Most agencies will not publish a number. Here is how the fee models actually work, what each one costs on a real salary, and what to ask before you instruct anyone.
Yacht crew recruitment fees are one of the least transparent parts of this industry. Most agency websites will not publish a number. You are invited to “contact us to discuss terms tailored to your requirements”, which usually means the price depends on what they think you will pay.
I publish mine, and this guide explains how the models work generally — including the parts that cost owners money without anyone mentioning them upfront.
The most common model in yacht recruitment. You pay nothing upfront and a fee becomes due only when a chef you hire starts work. The fee is typically calculated as a multiple of salary — commonly one month's salary, sometimes more, plus VAT where applicable.
Where it suits you: no risk if the search produces nothing, and the agency's interest is aligned with actually filling the role.
The catch nobody mentions: because the fee scales with salary, a percentage-based success fee gives the agency a quiet incentive toward the higher-paid candidate. It also means an identical amount of work costs you more on a 70m than a 40m.
A flat amount agreed regardless of the chef's salary, often with a deposit on instruction that is credited against the balance.
Where it suits you: you know the number in advance, and it does not inflate with the package. On senior roles this is frequently the cheaper model by a wide margin.
The catch: a deposit is usually payable whether or not you hire, so ask what happens to it if the search produces nobody. It should at minimum remain valid as credit rather than simply disappearing.
Used mainly for senior or highly confidential positions. You pay in staged instalments — commonly a third on instruction, a third on shortlist, a third on placement — and the agency works the role exclusively.
Where it suits you: genuinely difficult or discreet searches where you want guaranteed dedicated attention.
The catch: you carry the risk. If the search fails you have still paid a substantial share.
You choose the model per position, rather than being assigned one.
| Placement type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Option 1 — Fixed fee Permanent placements | €2,500 flat, all-in. A €500 deposit on instruction, credited in full against the balance. |
| Option 2 — Success fee Permanent placements | Nothing upfront. One month of the chef's salary + VAT, payable only when you hire. |
| Short-term / charter 90 days or fewer, including travel days | 33.3% of total salary paid, minimum €500. |
| Multiple placements 2 or more chefs under one engagement (Option 2) | 100% of the highest salary, plus 75% for each additional chef. |
Under the fixed-fee option, if no hire results the €500 deposit stays valid as credit toward any recruitment with us for 12 months. Invoices are issued when your chosen chef accepts the offer and are payable within 14 days, before the chef's start date. The 60-day replacement guarantee applies when payment is made on time.
The two models diverge sharply as salary rises. Using the monthly figures we see across current placements — and you can cross-check these against our yacht chef salary guide:
| Chef's monthly salary | Success fee (1 month) | Our fixed fee | Which is cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| €4,500 — junior / smaller vessel | €4,500 + VAT | €2,500 | Fixed, by roughly €2,000 |
| €7,000 — mid-range head chef | €7,000 + VAT | €2,500 | Fixed, by roughly €4,500 |
| €9,000 — 44m to 55m head chef | €9,000 + VAT | €2,500 | Fixed, by roughly €6,500 |
| €13,000 — large vessel senior | €13,000 + VAT | €2,500 | Fixed, by roughly €10,500 |
Which is why we let you pick. On a senior permanent hire the fixed fee is almost always the better deal for the client, and we would rather tell you that than quietly bill the percentage. The success fee earns its place when you want zero outlay until a chef is actually aboard, or when the search may not proceed.
Figures above are illustrative calculations from published rates, not quotes. VAT treatment depends on your circumstances.
Owners routinely budget the agency fee and forget the rest. Under standard terms, and under MLC 2006, the employer carries:
None of this is unusual, but it belongs in the budget from the start rather than arriving as a surprise after the offer.
A replacement guarantee is the part of the agreement that matters most and gets read least. Ours works like this: if a placed chef voluntarily resigns within 60 days of starting, and the fee was paid on terms, we source a replacement at no additional cost. If we cannot find one, a proportional credit note is issued at 10% of the fee per full week not worked.
The distinction to check with anyone is resignation versus dismissal. Most guarantees in this industry, including ours, cover voluntary resignation as standard and treat dismissals case by case. That is reasonable — but you want to know it now rather than during a dispute.
A fair question, and the honest answer is that it depends on the role. For a junior galley position on a small private boat with a light programme, a captain with good industry contacts may do fine alone.
Where an agency earns the fee is when the cost of getting it wrong is high: a charter season already booked, a sole-chef role where there is no one to cover, a demanding owner, or a hire that has to happen in days rather than weeks. A failed placement in peak season costs the recruitment again at the worst possible time, plus crew disruption and guest experience during the weeks that actually generate revenue.
Set against that, a fixed €2,500 with a replacement guarantee is a small number.
“The experience was smooth and straightforward from start to finish. He was always approachable, easy to communicate with, and very transparent. His honest, no-pressure approach made all the difference.”
Chef Manoel Crisanto — 88m M/Y Project X
Either a fixed placement fee or a success fee calculated from salary. Ours is €2,500 fixed, or one month of the chef's salary plus VAT payable only on hire. Short-term and charter placements of 90 days or fewer are charged at 33.3% of total salary paid, minimum €500.
No, and they must not. Under MLC 2006 Regulation 1.4 and Standard A1.4, private seafarer recruitment and placement services may not charge seafarers for finding them work. The employer pays. Any agency charging chefs is operating outside the convention.
A fixed fee is usually cheaper on senior roles, because a success fee scales with salary while the work does not. A success fee suits situations where you want no outlay until a chef is actually aboard. On a €9,000-a-month head chef position the difference is around €6,500.
Between 60 and 90 days across the industry. Ours is 60 days for voluntary resignation, with a proportional credit note at 10% of the fee per full week not worked if we cannot source a replacement. Always confirm in writing whether dismissal is covered.
A clause making the placement fee payable if you engage a chef the agency introduced — directly or through a third party — within a defined period. Ours is 12 months. It exists to stop introductions being used and then routed around, and it is standard practice.
Because a fee that is quoted after a consultation can be adjusted to the client. There are legitimate reasons pricing varies by role complexity, but an agency that will not give you any number before a call is choosing flexibility over transparency.
Send one brief and receive a shortlist of vetted, pre-screened yacht chefs within 48 hours. Choose the fixed €2,500 fee or pay nothing until you hire — your call, per position. Every placement is backed by the 60-day replacement guarantee, and under MLC 2006 we never charge chefs a fee.