"I knew I had this wanderlust bug that had to be fed."

That's how Cameron native Mary Beth Lawton Johnson explains how she backed into a career as one of the top mega-yacht chefs in the world. After 18 years in the industry, she still spends the majority of her time living at sea.

"We just spent a year on the yacht. When the owner and guests are on board, it's hectic," Johnson said. "What I love about what I do is the chance to have a fast-paced life. I'm living in it every day."

For the last 11 years, Johnson has been employed on the privately owned motor yacht Rebecca. Her husband, Richard, is the captain.

Growing up in a landlocked town, Johnson describes her early years as idyllic, but unremarkable. She lived with her two sisters and brother, her father, the late Dr. Boyce Lawton, and her mother, Mary Donna Lawton Mellon. Johnson's twin sister died in 2002.

"I had a Norman Rockwell-painting childhood in Cameron. It was the best that you could imagine," Johnson said. "We made the Cleavers (of TV's 'Leave it to Beaver') look twisted.

"I was 19 when I left for college, but I have never gone back to live there."

Johnson says she didn't spend a great deal of time in the kitchen growing up. A student at Orangeburg's old Wade Hampton Academy before transferring to Calhoun Academy, she says her first formal cooking experience gave no indication of what was to come.

"I do remember flunking home economics in high school," Johnson said. "My teacher wanted me to make a cake her way and not my way.

"My cakes now are very unique and hand-painted. I am more into cuisine on the art side rather than the eating. I cook some good food, though."

Two years ago, Johnson founded Creative Arts and Media, a company specializing in food styling and photography for all forms of media. Johnson and her culinary creations have appeared in major publications such as Good Housekeeping and Caribbean Travel & Life magazines. She is also a regular contributor to The Triton magazine and Upscale Living Magazine.

Johnson says her introduction into the mega-yacht world began when she worked at a Hilton Head restaurant.

"My friend was a yacht broker there, and he needed them cleaned. So I began by cleaning yachts and worked my way up," Johnson said. "I was also dating a guy who invited me along on one of the sailboat trips. They found out I could cook, and that is literally how it started."

Johnson credits one of the premier yacht crew agents in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., with inspiring her to become a chef.

"She looked at my résumé and said, 'You can't call yourself a chef or a cook. You need to take some culinary courses for me to recommend you that way,'" Johnson said. "I got mad, but I did something about my education. I spent a minimum of the next three years reading professional texts and learned what I needed to know.

"Although she died recently, it was because of her that I became a chef. I don't think she ever knew she had (ticked) off a yachtie."

Johnson's culinary training came online through the American Culinary Federation, which she says is one of the most prestigious in the world. The organization's guidelines for certification include computer testing, a culinary cooking practicum and courses in management.

As a result, Johnson is a chef de cuisine and an executive pastry chef, for which she must be re-certified every five years.

"I actually received three culinary designations, but I had to choose two," Johnson said. "It's hard to see two culinary designations for a chef now because most only have one."

Johnson has since taught as a guest chef and spoken at various functions. Her next speaking engagement on provisioning yachts, budget and fiduciary controls with guidelines for chefs is Oct. 30 at the 50th annual Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Not too bad for a woman who admits she never finished college.

"I went to Anderson Junior College, and I was the only Lutheran in a school full of Baptists," Johnson said. "Later, I went to the University of South Carolina. I never had the opportunity to sit in a culinary classroom. I've always felt lacking in education, but you can't get any higher in my field."

Johnson's moxie was especially evident during a personal experience that occurred four years ago.

"I got a phone call from a woman that owns one of the largest crew placement agencies in the country," Johnson said. "She asked me if I was interested in being an executive chef aboard a yacht named Octopus that had 66 full-time crew members."

"When I heard the salary, I said, 'Tell the owner it has to double before I would even think about the offer.' Do you know who owned that yacht? It was Paul Allen, the co-founder of Microsoft," she said with a laugh. "I turned down Paul Allen!"

T&D Staff Writer Phil Sarata can be reached by e-mail at psarata@timesanddemocrat.com or by telephone at 803-533-5540. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

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Chocolate molten lava cake

5 egg yolks and 6 whole eggs

1/2 cup of vanilla sugar (take a vanilla bean and put it in a container of sugar. Give it two days to infuse the sugar. Use sugar as needed. Can use plain sugar.)

10 ounces of bittersweet dark chocolate, broken into bits

2 sticks of unsalted butter, more for greasing baking ramekins

1/2 cup of flour, sifted

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla sugar until pale. Melt the chocolate and butter slowly in a pot set over hot water. Remove from heat, and add the egg mixture. Incorporate until smooth. Fold in the flour.

Pour into buttered 5-ounce ramekins, and put in refrigerator to chill and firm. Pull out and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the center domes. Set a timer so that you don't overbake them and ruin the effect of flowing chocolate when it is cut open.

Unmold and serve with fresh raspberries, raspberry drizzle or ice cream.

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