What Qualifications Do You Actually Need to Become a Yacht Chef?

Let me clear this up properly, because there's a lot of confusion (and a lot of people trying to sell you courses you don't need).

The non-negotiables

There are two things you cannot work on a yacht without:

STCW Basic Safety Training. This is the international safety standard for anyone working at sea — firefighting, sea survival, first aid, personal safety. It's about a week long, hands-on, and honestly good fun. Every crew member on board has it, from the captain to the greenest deckhand.

ENG1 Medical Certificate. A seafarer's medical exam done by an approved doctor. It confirms you're fit to work at sea. Quick and painless for most people.

On top of those, a food safety / hygiene certificate is expected for anyone running a galley, and depending on the flag of the vessel and its size, a Ship's Cook Certificate can be required on larger commercially-registered yachts. That last one is worth looking into once you're aiming at bigger boats.

What about cooking qualifications?

Here's my honest take: a formal apprenticeship or culinary school is ideal, but it is not the only way in. There are typically three types of people who become yacht chefs — the fully qualified restaurant chef, the passionate home cook, and the stew or deckhand who has fallen into the galley. I've seen all three succeed.

I did a 4-year apprenticeship starting at 15 in Noosa, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't give me a serious foundation. But in the end, the only judgement that really matters in this industry is what ends up on the table. If the crew and guests are happy, you've done your job.

What actually gets you hired

Paper gets you looked at. These get you hired:

Real cooking ability across breakfast, lunch, dinner and crew food, day after day. References that say you're clean, organised and easy to live with. A portfolio of your food that looks the part. And versatility — extra tickets like a divemaster qualification or deck experience made all the difference for my first yacht job. The boat didn't just hire a chef, they hired a chef who could jump on deck and lead dives.

Don't over-collect certificates

I've watched people spend thousands on every course under the sun before ever stepping on a dock. Get the essentials — STCW, ENG1, food safety — then put your energy into cooking, building references and getting yourself to a yachting hub. Experience beats laminated paper every time.

Want the exact roadmap, in order, without the guesswork? My course Become a Yacht Chef covers it step by step — Module 1 is free.