime.

With Our Best,

Marci Pressley & Jack Herr

TC & Julia - Thank you for a special vacation week on the Shangri La! The experience exceeded all expectations. One of the top vacations of our lives. Julia, you “5 Star” chef skills are superb. Every meal was gourmet with excellent presentation. We couldn’t wait for the next meal. We’re glad we brought expandable, oversized clothing. TC, you are an excellent captain, and very entertaining with your 7 character impression…and counting. When we come back, we’re expecting to hear a New England accent. Keep working Keep working those debating skills, they a surpassed by none. Both of your knowledge is impressive about the islands, trails, saline, various bays, restaurants, snorkeling areas, etc. You are a great team!!! When you come to Cape Cod, please look us up. We loved getting to know you.

Alan & Deb LaPierre

TC & Julia - What a memorable vacation aboard Shangri La, celebrating a couple of 60th birthdays - thank-you! We loved all of your recommendations both on shore and on the water. We shared some great sunrises and a spectacular sunset on the last night. Julia, you are an amazing chef! Each meal, appetizer and dessert was worthy of five stars both in taste and presentation. You certainly have a gift and we have the expanded waistlines to prove it! TC, you are an am captain, bartender…and fun entertainment. Thank you for keeping us safe and showing us around some of your favorite spots in the USVI. Both of you are welcome to join us in Maine - anytime!

TC & Julia - Thank you for a special vacation week on the Shangri La! The experience exceeded all expectations. One of the top vacations of our lives. Julia, you “5 Star” chef skills are superb. Every meal was gourmet with excellent presentation. We couldn’t wait for the next meal. We’re glad we brought expandable, oversized clothing. TC, you are an excellent captain, and very entertaining with your 7 character impression…and counting. When we come back, we’re expecting to hear a New England accent. Keep working Keep working those debating skills, they a surpassed by none. Both of your knowledge is impressive about the islands, trails, saline, various bays, restaurants, snorkeling areas, etc. You are a great team!!! When you come to Cape Cod, please look us up. We loved getting to know you

Alan & Deb LaPierre

TC & Julia - Wow…what an incredible adventure!!! Thank you for the exciting trip, far exceeding our expectations. Great food, great conversation, great excursions, …mixed with a few beautiful “medium” hikes. Julia, thank you fo your 5 star fare, wonderful drink creations & morning coffee!! We couldn’t be around here longer, spoiled by your incredible cooking, and still fit through those passageways. TC, thank-you for your attention to every detail, great story telling, and guidance to beautiful bays and exciting bars. We are leaving this beautiful place with our hearts, souls and stomachs overflowing with gratitude for making this the trip of a lifetime.

With Our Best,

Marci Pressley & Jack Herr

“From the moment we stepped on the boat, we didn’t have to worry about a thing. We really won the lottery with TC and Julia! All our needs and wants were well attended and it made for a very relaxing week. TC took us to all the Mose beautiful places around the island. Lots of gorgeous views and great snorkeling - truly incredible to see! Julia’s cooking is AH-mazing. I can hardly fit into any of the clothes I brought aboard. We never went hungry or thirsty! Thank you for a memorable week. It was everything we needed and more!”

“What can we say - you saved our vacation! We are so thankful for your willingness to scoop us up last minute and show us such a wonderful time - we are truly grateful to have the opportunity to sail with you and are so happy we were able to experience such a lovely time. The food was excellent, the ride comfortable and peaceful, and the experience phenomenal. It was just what we needed and we couldn’t feel more relieved, gracious, and at peace having spent the last week with you! Thank you!

Danielle & Michah”

“10 out of 10 one the best weeks I have ever spent. We were completely spoiled by Captain TC and Chef Julia the entire trip. These two definitely made our vacation on to remember. If you’re looking for an all inclusive sailing charter, look no further than the Shangri La!”

“TC & Julia - It’s so hard to put into words how wonderful this trip was! From the food, the laughs, swimming with turtles, beautiful sunsets, shooting stars and top class hospitality…our trip would not have been what it was without the two of you!! Thank you for caring as much as you do! And next time, we’ll bring Alicia’s sippy cup. :-)

Ben & Alicia, Joey & Tiffany “

“To Captain TC & Julia - Sometimes it’s not about the journey or the destination…but about the people you meet along the way. Six friends came together to escape the stress of life in a truly beautiful place; but we quickly realized that it wasn’t the beauty of the islands or the sea that made this trip so completely amazing. It was both of you!! TC, your concern for our group’s safety and comfort was always always your number one concern! You are an amazing captain and I think we’ll all be laughing at your “character voices” and funny jokes for years to come. You started as our captain and quickly turned into a friend. Julia, Julia, Julia…your cooking is out of this world! Absolutely everything you made us was something you’d expect at a 5-Star restaurant. Your passion and love for cooking is displayed in every meal you make. The offer still stands to come to Michigan. :-). Thank you for your hospitality, your friendship and for 7 days on the water that none of us will ever forget! You guys are the best!!

The Michigan Crew

The Ross’, The Miller’s, The Irwins”

“Well what a magical week we have had on board Shangri La! We have done our fair share of bareboating and cruising and truly cannot remember a better experience. We got to do all the things we love – sailing, snorkeling, fishing and even got to experience the most incredible sunrise of my life. The food was delicious, fresh, well prepared, homemade seasonings and nerves and made with love by our chef Julia. TC was the consummate host - attentive, warm focused on providing a perfect day! Most importantly we laughed and laughed and laughed. We have made new friends with Julia and TC… And will be back to try and replicate this magical week. We leave refreshed and with our souls a little lighter than when we arrived.”

“It is hard to find the right collection of words to describe our stay on Shangri La. It has truly been an unforgettable experience that will go down as the best vacation I’ve ever been on. Beautiful scenery, ample family time, peak relaxation, unbelievable food, laughs, new friends… the list goes on. TC and Julia were a pleasure to be around and by the end of the week it felt as if we were one big family. Cheers to a remarkable week and experience.”

“What. A. Week. A sizable round of applause to our two hosts Julia and TC who created a sublime environment for our family to disconnect, and reconnect with ourselves, each other, and the beauty around us. Julia and TC your hospitality was unreal, and our trip wouldn’t have been complete without you! Here’s to the next journey together!”

It was a wonderful stay - thank y’all for putting up with our crazy family. Y’all are awesome and there was never a dull moment on this trip, and I would not change a thing.

To sunsets and Painkillers…to Chicken Hasselhoff and Cocoa Lopez…to guitar solos, and Rock & Roll Saxophone! Thank you Julia & TC for the trip of a lifetime! The Shangri La and the Islands are a nice canvas, but you guys paint the masterpiece. I’m starting ’23 fat and spoiled. I’ll report back whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.

Happy New Year and Many Thanks, Milo