Become A Yacht Chef Blog
I spent 8 years in land kitchens before 14 at sea, so I've lived both sides of this properly. They share knives and heat — beyond that, they're different careers.
In a restaurant, you master one menu. On a yacht, you cook everything.
A restaurant chef refines the same dishes night after night unti...
I get asked this constantly, and I've done years of both — three years private with the same family, then charter on boats up to 88 metres. Here's the honest comparison.
Private: you become part of the family
On a private boat you cook for the same owner, learn their tastes to the decimal point, a...
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 ...
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"...
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,...
I'm going to give you an honest insight into both options — from someone who has actually worked on both.
Pictured ~ My first superyacht job on the 30m M/Y EnCore, anchored off the famous Monuriki Island in Fiji.
So far in my career I've worked on a couple of dive boats (23m–35m), a sailing cata...
What might make you stand out in the crowd of hundreds of yacht chefs!
It all started in 2011. I was back in Australia, strapped for cash after two years of budget travelling around Europe. I needed money fast. Remote restaurants and establishments in outback Australia pay well to attract chefs, ...
Versatility, flexibility, composure, organisation and humility. These are the qualities that will make you a great yacht chef in this industry.
There are typically three types of people who become yacht chefs:
- The fully qualified chef who has completed an apprenticeship and worked in restaurant ...
