Miami & Fort Lauderdale Provisioning: The Smart Money Guide

The Problem Nobody Talks About

You're docked at Pier Sixty-Six or Bahia Mar. The chandler delivers to the gangway, smiles, and charges you 15-25% over retail for the privilege. On a $5,000 provision order, that's $750-$1,250 you're handing over for logistics you could handle with a phone and an Uber.

The hard truth: Most chandlers aren't selecting better product than you would. They're buying from the same suppliers, adding a margin, and delivering. You're paying for convenience. Here's how to keep the convenience and lose the markup.

The Uber Strategy

The math is simple:

Call ahead, order by phone, send an Uber XL or use Uber Direct courier to pick up. Most shops will have it bagged and ready. Two trips per provision day and you've saved the owner $1,500-2,000 without sacrificing quality.

Uber Direct (courier service) operates in Fort Lauderdale with express delivery in 30 min to 2 hours. For larger orders, Reliable Couriers knows every marina slip in Lauderdale—Pier Sixty-Six, Bahia Mar, 17th Street Yacht Basin, Las Olas Marina. They're marina-literate.

Tier 1: Bulk & Pantry — Restaurant Depot

Locations: Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Miami, Medley
Membership: Free with business license or tax ID. If the boat has an LLC (most do), you qualify.
No business license? Order through Instacart—most items available.

What to buy here:

Category	Best For	Savings vs Retail
Premium cuts	Ribeye, tenderloin, rack of lamb	30-40% off retail
Pantry staples	Oils, vinegars, flour, sugar, pasta	40-50% off retail
Wraps & supplies	Cling film, foil, containers	60-70% off retail
Dairy	Butter, cream, eggs (bulk)	25-35% off retail

Skip: Produce (quality inconsistent), specialty items (limited range), ground beef (similar to retail).

Tier 1B: Costco Business Center — Pompano Beach

Different from regular Costco. Restaurant-focused products, smaller case packs, more variety in proteins and dairy. Worth the trip for:

• Sushi-grade fish — Kirkland brand is surprisingly good for the price
• Organic produce — Better selection than Restaurant Depot
• Bakery items — Croissants, bread, pastries for crew breakfast
• Wine & spirits — Kirkland brand spirits are repackaged premium products

Tier 2: Seafood — Go to the Source

Fort Lauderdale

• Sea Salt Fish Market (3020 N Federal Hwy) — Wild-caught, responsibly harvested. $8 prep fee for cleaning/filleting. Worth every penny. Call ahead with your order.
• The Fish Peddler (2805 E Commercial Blvd) — Solid quality, good for daily needs.
• Finster Murphy's — Premium selection including caviar and tobiko. When guests want the best.

Miami

• Haulover Marina (Sunny Isles) — The hack nobody tells you. Boats come in at noon and 5pm. Buy directly off the boat. Freshest fish in South Florida, zero middleman. Show up at 12pm, talk to captains, negotiate. Cash preferred.
• Plaza Seafood Market (Allapattah) — Wide variety, whole fish and shellfish, cheapest prices in Miami. Not pretty. Very good.
• Krudo Fish Market (North Miami Beach) — Sushi-grade, kosher-certified. When you need guaranteed quality.

Tier 3: Specialty — Cheese, Charcuterie, Imports

Miami

• Miami Cheese Shop (2900 NE 7th Ave) — Imported and local. Truffles, olives, jams, pastas, honey, vinegars. One stop for charcuterie board provisions.
• Chèvre Miami (multiple locations) — Cheeses and wines from around the world. Online ordering available—have it ready for pickup.
• Marky's Gourmet — When the owner wants caviar, foie gras, or A5 wagyu. Expensive. Quality matches.
• Mimmo's Mozzarella (Miami Beach) — Fresh mozzarella made daily. Burrata that actually tastes like something.

Fort Lauderdale

• Mari's Kitchen Italian Market — Authentic Italian imports. The dried pasta selection alone is worth the trip.
• Whole Foods Market — They offer a free provisioning service with temperature-controlled storage. Let them do the shopping for specialty items while you handle the rest.

