Yacht Chef Jobs: How to Get Hired in 2026 (5 Steps)
Updated 15 October 2026
How to get a yacht chef job: the short answer
A yacht chef job means cooking for the owner, charter guests and crew on a private or charter superyacht. The galley is small, you often work alone, and you do your own provisioning in whatever port the boat is in. The fastest way in for a professional chef:
- Get the baseline tickets: an ENG1 medical (or an accepted equivalent) and STCW Basic Safety Training.
- Get a Level 2 food hygiene qualification from an awarding body the MCA recognises.
- Build a chef CV and food portfolio: photos of your own plates and sample menus.
- Register with agencies that have a chef desk, and check the galley job boards every day.
- Aim for crew chef or second chef on a big boat for your first season, not sole chef.
Expect agencies to want around two years in a professional kitchen first. Lighthouse Careers puts its entry level at 2–3 years (Lighthouse Careers), the same rule of thumb The Staff Canteen gave back in 2013 (The Staff Canteen). For every other department, see our yacht jobs guide.
Yacht chef positions by yacht size
The size of the boat decides the job. Big yachts run a small brigade, and the smallest yachts combine cooking with interior work.
| Role | Typical yacht | Who you cook for | Where it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galley hand | Normally over 100m | Supports the brigade with prep and cleaning | The most junior galley role |
| Crew chef | Larger yachts with big crews (e.g. an 80m listed in Oct 2026) | The crew, three meals a day | Where agencies often advise starting |
| Sous / second chef | 60m+ (60m and 62m listings in Oct 2026) | Supports the head chef, often doing crew meals | The way in if you're below sous level ashore |
| Head chef | Roughly 50–60m and up | Owner and guests, and runs the galley team | Senior hire; Lighthouse lists 7+ years |
| Sole chef | Mostly up to about 60m | Everyone on board, alone | Suits chefs already at sous or head chef level |
| Cook / stew | Small yachts (e.g. a 22m in Oct 2026) | Guests and crew, plus interior duties | Cooking plus service skills |
Sources: YPI Crew (galley hands, crew chef, cook/stew), Lighthouse Careers (experience levels, head chefs from 50m+), Superyacht Content (sole chef up to 60m, head chef above 60m), The Staff Canteen, and live Yacrew galley listings checked on 15 October 2026. Boat sizes are typical, not rules.
YPI Crew says agencies often advise starting as a crew chef. The Staff Canteen's advice is blunter: "Get on a boat as second or third chef for your first season, regardless of who you are." As sole chef you're "cooking, cleaning and provisioning all on your own", which the same guide says suits people already at sous or head chef level.
Large-ship galleys like this one run full brigades; on a superyacht the same output often falls to one or two chefs, which is why cruise and hotel experience counts but doesn't replace yacht time. Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0.
Certificates yacht chefs need
You need four certificates. Every yacht job requires an ENG1 and STCW, every chef needs a Level 2 food hygiene qualification, and bigger crews want a Ship's Cook Certificate.
| Certificate | Who needs it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ENG1 seafarer medical (or equivalent) | All yacht crew | MSN 1846 |
| STCW Basic Safety Training | All yacht crew | MSN 1846 |
| Level 2 food hygiene / food safety | Ship's cooks, catering staff and anyone processing food in the galley | MIN 689 (M) Amendment 3 |
| MLC Ship's Cook Certificate of Competency | Ships required to carry a qualified cook (see below) | MSN 1846, MCA application page |
Food hygiene: check the course before you pay
MIN 689 (M) Amendment 3 was published on 10 February 2026 and expires on 30 November 2026. It sets Level 2 as the minimum for ship's cooks, catering staff and anyone processing food in the galley. The MCA doesn't approve courses itself. It accepts qualifications from Ofqual-regulated awarding bodies, CIEH and REHIS. Stewards and temporary helpers who handle food don't need it, as long as they work under qualified supervision. Before you book a cheap online course, check its awarding body is on that list.
The Ship's Cook Certificate
Under MSN 1846 (M) Amendment 1, whether a ship needs a qualified cook depends on crew numbers, not tonnage. A ship must carry a qualified ship's cook unless:
- it ordinarily operates with fewer than 10 seafarers, or
- it operates only within 60 miles of a UK safe haven and doesn't go to, from or call at ports outside the UK.
Large yachts may be granted "substantial equivalence" in certain circumstances (MGN 472, SE013). In practice, most yachts with 10 or more crew will want a chef with the certificate. Flag-state rules vary, so check with the captain.
To get the UK certificate you need to:
- be 18 or older
- have at least one month of sea-going service in any capacity
- hold STCW basic safety (PST, FP&FF, EFA, PSSR) plus security awareness
- hold a current ENG1 or equivalent
- complete training that meets the notice's Annex 1 and 2 (the marine cookery assessment)
Passing the assessment doesn't give you the certificate. You still apply to the MCA on form MSF 4395 (application page last updated 24 April 2026). Questions go to [email protected].
