MEET YOUR CREW:
CAPTAIN: Francois Meyer
Chef: Nela Cvijanovic


Life for Francois started out on the sunny east coast of South Africa. Living in Richards Bay with the ocean on his doorstep and a fishing rod in his hand, it quickly became a way of life.  Soon thereafter his family decided to trade the beach for the "bush" and they moved to a small town in the south-west of Kenya called Magadi where he spent the rest of his childhood growing up in the wilderness.
After school he decided to try his luck as a professional rugby player. Unfortunately an injury ended his short career and it was time to move on. Thankfully the ocean had never stopped calling and soon he was back with a passion that only grew.
He gained his experience as a deckhand on Superyachts in the Mediterranean initially, and then as both a chef and a captain on charter catamarans in the Caribbean and he has completed a couple of Atlantic crossings too.
Francois is extremely excited to get back to the Caribbean to meet new people, hearing their stories and creating lifelong memories for guests.

Driven by a passion for culture, adventure, and community, Nela dove headfirst into th culinary world. She moved from Serbia to Switzerland after earning her degree, seeking to immerse herself in a different culture. While living there, Nela worked in restaurants and as an au pair, developing the flexibility and service mindset needed to take on something completely new — a role as a host/chef at Quarterdeck. In this role, she honed the culinary skills that would later serve her well in her yacht chef career, cooking on sailing yachts around Europe. Over the last four years, she has developed an exceptionally high standard of food preparation and presentation, along
with a growing talent for customer service. A major highlight of her journey was attending the Božidarac Cookery School and the Anchor & Apron cooking course, where she refreshed her culinary skills and picked up new techniques with a focus on detail and presentation — skills she continues to build upon. Nela has mastered the art of going above and beyond, both in her menu preparation and in being a first mate, guide, host, and even a friend to her guests


Francois and Nela are looking forward to making sure you have a truly unforgettable vacation with them on Neptune's Escape.