How to become a yacht chef in 2026 — the certifications you need (STCW, ENG1, Food Safety), how to build experience, write a yacht CV, and land your first superyacht chef job.
Becoming a yacht chef is one of the most rewarding moves a cook can make: travel, tax-advantaged pay, and the freedom to cook at a level restaurants rarely allow. But breaking in takes the right certificates, the right experience, and a CV that captains take seriously. Here's the path.
Before any boat will take you, you'll typically need:
These are non-negotiable and comparatively quick to obtain. Without them, your CV won't clear the first filter.
Yacht galleys reward chefs who can produce refined food in tight spaces under pressure. Fine-dining, private-household or high-end catering experience translates well. If you're coming from restaurants, be ready to demonstrate you can adapt to limited storage, remote provisioning and cooking while underway.
Yacht CVs have their own conventions: one to two pages, a photo, vessel sizes and roles, references from previous boats, and your certificates listed clearly. Highlight cuisine styles, dietary specialisms and any charter experience. Generic restaurant CVs get skipped.
The first seat is the hardest. Common routes in include temp and daywork (a low-risk way for boats to try you), the Mediterranean season (dockwalking in yachting hubs), and registering with a specialist agency that will put you forward when the right entry-level role appears. Temp work in particular is the classic way to convert a trial into a permanent seat.
Once you're aboard, references and longevity are your currency. A clean record of well-run galleys and happy owners is what moves you from sous to sole to head chef — and up the salary scale detailed in our 2026 yacht chef salary guide.
Want structured training? Dean's Become a Yacht Chef programme walks you through the whole journey. When you're ready for roles, register with Yacht Chef Jobs and we'll match you as positions come in.