Summary
- Simón Lopez, Diego Coudous, and Diego Guarinelo were cooks on ships embarking on long overseas voyages in the late 17th to early 18th centuries.
- The Provincial Archive of Cádiz has recovered their wills, shedding light on the difficult and often perilous conditions they faced at sea.
- The role of the ship’s cook was vital, with specific provisions outlined in naval legislation equating their importance to that of other key crew members.
- Despite challenges like poor food quality, illness, and limited resources, these round-trip cooks played a heroic yet often fatal role in maritime exploration.