Tier 4: Produce — Farmers Markets

• Yellow Green Farmers Market (Hollywood) — 190,000 sq ft, 600+ vendors. Overwhelming in the best way. Go with a list. Saturday/Sunday.
• MKT at Las Olas Oceanside Park — Walking distance from marinas. Organic produce, local cheese, baked goods. Convenient.
• Legion Park Market (Miami, 6601 Biscayne Blvd) — Best organic selection in Miami proper.

Season matters: November through April is peak growing season in South Florida. Tomatoes, avocados, tropical fruits are at their best and cheapest. Summer produce comes from further north—prices increase.

Wholesale Meat & Seafood Suppliers

For larger yachts or extended charters, go direct to wholesale:

• Four Star Poultry & Provision — Since 1967. Locally owned. Will deliver to marina with minimum order.
• Manny's Seafood — All South Florida counties. Competitive pricing. Ask for yacht chef rates.
• MDist (Martinez Distributors) — Family-owned, 20+ years. Latin American specialties plus standard provisions.
• Bar Harbor Seafood — 65,000 sq ft facility with Miami distribution. Large orders.

The Chandlers — When to Use Them

Chandlers aren't the enemy. They're expensive for a reason, and sometimes that reason is worth it:

• Time pressure — Owner arrives tomorrow, you just got the guest preference sheet. Pay the markup.
• Exotic requests — Japanese A5, white truffles in August, specific wine vintages. Chandlers have networks you don't.
• First provision in a new port — Let them handle it while you learn the local market.
• Documentation — Some management companies require chandler receipts for accounting. Check before going rogue.

Best local chandlers:

• Yacht Chandlers — 29 years experience. Daily deliveries to FTL, Miami, West Palm. Team led by an exec chef with 15+ years yachting. They understand what you need.
• National Marine Suppliers — Direct farm/ranch relationships. Good for protein sourcing.
• ODP (On Demand Provisions) — Run by an executive yacht chef. Understands galley realities.
• Just Provisions — Direct gangway delivery to superyachts in Fort Lauderdale.

The Weekly Provision Run — Optimized

Here's how to provision a 50m yacht for a week-long charter, minimizing cost:

Day	Stop	Buy	Method
Day 1 AM	Restaurant Depot	Proteins, pantry, supplies	Go in person (need to select cuts)
Day 1 PM	Costco Business	Dairy, bakery, wine	Go in person or Instacart
Day 2 AM	Haulover Marina / fish market	Seafood	Go in person (must see the fish)
Day 2 PM	Miami Cheese Shop + specialty	Cheese, charcuterie, imports	Phone order + Uber pickup
Day 3	Farmers market	Produce, herbs, specialty	Go in person (inspect quality)

Chandler vs Self-Sourcing: Head-to-Head

Real numbers. Same products. Chandler price vs what you'd pay sourcing yourself.

Item	Chandler	Self-Source	Where	Savings
USDA Prime Ribeye /lb	$32-38	$18-22	Restaurant Depot	~42%
Sashimi-grade tuna /lb	$38-45	$18-25	Haulover Marina	~50%
Yellowtail snapper /lb	$22-28	$10-14	Haulover / Plaza Seafood	~55%
Organic mixed greens /case	$45-55	$28-35	Whole Foods / Costco	~38%
Kerrygold butter /lb	$8-10	$4.50-5.50	Costco Business	~45%
Parmigiano Reggiano /lb	$28-35	$16-20	Costco / Miami Cheese Shop	~43%
EVOO (1L quality)	$22-30	$12-18	Restaurant Depot / Costco	~40%
Film wrap (18" x 2000')	$18-24	$7-9	Restaurant Depot	~63%

On a typical $5,000 provision order, self-sourcing saves $1,500-2,500. That's not a rounding error. That's your value proposition to the owner.

The General Shops: Whole Foods & Publix

Not wholesale. Not specialty. These are your fallback for everything you can't get elsewhere—and surprisingly good for certain categories.

