Role overview
Open recruitment for crewing agencies and shipowners we work with. This page is not a single vacancy: apply to be considered for Cook posts on yachts when they open.
On a yacht the chef cooks for the owner and guests to a restaurant standard and often also for the crew. Large yachts have a head chef, a sous chef and a crew cook; smaller yachts have one chef who does everything. Menus follow the guests’ preferences and dietary needs, which may change daily, and provisioning in remote cruising areas needs careful planning and storage.
Certificates for Cook posts on yachts
- Ship’s cook qualification under MLC 2006 (Regulation 3.2): on MLC-compliant yachts with a larger crew a fully qualified ship’s cook is required; the UK MCA issues a Ship’s Cook Certificate
- Basic Training (STCW Reg. VI/1) and security awareness (VI/6)
- Food hygiene certificate (for example Level 2 Food Safety and Hygiene for Catering)
- A seafarer medical certificate; many yacht employers ask for the UK ENG1
Watches, trade and contract
Yacht chefs work long days when guests are on board, from breakfast service to late dinners, and have quieter weeks when the yacht has no guests. Galley space is small compared with a restaurant, so planning and storage matter. Charter guests often send preference sheets before the trip. The chef also keeps food safety records, as on any ship under MLC 2006, and checks the cold rooms, stores and drinking water with the chief stewardess or the officer in charge.
Contract length: seasonal, rotational or permanent, set by the owner or management company, set by the employer for each vacancy.
What employers ask for
- Restaurant or yacht chef experience with a sample menu or portfolio
- Experience with special diets and different cuisines
- Provisioning and budgeting experience
- References from captains, chief stewards or owners
How to apply
- Create a free seafarer account and confirm your email address.
- Fill in your CV with your sea service on yachts, your CoC and the certificates listed above, and upload copies.
- Apply to this post and make your profile visible to verified employers, so crewing agencies and shipowners can find you when a vacancy opens.
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More jobs
- All Cook jobs
- Yachts: ranks and requirements
- Yacht Captain Jobs (Master, Yacht)
- Chief Engineer Jobs on Yachts
- Cook on bulk carriers
- Cook on passenger ships
Seafarers: see how Seafarers Recruitment works for seafarers. Employers and crewing agencies: post a vacancy or search crew.