Meet Vallery,
I grew up between a small family farm on the Baltic coast and the sea. Seasonal eating was never a concept we talked about, it was simply how life worked. Years later, cooking on sailing boats in the Mediterranean, completely dependent on what local markets and small producers had to offer, I began to understand how rare that connection really is for most people today.
Along the way I met fishermen, farmers and producers who worked with their hands and cared deeply about what they made. I also saw the other side. Supply chains built on shortcuts and waste. That is when I started asking different questions about food, not just how to cook it, but where it comes from, who grows it, and what it costs the land and the people behind it.
I am a sociologist, entrepreneur and cook. I have guided over 300 people through immersive food and wellness experiences at sea, researched global food justice and urban inequality across Europe, and spent years building relationships with producers, farmers and kitchens from Sardinia to Berlin. In 2024 I was recognised as Young Achiever in Healthcare at the Dubai Health Conference.
Vallery’s Galley is where all of that comes together.
What We Do:
Vallery’s Galley is a mobile food studio and culinary platform based in Berlin, rooted in Mediterranean cuisine and the philosophy of the Blue Zones.
Cooking Classes and Community Events
Hands-on cooking experiences in Berlin for individuals, small groups and corporate teams. Seasonal, plant-forward and rooted in Blue Zone tradition.
Private Chef
I cook for you wherever you are. At home, at your venue, on a boat, at a finca or wherever life takes you. From intimate dinners to larger gatherings, I bring the menu, the ingredients and the story behind every dish.
Sailing Retreats
A week at sea, cooking our way through the Mediterranean. Small groups, ingredients sourced from local markets and harbour towns, meals made together in the galley. All-inclusive halfboard, fully immersive.
Wave Food Cookbook
Everything I have learned from years of cooking at sea, distilled into one book. Blue Zone recipes, seasonal ingredients, and the producers behind them. Available now.
Why Conscious Sourcing?
When we know who grew our vegetables, caught our fish, or made our cheeses, and that they were treated fairly, food tastes different. It connects us to something bigger than ourselves.
I’m not perfect, and I’m still learning. But I’m committed to building relationships with producers who share these values, asking hard questions about supply chains, and making choices that honor people and planet.
If this resonates with you, I’d love to cook for your event or cook with you together, share my recipes, or welcome you aboard a sailing trip where we explore these ideas together.
Article | Brainz Magazine
How Simple Food Choices Shape the Way We Live | Have you ever noticed how some people just seem to radiate energy and vitality? They’re not following complicated diets or taking endless supplements. Instead, they’ve discovered something beautifully simple, the foods we choose and the way we live our daily lives have the power to transform how we feel, how we age, and how we experience each day.
Interview | Nourify & Beautify Podcast.
Dscover how food can be your most powerful tool for energy, mood, and longevity. In this episode of Notify and Beautify, hosts Nour Abouchama and Linda Yates talk with Vallery Melcher