Whole Foods Market

Multiple locations in FTL and Miami. The one most chefs don't know: Whole Foods offers a free provisioning service. Call ahead, give them your list, they shop it, store it temperature-controlled, and have it ready for pickup. No markup beyond retail.

Best for:

• Organic produce — consistently good quality, reliably stocked
• Specialty dietary items — gluten-free, vegan, keto (guest preferences change hourly)
• Fresh herbs — better selection than most markets, year-round
• Prepared items for crew meals — rotisserie chicken, prepared salads (no shame)
• 365 brand basics — good quality at reasonable prices
• Cheese counter — staff actually know what they're selling

Skip: Proteins (overpriced for the grade), pantry staples (Restaurant Depot is half the price), cleaning supplies.

Publix

Locations everywhere. Open early, close late. The reliable workhorse.

Best for:

• BOGO deals — Publix runs aggressive buy-one-get-one on proteins, dairy, and staples. Check the weekly flyer.
• Bakery — surprisingly good sub rolls, bread, and cake decorating on request
• Deli meats — Boar's Head counter, sliced to order
• Emergency provisions — when you need something at 7am before guests wake up
• Pub Subs — for crew. The best $8 sandwich in Florida. Don't pretend you're above it.

Skip: Seafood (frozen and overpriced), specialty items (limited), organic produce (Whole Foods is better).

The Exhaustive List: Every Source in Miami/Fort Lauderdale

Bookmark this. Print it. Laminate it for the galley.

Wholesale / Bulk

Restaurant Depot	FTL, Pompano, Miami, Medley. Proteins, pantry, supplies. Free membership with business license.
Costco Business Center	Pompano Beach. Restaurant-focused. Dairy, bakery, wine, some proteins.
Costco (regular)	Multiple locations. Kirkland organics, spirits, bulk items.
BJ's Wholesale	Multiple locations. Similar to Costco, sometimes better on specific items.

Seafood

Haulover Marina	Sunny Isles. Direct off boats, noon & 5pm. Cash. 40-60% below retail.
Sea Salt Fish Market	3020 N Federal Hwy, FTL. Wild-caught. $8 prep fee. Call ahead.
Plaza Seafood Market	Allapattah, Miami. Cheapest whole fish. Not pretty, very good.
Krudo Fish Market	North Miami Beach. Sushi-grade, kosher. Premium.
The Fish Peddler	2805 E Commercial Blvd, FTL. Solid daily quality.
Finster Murphy's	FTL. Premium. Caviar, tobiko, specialty.
Garcia's Seafood	Miami River. Market + restaurant. Good snapper, stone crab in season.
Manny's Seafood	Wholesale, all South Florida. Minimum order. Ask for yacht rates.
Bar Harbor Seafood	Miami distribution center. 65,000 sq ft. Large wholesale orders.

Meat & Poultry

Restaurant Depot	Best value for USDA Prime/Choice. Select your own cuts.
Four Star Poultry & Provision	Since 1967. Delivers to marina with minimum order. Locally owned.
Jomara Seafood & Meats	Miami. 30 years. Frozen meats, poultry, cheeses too.
MDist (Martinez)	Family-owned. Latin American specialties + standard cuts.
Marky's Gourmet	A5 wagyu, foie gras, premium game. Expensive. Correct quality.

Cheese, Charcuterie & Specialty

Miami Cheese Shop	2900 NE 7th Ave. Truffles, olives, jams, pastas, honey, vinegars.
Chèvre Miami	Multiple locations. Online ordering. Cheeses + wines worldwide.
Mimmo's Mozzarella	Miami Beach. Fresh mozzarella/burrata daily. Italian imports.
Mari's Kitchen	FTL. Authentic Italian market. Dried pasta selection is exceptional.
Marky's Gourmet	Caviar, foie gras, truffle products. When the owner expects the best.

Produce & Farmers Markets

Yellow Green Market	Hollywood. 190,000 sq ft, 600+ vendors. Sat/Sun.
MKT at Las Olas	3000 E Las Olas Blvd. Walking distance from marinas. Organic.
Legion Park Market	6601 Biscayne Blvd, Miami. Best organic selection in Miami.
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea	El Prado Park. Sundays 9am-1pm. Dec-May only.
Robert Is Here	Homestead. Tropical fruit stand. Starfruit, dragon fruit, jackfruit, mamey. Worth the drive.

