by Ricardo and Jim are the Galley Kings of Langseth. This dynamic duo has enough sass and culinary spirit to make even Gordon Ramsey shake in his chef’s coat.
They work around the clock 10-12 hours a day cooking for the crew of Langseth. Starting at 5am these courageous chefs perform a balancing act to plan, prep, cook, and serve four full course meals a day all while the boat is rocking wildly against them. Their hearty homestyle meals bring together crew members, old and new, and are the best cure for any budding feelings of homesickness. Aboard the R/V Langseth, we spent the most time with the cooks Ricardo Rios and Jim Davis. They made us feel at home when we were completely out of our element.
Before embarking on a decade-long journey aboard R/V Langseth, Ricardo and Jim both worked in the oilfield industry. They were influenced into this field by their “sea daddies” which in Jim’s case was his actual father while for Ricardo it was his uncle. Ricardo grew up in Texas and as a result was immersed into the oilfield industry from an early age. It wasn’t until his uncle introduced him to the maritime world that he fell in love with working on ships and began his career as a Galley chef. Prior to Langseth, Jim served as the head of operations for Taco Bell where he managed multiple chain stores. Several years of work led Jim to the realization that he was passionate about making people happy with his cooking. He quit his job, took a job as a dishwasher sailing aboard vessels through the University of Hawaii, and worked his way to head Galley King.
The Galley Kings have the ability to build community through their food and witty jokes. Even when the ocean of the motion is rocking them unsteady they never let anything knock them down.
-Angellica Diaz & Gloria Renaudi
