Crew Profiles:
BRAD & KRISTI
*Crew starting November 2019*

Brad Marquart grew up in a small Mississippi river town in Missouri. After completing a degree in Biology at a liberal arts college it was time for some adventure, and he left the Midwest for a new life on the ocean. He joined a commercial fisheries management consultancy in Alaska, working on fishing vessels to provide precise and timely data regarding fishery health directly to NOAA. After working aboard 12 large fishing and fish processing vessels operating out of Dutch Harbor and Juneau, he traded the Bering Sea for the Rocky Mountains and moved to Denver, Colorado. There he started as a bioenergy researcher developing alternatives to mining coal, before switching gears and becoming an environmental scientist liaising between the oil and gas industry and state regulatory bodies. However, his previous life on the ocean had left a mark.

Upon meeting Kristi, the new team set out to reconnect with previous careers on the water. Denver provides perhaps the most landlocked American Sailing School in the USA, and Kristi and Brad took every class they had time for. They left Denver for the east coast where they assisted with a sailboat delivery, and then took to new careers aboard a 74 foot charter ketch here in the Virgin Islands, which led to Brad earning his USCG 100-ton Master Captain’s license and moving on to operate charter catamarans. Now starting his fourth year in the term charter industry, Brad has also earned a nitrox scuba certification and enjoys sharing chef’s and guide duties with his wife. An innate naturalist, he loves identifying fish and watching their behavior. He loves life most when guiding snorkel and hiking excursions in the beautiful Virgin Islands and when winding down with our always-interesting guests after a memorable day.

Kristi Marquart has a diverse background within the charter boat and restaurant industries. Her culinary interest sparked at an early age in her family’s restaurant and brewery in Kansas, where she worked every position throughout high school and college. Eager to grow in the hospitality industry after graduating from KU, Kristi went on to manage three successful restaurant openings across the country with a company that believed in serving real food sourced from American farmers. She has always loved to cook for friends and family but it was her experience working alongside talented chefs and restaurateurs that ultimately groomed Kristi for her role as the chef aboard Sea Esta. Her cuisine style utilizes fresh ingredients that bring both color and flavor to the plate. She obtains high quality cuts of meat and locally sourced eggs, produce and seafood (when available). Her menus are made with her guests preferences in mind, and she loves the creative freedom of serving beautiful meals that become a conversation piece over the table.

Kristi also holds a Captain’s license, a bachelors degree in environmental science, a nitrox diver certification, and ten years of experience handling various boats along the coasts of California, Georgia, South Carolina, and throughout the entire Eastern Caribbean. This is her seventh season operating charter boats out of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Kristi & Brad are honored to call Sea Esta home and will ensure your vacation is the kind you smile about for years to come.

Breakfast - 

All served with fresh fruit, coffee, hot tea & juice

Banana pancakes with spiced maple butter, pecans, fresh whipped cream & bacon

Ham & egg scramble in a puff pastry nest, crispy breakfast potatoes 

Rosemary french toast served with orange cream cheese and maple sausage

Caprese omelet rollups with mozzarella, fresh basil, heirloom tomatoes and prosciutto 

Baked apple oatmeal with toasted coconut & vanilla yogurt, served with local scones

Huevos rancheros topped with cheddar, beans, pico de gallo, sliced avocado and fresh cilantro

Bagels & lox platter with an assortment of cream cheese and fresh vegetables

- Lunch - 

Cajun crab cakes with sriracha aioli and a fresh spinach, bell pepper and citrus salad

Jerk chicken caesar salad wraps served with plantain chips and grapes 

Grilled panini with melted brie, turkey, prosciutto, thin-sliced pear, mango chutney and arugula 

Chef salad with chicken, chèvre, avocado, tomatoes, roasted corn, & homemade honey dijon

Cheeseburgers in paradise with grilled pineapple and rosemary kettle chips

Mediterranean steak salad with a freshly baked bacon & caramelized onion tart

Family style sushi plate of spicy tuna, shrimp and salmon rolls beside a bed of seaweed salad

- Hors D’oeuvres - 

Assorted cheeses & charcuterie board

Ahi tuna poke with wasabi rice crackers 

Caprese puff pastry bites with balsamic drizzle

Shrimp & mango summer rolls with tamarind peanut sauce

Mediterranean spread with toasted flatbread

Baked brie with tamarind jam, sliced pears and herb crackers

Fresh guacamole, queso, salsa and tortilla chips

- Dinner -

Jamaican jerk mahi with mango and bell pepper salsa over savory coconut rice

Filet mignon with creamy lobster risotto and grilled heirloom carrots 

Honey rosemary glazed pork with sweet potato mash and apple cabbage slaw

Pasta carbonara with pan seared scallops and grilled heirloom carrots

 Coconut shrimp with sweet thai chili, curried vegetables and cilantro lime rice

Hoisin baby back ribs with fried rice and sesame ginger steamed broccoli

Key lime grouper with asparagus & crispy potato pierogis garnished with crème fraîche

- Dessert - 

Creme brûlée topped with fresh berries

Dark chocolate dipped strawberry shortcake 

Key lime mousse with ginger snap crumble

Fudge brownies with berries and whipped cream 

Mango, dragonfruit and mint sorbet with local honey drizzle

Tortuga rum cake topped with warm maple butter sauce

Chocolate lava cake with nutella maple filling & ice-cream