Meet Your Innkeepers: Captain's Inn

Innside Story with Captain's Barry & Tamara,

owners of the Captains Inn.

1) What was your first experience ever staying in a bed & breakfast?

Tamara: We've actually never stayed in a bed & breakfast. Maybe we will get lucky and someone will invited us! For most of our lives, we've lived and stayed on a boat.

2) What did you do before you were a b&b owner?

Tamara: For the past 25 years we have been running and managing some of the finest mega-yachts in the charter yacht industry as a Captain and Chef team. We have entertained aboard these yachts heads of state, movie stars, and the rich and not-so-famous. As a charter yacht chef I've prepared simple and romantic gourmet dinners for two as well as sit-down parties for sixty and catered weddings and social events. From this experience, I've published two cookbooks; Megayacht Cooking and the Ship's Bounty. Captain Barry was also an artist and has owned galleries throughout the world including a gallery on a cruise ship. We both love to share our food and art with all of our friends and guests.

3) What made you decide to want to own a b&b?

Tamara: Because we loved entertaining our guests on our yachts we decided to build the bed and breakfast for our retirement. We found the bed and breakfast business extremely similar to our past experience and we are very happy with our decision.

4) What is your favorite part about owning a b&b?

Tamara: The lifestyle and the wonderful people we meet.

5) What is your least favorite thing?

Tamara: Personally, nothing comes to mind, we love what we do.


6) How did you decide on your room themes and décor?

Tamara:That question is easy. Since we are Captains and lived most of our lives on the sea the nautical theme was natural. Since we lived in the South Pacific and the tropical theme of our grounds came naturally.


7) Tell me one thing you love about Mount Dora.
Tamara: Re-discovering the joy of boating and fishing on aboard the Mount Dorable, the Captains’ Inn boat.


8) Describe your favorite breakfast creation at your b&b.

Tamara: Erin Moran (Joanie on the old TV series "Happy Days") taught me her favorite version of Eggs Benedict. This recipe has been a favorite of mine and my guests since April of 1982.


9) Will you let me post the recipe?

Tamara: Yes!


10) Tell me one unique thing that most people don't know about you.

Tamara: Captain Barry cuts and sets precious Australian Opals directly from the mines of Australia where his brother worked as a miner. He currently is offering through the Mount Dora Center for the Arts a lapidary opal cutting course in his studio at the Captain's Inn. For me, I've published two cookbooks, Megayacht Cooking and Ship's Bounty and I'm currently working on my 3rd cookbook, B&B Cooking.

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