ENCORE

Lené Conradie

Captain

Hailing from George in South Africa's Western Cape, has always embraced challenges, excelling in sports and adventurous pursuits. After earning her Yachtmaster qualification right out of high school, she gained valuable experience at top sailing schools in South Africa. Lené's Atlantic crossing and island-hopping journey solidified her love for the Caribbean, where she now thrives. She is dedicated to safety, professionalism, and creating unforgettable experiences for her guests, going the extra mile— or nautical mile— to ensure their happiness.

Herman Bester

First Mate

First Mate Herman Bester

From the charming coastal town of Saldanha, South Africa, has a deep-rooted passion for the ocean, cultivated through years of snorkeling, fishing, and surfing. With a degree in Sports Science and a newfound love for scuba diving, Herman is dedicated to ensuring guest safety and comfort during dives and all other watersports activities. His keen eye for detail and commitment to vessel upkeep reflect his pride in his work. With a background in hospitality, Herman guarantees that each guest leaves with a smile and unforgettable memories.

Christina Merianos

Chef

Chef Christina

A Cincinnati native, Greek-American, and New Yorker of 20 years, Chef Christina took a wonderfully unconventional path to the galley. After spending 15 years in fashion merchandising in New York City, Christina followed a lifelong love of food and hospitality and traded fashion for a culinary career. Encore marks her sixth season cooking in the British Virgin Islands, a place she has come to know and love — both for its beauty and for the incredible ingredients the Caribbean has to offer.

Christina’s love of cooking began long before her career as a yacht chef. She grew up in a Greek-American family where food was at the heart of everything, learning to cook alongside her family and inheriting recipes and traditions she still brings into her galley today. Her Greek roots remain a strong influence in her cooking, from treasured family recipes to specialty ingredients she personally sources from Greece.

Travel is another constant source of inspiration. During the off-season, Christina explores the world through its food — wandering markets, discovering local specialties and bringing new flavors and ideas home with her. She is happiest hunting down the freshest local seafood, beautiful produce and the best ingredients she can find, creating menus that blend Mediterranean roots, Caribbean freshness and inspiration gathered from around the globe. An avid baker as well as a chef, she believes thoughtful sourcing and cooking from scratch make all the difference.

For Christina, being a yacht chef is about much more than food. Having spent most of her adult life in hospitality, she genuinely loves taking care of people. Bright, bubbly and quick to laugh, she brings warmth and energy to the galley and loves creating the kind of meals guests talk about long after their charter ends.

She is especially excited to return to the BVI aboard Encore and to work alongside Lené and Herman, a team whose friendship, shared passion for hospitality and love of life on the water make Encore feel like home.

For Christina, this isn’t simply a job — it’s a career built around everything she loves: cooking beautiful food, exploring the world and creating unforgettable experiences around the table.