Just 17, Rafael Alvarez’s father embarked on his first journey as a wiper aboard a Bethlehem Steel ore carrier in 1951. The vessel was bound for Chile, and before it even reached Chesapeake Bay, young Manuel R. Alvarez had already lodged a complaint about the blandness of the food. Raised in a family known for its homemade dishes, he found the shipboard meals difficult to endure.
The cook responded with practicality: “Kid, I got three dozen men to feed. I can’t please them all.” This is a common sentiment among cooks and stewards at sea, where complaints about food quality are frequent topics of conversation.
Captain Marc Ennis of the Maersk Kinloss remarked that “Morale comes out of the galley,” emphasizing the importance of good food for crew morale. During his time on the Kinloss, Alvarez met Chief Cook Mahmoud Fares from Cairo, Egypt. Fares shared insights into balancing his culinary instincts with orders from superiors: “I know what I’m cooking and I know what people like,” but acknowledged that sometimes he must follow others’ directives.
Sailors often complain to various parties about their meals. SIU Chief Steward EsStonia Moore noted that while pleasing everyone is impossible, cooking with passion can make a difference: “You can’t please everyone, but as long as you do your best and cook with passion it can take you a long way.”
Fares previously worked as a tour guide in Cairo and later managed upscale New York restaurants before joining Seafarers International Union (SIU). His transition was influenced by an Arabic Uber driver who highlighted union benefits and savings potential at sea.
Chief Engineer Lyle Armacost observed that many proficient cooks have backgrounds in professional kitchens ashore: “Some of the best cooks I’ve sailed with have been professionals shoreside.” They often find maritime cooking less stressful and more lucrative.
Fares has been saving money for an 80-seat restaurant in Egypt named after his son Adam. While sailing remains part of his plan, he aims to hire relatives to manage his restaurant eventually.
An Egyptian delicacy Fares prepares occasionally is roasted pigeon stuffed with rice and herbs—a dish unlikely to appear on any SIU-crewed ship menu soon.