Your chef CV and food portfolio
The portfolio gets you the interview more than the CV does. Dockwalk's June 2026 advice on chef CVs calls a well-presented food portfolio essential. It also says to add a profile photo, give employment dates by month as well as year, keep the CV to three pages at most, tailor it to each role, and list references who will answer, because recruiters do call them (Dockwalk).
What to include:
- Photos of your own plates. Not restaurant marketing shots. A link to a food Instagram is fine (Majorca Daily Bulletin).
- Sample menu plans that show range, such as a week of guest menus covering different diets and cuisines.
- Galley-relevant experience such as provisioning, stock control, budgets and private or event catering.
- Your tickets (ENG1, STCW, Level 2, Ship's Cook) near the top.
Our superyacht CV guide covers layout.
The trial: how yacht chefs get tested
Expect to cook before you're hired. Trials are "common in the superyacht hiring process" (Majorca Daily Bulletin). Lighthouse Careers describes both in-person galley trials and practical cooking tests (Lighthouse Careers).
Terms vary from boat to boat. One April 2026 listing for a sole chef on a 40m private yacht offered shortlisted candidates a paid trial at €500 a day with all travel covered (Yacrew). Don't assume every trial is paid. Get the day rate, travel and accommodation agreed in writing before you go.
The galley of the schooner Germania, built in 1908: yacht galleys have always been a fraction of a restaurant kitchen, and sole chefs still cook every meal in a space like this. Photo: Sir James, public domain.
Where yacht chef vacancies are posted
Most chef jobs are filled through agencies and galley job boards. Some come from being in port and meeting crew in person.
- Yacrew galley jobs: about 100 galley listings in mid-October 2026, from cook/stew up to head chef.
- YachtChefs.com: a board only for super yacht chef jobs, running since 2006.
- Lighthouse Careers: has a dedicated yacht chef placement service.
- YPI Crew: recruiters with a chef section who advise on how to present your experience.
- Montclair Chef: a boutique agency for private and superyacht chefs, founded by a yacht chef (Dockwalk).
- Yotspot: a general crew job board with a galley section that includes sole chef listings.
Under MLC 2006, agencies whose main business is recruiting seafarers must not charge you placement fees. The only exceptions are your own medical certificate, seafarer's book and passport (ILO MLC FAQ). See our agency guides for Antibes and Fort Lauderdale.
Being on the dock helps too. Galley daywork and dockwalking put you in front of crew who hear about vacancies before they're advertised.
Med vs Florida and the Caribbean: when chef jobs come up
Hiring follows the yachts. Most of them spend summer in the Med and winter in the Caribbean.
- Med (summer): Crew change for summer starts right after Antigua race week in late April. Antibes and Palma are the main hiring towns (Dockwalk). See yacht jobs in Antibes.
- Fort Lauderdale and the Caribbean (winter): Late summer and autumn is a busy crew-change period as yachts come out of the yard, and the Fort Lauderdale boat show in late October brings the industry together. Mid-April to mid-June, many yachts return to Fort Lauderdale for refit and provisioning (Dockwalk, same source). Need a medical there? See ENG1 in Fort Lauderdale.
Whichever season you work, provisioning is daily work. In Antibes that usually means the covered market in the old town, a short walk from Port Vauban.
The covered Marché Provençal in Antibes old town, where yacht chefs in Port Vauban shop for fresh produce. Photo: Jorge Franganillo, CC BY 4.0.
Yacht chef salary at a glance
Pay depends on yacht size, private or charter, and your experience. These are advertised monthly ranges compiled from 2025 job posts, not guarantees:
| Role | Monthly (2025, EUR) |
|---|---|
| Crew chef / second chef | €4,500 – €7,000+ |
| Sole chef, under 40m | €4,000 – €7,000 |
| Sole chef, 40–60m | €6,500 – €9,500+ |
| Head chef, over 60m | €7,500 – €14,000+ |
Source: Superyacht Content, based on Montclair Chef data and past job posts. Charter tips come on top.
FAQ
Do you need qualifications to be a yacht chef? Yes. Every yacht job needs an ENG1 and STCW, and UK rules set Level 2 food hygiene as the minimum for anyone processing food in the galley. Culinary school isn't a legal requirement, but agencies expect professional kitchen experience.
Can you become a yacht chef with no experience? It's very hard without professional kitchen time, because most agencies want around two years. With less, look at second chef or crew chef roles on bigger boats, or cook/stew roles on small yachts.
What is a sole chef on a yacht? The only chef on board. You cook every meal for guests and crew and do all the provisioning and cleaning yourself, mostly on yachts up to about 60m.
Do yacht chefs need a Ship's Cook Certificate? Under UK rules (MSN 1846), a ship needs a qualified cook unless it normally carries fewer than 10 seafarers or works only near UK safe havens. Most yachts with 10 or more crew will want it, but flag rules vary.
Get seen by captains this season
Once your tickets are sorted, sign up free as crew on Radius. When you check in at a port, captains can see you're there, with your verified ENG1 and STCW and your CV.
Captains and recruiters hiring chefs can find crew on radiusmarine.com.