Head Chef Port Douglas Yacht Club
Words by Jamie Jansen
For more info & the menu of Port Douglas Yacht Club, click here.
After years in the high-pressure kitchens of France and England, Alex Toutain has traded Michelin stars for a much simpler life. His proudest achievement isn’t a fancy award; it’s the fact that he’s finally found his calm.
For Alex, life is no longer about the rush of a professional kitchen; it’s about having found the perfect work-life balance in the beautiful natural surroundings and the freedom of the open water.
Alex doesn’t have a regular street address. Instead, he lives on a 32-foot catamaran on the Inlet. It’s a small, peaceful sanctuary that feels worlds away from the landlocked medieval town in France where he grew up.
“This lifestyle is very new compared to where I grew up,” Alex says. “I came to Australia 13 years ago as a tourist, then a working holiday maker. I started in Melbourne, thinking it would be all sun and surfers, but it was just raining! I was ready to go home after seven months, but then I discovered Port Douglas. That’s what made me stay.”
Before he started navigating the Great Barrier Reef, Alex was navigating the high-pressure corridors of Europe’s most elite kitchens. He compares the environment of Michelin-starred kitchens to the army; hierarchical, disciplined, and incredibly tough.
“In France, you start at a very high level,” Alex explains. He worked for Les Frères Pourcel and Pierre Gagnaire at Sketch, but his favourite spot was Momo’s in London for its great food and atmosphere.
“It was intense, no days off and total dedication. It was so competitive you had to show up early just to secure the equipment you needed for your station.
“For young chefs, London is like a gateway. Everything is happening there food-wise. It’s very diverse, with influences from all over the world, so you learn a lot.”
While he learned to handle incredible produce, like suitcases of white truffles delivered in handcuffs, and cooked for stars like the Pussycat Dolls, he realised the cutthroat environment wasn't for him.
“You reach a point where you have to decide,” he says. “Do you keep up that intensity, or do you choose a better work-life balance? I chose balance. I’ve realised I like living more than just working.”
That desire for a life well-lived led him to the water. His introduction to sailing came via local flatmates and sailing classes at the yacht club. Today, his boat offers a freedom a suburban apartment never could. “No one knocks on your door,” he says. “You can just take off. I recently spent my days off at Low Isles just relaxing.”
Before landing at his current role, Alex worked in various kitchens around town, including a stint as a private yacht chef. “I started with Anthony Turner on Liquid Desire,” he says. “It’s a small team, so I was doing everything, cooking and deck work. He encouraged me to buy my first boat.”
Now, Alex has found the perfect home at the Port Douglas Yacht Club. It is easily one of the prettiest venues in town, right on the Coral Sea, fringed by palm trees with stunning views of the marina. It’s the kind of place where you become instantly relaxed the moment you walk in.
In this setting, Alex has traded truffles for the fresh produce of the reef. His cooking style reflects the tropics: light, unpretentious, and finished with a sophisticated French Mediterranean touch.
A glance at his specials board might reveal grilled local fish with a vibrant green chermoula, a fragrant blend of coriander, mint, garlic, and cumin, served with a crisp cucumber salad and cooling yoghurt. It’s food perfectly designed for the tropics.
Beyond the menu, Alex is most proud of the culture he creates behind the scenes. “I’m proud of the fact that I don’t stress anymore,” he says. “I’ve never been a yeller. I think a calm, respectful environment is vital.”
For Alex, the true heart of the job is about making people happy through food. “Cooking is about sharing,” he explains. “It’s about bringing people together around a table to create a moment. I really enjoy that connection.”
As he prepares for another service overlooking the masts of the marina, it’s clear that Alex is a chef who has found his true north.