Melissa DiFilippo, Chef/First Mate

Melissa grew up in Rhode Island and spent her summers on Cape Cod where she learned to sail. She lived on Narragansett Bay for many years, and has a deep-rooted passion for sailing and the sea. She moved from Narragansett Bay to the Virgin Islands to pursue a dream of working on a charter sailing yacht.

Melissa was fortunate to have grown up in a family of wonderful cooks who prepared everything from scratch using warm, wholesome, fresh ingredients. Their influence makes creating delicious, nurturing, fresh meals second nature to her. Melissa has developed a passion for entertaining over the past 20 years by hosting countless private dinner parties, pool parties and bar-b-ques. Her need to ensure guest satisfaction has honed her ability to anticipate their wishes. She is a natural hostess with a gift to make everyone feel right at home and pampered.

Her background in guest services is extensive. She has years of experience working as a personal assistant to some of Narragansett Bay's finest families always anticipating their needs and providing the best possible service. Having worked for the Conanicut Yacht Club for over eleven years as the Director of Member Services she continued to develop knowledge of the sailing community and perfected her service experience. She also began an internship in the Club's restaurant kitchen alongside Executive Chef Christopher Kaya working to perfect her intuitive cooking talents.

A versatile cook, Melissa enjoys creating dishes using a wide variety of fresh and local ingredients. She is always happy to accommodate the special requests of her guests and enjoys preparing a host of delicious dishes ranging from seafood, local specialties, comfort foods, and vegetarian fare.