Become A Yacht Chef Blog
Two of the most common ways into yachting, two very different daily lives. Having spent 14 years in the galley alongside some brilliant interior teams, here's the honest comparison.
Getting in
Stew is the more accessible entry: STCW, ENG1, a strong service attitude and ideally a silver-service or ...
On land, your produce arrives at the back door at 7am. At sea, keeping a five-star kitchen supplied anywhere on earth is half the job — and honestly, one of my favourite parts of it.
The golden rule: plan backwards from the itinerary
Before a trip I'm studying the route like a navigator. Where can...
Let's have the conversation the brochures skip. The mental side of this job is real, it catches good people off guard, and talking about it honestly is the best preparation there is.
What you're actually signing up for
Months living centimetres from the same faces. Missing weddings, Christmases an...
This is the question underneath all the others — so let's answer it properly. Not with a personality quiz, but with the honest questions I'd ask you over a coffee before you spent a cent on courses or flights.
Ask yourself these, honestly
Can you live in close confinement? Not "do you like people"...
This is the question I get asked more than any other. So here's the honest answer, and then the part almost nobody tells you — which matters far more than the number itself.
The short answer
Yacht chef salaries generally run between $48,000 and $160,000 a year — plus tips on charter yachts.
That'...
I've literally been hired every single way possible — through an agent, word of mouth, a fellow yachtie, LinkedIn and even Instagram. So take it from someone who's tested every channel: here's where first jobs actually come from.
Be where the boats are
You cannot break into yachting from your bedr...
First, the good news: this is the beauty of yachting — it can give almost anyone a chance to prove themselves. I've worked alongside brilliant yacht chefs who never set foot in culinary school. But let's be real about what "no experience" means and how you bridge the gap.
The truth up front
Nobody...
Hundreds of chefs apply for the good boats. Here's what actually separates the hired from the hopeful — from someone who's been on both sides of it.
Versatility is key. I can't stress this enough.
My first yacht job wasn't won on cooking alone. The boat had a unique chef/deck position, and my PADI...
Every land chef who steps into a galley has the same moment: where's the rest of the kitchen? Here's what cooking at sea actually demands — and the tricks that make it work.
The space
A galley on a 30m yacht can be smaller than a food truck, and you're producing tasting menus out of it. Every cent...
Straight answer: it depends entirely on where you're starting from. Here are the honest timelines I've seen play out over 14 years in this industry.
If you're already a working chef
You're closer than you think. STCW Basic Training takes about a week, the ENG1 medical takes a morning, and a food s...
Yes — nearly every yacht chef I know started on land, including me. Eight years in land kitchens before I ever cooked at sea. But the transition has traps, so here's what actually transfers and what you'll need to build.
What transfers beautifully
Speed, organisation, working clean under pressure,...
You're cooking for people who eat at the best restaurants on earth as a matter of routine. Here's what they actually expect — and what they remember.
Everything starts with the preference sheet
Before guests step aboard, you receive their preference sheet: likes, dislikes, allergies, diets, favour...
