MEET YOUR CREW
CAPTAIN: Per Pertoft
CHEF: Maia Gifford

STEWARDESS: Kristin Routledge

From a young age, Per developed a deep passion for the ocean, spending vacations by the Swedish coastline where he learned to sail and race dinghies. He expanded his love for watersports to include kitesurfing and surfing. Over the past 15 years, he has owned and sailed a sailboat around southern Sweden, continuously honing his skills and deepening his connection to the sea.
After earning degrees in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as well as Economics, Per transformed his oceanic passion into a career. He began as a kitesurfing instructor before moving into the maritime charter and delivery industry, amassing valuable experience. His career spans various roles within yacht sailing, from competitive sailing in his youth to managing private and flotilla charters. He has worked on flotilla charters with more than 80 vessels, handling guest management, overseeing skippers, providing flotilla instructions, planning routes, and stepping into leadership roles as a lead skipper.
In addition to his maritime pursuits, Per is a professional kite instructor with extensive experience as a Kitesurf and Wing foil instructor. His hospitality experience includes bartending, where he refined his mixology skills. Per is fluent in Swedish, German, and English, with proficiency in French and Spanish.
At 29 years old, he brings a wealth of experience and a strong background as a yacht captain, eager to contribute to exceptional guest experiences and operational excellence.

Maia grew up in a small town north of Boston, Massachusetts in a family of entertainers. Whether it was hosting extended family for Christmas Eve dinner, gathering neighbors to watch sports events, or welcoming friends for a homemade brunch, something was always going on at the Gifford house. Any good party is never complete without the food and Maia was taught from a young age that homemade is always best. Her parents ignited a desire to learn to make anything from scratch and to try to replicate favorite dishes from trips abroad.

After graduating from Worcester Polytechnic Institute with an Environmental Engineering degree, Maia hoped for something more than the typical 9-5 desk job that her degree promised and decided to take some time off to explore the world. While searching for a way to affordably travel Europe for the summer, Maia stumbled upon a position as a yacht chef. This job combined her love for cooking and entertaining with her desire for adventure and spontaneity. What was meant to be one summer turned into four years of working charters in the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and French Polynesia. In each new location Maia has learned new skills from locals and fellow yacht chefs that she’s excited to bring to you on charter.

Kristin, a hardworking, energetic, and adaptable deck/stew from South Africa’s Garden Route,  has a lifelong passion for the ocean, travel, and exceptional guest service. Her diverse experience spans luxury villa concierge services, hospitality, lifesaving, surf coaching, administration, private tutoring, and marine conservation. A certified PADI Divemaster with training in underwater photography, she is confident in and around the water and regularly participates in reef clean-ups and marine research initiatives. She also serves as a director of the Earth Legacy Foundation, supporting conservation projects and sustainable coastal development. Friendly, professional, and eager to learn, she brings independence, resilience, strong organisational skills, and a positive attitude to her role. In her spare time, she enjoys diving, surfing, travelling, cooking, rock climbing, and creative crafts.

This dynamic crew is excited to be on Aura and look forward to welcoming you aboard, showing you the wonders of the Virgin Islands and creating memories to last a lifetime!






 

MAIA’S SAMPLE MENU

Breakfast

All breakfasts will be served with a freshly baked pastry, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, and juice

 Avocado Toast

Smashed avocado served on freshly toasted bread topped with a fried egg, sumac pickled red onions, feta, local micro-greens and a hot honey swirl

Eggs Benedict

Perfectly poached eggs sat atop a buttery biscuit with garlic sautéed spinach and crispy bacon, topped with a brown butter hollandaise

Açaí Bowls

Blended açaí topped with homemade granola, mixed berries, and nut butter

Croque Madame

A classic French breakfast sandwich - toasted brioche filled with béchamel, gruyere cheese, and thinly sliced ham, broiled until melty and topped with a fried egg

Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes

Fluffy American pancakes accompanied by soft scrambled eggs and crispy bacon

Huevos Rancheros

Warm corn tortillas topped with refried black beans, pico de gallo, avocado, and pickled red onions, finished with a fried egg and cotija cheese

Sweet Potato Hash

A mix of roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes with sautéed kale and breakfast sausage, topped with a poached egg and an herby aioli

Lunch

Maryland-style Crab Cakes

Accompanied by a cilantro vinaigrette salad of crisp baby greens, celery and cucumber, topped with juicy strawberries and crumbled feta

Tuna Poke Bowls

Soy marinated tuna served atop sushi rice with pickled purple cabbage, edamame beans, shredded carrots, mango, and seaweed salad, topped with a drizzle of sriracha mayo and sesame seeds

Crispy Chicken Milanese

Served with a marinated tomato and arugula salad, lemon beurre blanc, and crispy capers

Marinated Steak Vermicelli Salad

Thai “crying tiger” marinated steak with fresh vegetables and vermicelli noodles, served with a sweet and tangy dressing

Pistachio Pesto Orchette

Tossed with fresh snap peas and arugula and topped with pistachio crusted grouper

Mediterranean Salmon Bowls

Garlic-dill salmon served atop a quinoa tabbouleh with z’atar roast sweet potatoes and homemade tzatziki

Pork Carnitas Tacos

Mexican-style slow cooked pork shoulder with homemade tomatillo salsa verde, grilled pineapple, pickled red onions, and cotija cheese, served with Mexican street corn ribs

Appetizers

Spicy tuna on crispy rice paper with avocado cream and sesame seeds

Cream cheese stuffed jalapeño peppers, wrapped in bacon and baked until crispy

Grazing board of imported meats and cheeses accompanied by an assortment of jams, fruits, and crackers

Crispy fried coconut shrimp with sweet chili mayo

Fresh fish aguachile served on a crispy corn tostada with avocado, cucumber, and pickled red onions

Crostinis topped with thinly sliced steak, caramelized onions and boursin cheese

Homemade beet hummus and whipped feta served with an assortment of fresh vegetables and pita chips

Dinner

Steak au Poivre

Seared center cut beef fillet served with a creamy peppercorn sauce, crispy rosemary potatoes, and roasted rainbow carrots

Brown Butter Scallops

Served over a mint pea puree with crispy pancetta and toasted hazelnuts 

Tropical Halibut

Coconut and macadamia nut crusted halibut served over coconut rice with a mango-lime beurre blanc and seared bok choy

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Served with creamy parmesan polenta and a raw courgette and fennel salad

Brazilian Moqueca

A Brazilian coconut and bell pepper seafood stew filled with fresh seafood, served over rice and accompanied by pao de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread)

Ratatouille

Traditional ratatouille served with seared cod and fondant potatoes

Snapper Picatta

Crispy skin red snapper with a lemon, white wine and caper sauce, served over pearl couscous with preserved lemon and asparagus

Dessert

Chocolate Mousse

Topped with freshly whipped cream and cacao nib tuille

Lemon Almond Cake

With mascarpone whipped cream and pistachios

Key Lime Pie

An island classic! Creamy key lime filling in a graham cracker crust, topped with toasted meringue

Oreo Cheesecake

A decadent treat, topped with chocolate ganache and whipped cream

Tres Leches Cake

Topped with whipped cream and cinnamon

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie

Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Dark Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

Served with a raspberry lime coulis