General Grocery

Whole Foods	Organic, specialty dietary, herbs. Free provisioning service. Multiple locations.
Publix	Everywhere. BOGO deals, bakery, deli. Emergency provisions. Open early/late.
Trader Joe's	Snacks, wine, frozen apps for crew. Good cheese selection for the price.
Presidente Supermarket	Latin American specialty. Tropical produce, spices, yuca, plantains. Cheapest in Miami.

Chandlers & Delivery

Yacht Chandlers	29 years. Daily delivery FTL/Miami/WPB. Chef-led team.
National Marine Suppliers	Direct farm/ranch. Good proteins.
ODP (On Demand Provisions)	Run by exec yacht chef. Understands galley needs.
Just Provisions	Direct gangway delivery. Fort Lauderdale.
Whole Foods Provisioning	Free service. They shop, store, and hold for pickup. No markup.

The Efficient Shopping Protocol

This isn't just for Miami. This is how you provision anywhere, efficiently.

Rule 1: Separate by Perishability

Never buy everything on the same day. Perishability dictates the schedule:

Day	Category	Why This Order
Day 1 (3-4 days before charter)	Dry goods, canned, oils, pantry, cleaning supplies, paper goods	Indefinite shelf life. Store immediately. Done.
Day 2 (2-3 days before)	Meat, poultry, frozen items, dairy, eggs, cheese, charcuterie	Refrigerated/frozen. 3-5 day window. Lock in your proteins.
Day 3 (1 day before)	Fish, shellfish, fresh produce, herbs, bread, flowers	Maximum 48-hour window. Buy as late as possible.
Day 0 (charter day)	Specialty items, last-minute guest requests, fresh berries	Ultra-perishable. Same-day only.

Rule 2: One List, Four Categories

Organize your provision list by store, not by recipe. Group items by where you'll buy them:

1. Wholesale (Restaurant Depot / Costco) — Bulk proteins, pantry, supplies
2. Specialty (fish market, cheese shop) — Quality items that need expert sourcing
3. General (Whole Foods / Publix) — Everything else
4. Market (farmers market) — Produce, herbs, seasonal

Rule 3: The 80/20 Provision

80% of your provision should happen in two stops. The remaining 20% is specialty. If you're visiting more than 4 stores per provision run, your list organization is wrong.

Rule 4: Phone First, Shop Second

Call every specialty supplier before you go. Confirm availability, place the order, give a pickup time. Walking into a fish market hoping they have what you need is gambling with someone else's dinner.

Rule 5: Temperature Chain Never Breaks

• Bring coolers with ice for every run. Non-negotiable.
• Buy frozen/refrigerated items last, produce first.
• Miami in July: your car is 60°C inside. Plan accordingly.
• If using Uber: insulated bags, ice packs, and only for non-perishable or short distances.

Rule 6: Document Everything

Keep a running spreadsheet: supplier, product, price, quality rating. After 3 months you'll have a provisioning bible that no chandler can match. Share it with the next chef—the industry gets better when we help each other.

What NOT to Uber

• Fish. You need to see it, smell it, touch it. Never buy fish you haven't inspected.
• Produce you haven't seen before. New supplier = go in person first time.
• Frozen items in summer. Miami heat + 30 min in an Uber trunk = broken cold chain.
• Anything fragile. Macarons, delicate pastries, ripe fruit.

The Hard Truth

Most yacht chefs default to chandlers because it's easier. Nobody got fired for using the chandler. But if you're spending someone else's money, you should spend it well.

The owner doesn't care whether the truffle came from a chandler or from Marky's. They care that it's good. Your job is quality, not logistics loyalty.

Save $1,000-2,000 per provision run. Do that 20 times a year. You've saved the owner $20,000-40,000. That's the kind of number that gets you kept on salary between charters.