The person picking your chef has probably never cooked a charter. I have. I'm still doing it. Send me a brief and you'll have a shortlist inside 48 hours — every name on it someone I'd put in my own galley.
Send Your BriefA CV tells you where someone has worked. It doesn't tell you whether they can hold a galley together on day three of a busy charter, when the preference sheet has changed twice, the provisioning didn't land and the crew still need feeding at eleven.
That's the part that gets missed. Most agencies are matching words on a page, because nobody in the office has done the job. I read the same CV and I know what the gaps mean — why someone left a boat after four months, whether a restaurant background actually transfers, whether "fine dining" meant running a section or running a pass.
I've been cooking on yachts for 14 years, up to 88m, and I'm still on boats. That's the whole difference. I'm not selling you a database. I'm telling you which four chefs are worth your time.
Two separate numbers, and people usually only ask about one. There's what the chef earns, and there's what it costs to find them.
A 2026 guide, monthly and before tips. These come from roles actually advertised and filled, not scraped from other salary pages.
| Role | Vessel size | Monthly (before tips) |
|---|---|---|
| Sole chef | 30–45m | $4,000–6,000 |
| Head chef | 45–70m | $7,000–11,000 |
| Head chef | 70m+ | $11,000–13,000+ |
| Sous chef | 50m+ | $4,500–7,000 |
| Crew chef | 60m+ | $4,000–6,000 |
| Temp / freelance | Any | $300–500 per day |
Vessel size sets a floor, not a ceiling. A 44m private boat recently went out at €9,000 for a solo head chef — well above the usual band for that length. Programme, owner expectations and how much they care about food move the number more than metres do. Budget low and you'll spend the season replacing people.
You choose which, per role:
Every search comes with 7 days of exclusive, dedicated attention and a 60-day replacement guarantee. Chefs are never charged a penny — that's MLC 2006, and it's not optional.
Worth saying plainly: on a fixed fee I earn the same whether the chef is on €6,000 or €11,000. There's no incentive for me to talk your package up.
Vessel, role, itinerary, and what the owner actually likes to eat. Two minutes is enough.
A handful of chefs, not a database dump. Only people I'd vouch for by name.
You interview, you trial. I handle references, certificates and the offer logistics.
Backed by the 60-day replacement guarantee when payment terms are met.
"Dean moved quickly, finding both a full-time crew chef and securing a temp head for a charter. The top in the industry in my experience."— Captain Clinton Roos, 63m M/Y SuRi
"As a fellow chef himself, Dean truly understands the intricacies of our profession — the high-pressure kitchen and the specific needs of clients looking for top culinary talent."— Chef Imre Erdelyi, 63m M/Y SuRi
Two costs. The chef's salary — roughly $4,000–6,000 a month for a sole chef on 30–45m, $7,000–11,000 for a head chef on 45–70m, and $11,000–13,000 or more above 70m. Then the placement fee: a fixed €2,500 all-in, or one month of the chef's salary plus VAT payable only when you hire. Short-term and charter placements are 33.3% of total salary paid, minimum €500.
Before tips, as a 2026 guide: sole chef 30–45m, $4,000–6,000. Head chef 45–70m, $7,000–11,000. Head chef 70m+, $11,000–13,000 or more. Sous chef 50m+, $4,500–7,000. Crew chef 60m+, $4,000–6,000. Temp and freelance chefs work on day rates of $300–500. On a charter boat, tips move all of this considerably.
Shortlist within 48 hours of your brief. Every search includes 7 days of dedicated, exclusive attention.
No. Under MLC 2006 chefs are never charged for placement. The fee is paid by the client only.
A 60-day replacement guarantee applies when the fee is paid on time. If a placed chef voluntarily resigns within 60 days of starting, I source a replacement at no additional cost.
Yes. Qualifications, STCW and medical certificates verified, references checked, before anyone reaches your shortlist.
Mediterranean and Caribbean mainly, worldwide when needed. Heaviest around Antibes and the French Riviera, Monaco, Palma de Mallorca and Fort Lauderdale. I work the same season you do.
Both, plus private households and travelling positions. Briefs have ranged from a sole chef on a 37m private motor yacht to a full galley team on a 150m-plus.
Yes — short-notice charter cover is a core part of the work, and recent briefs have been filled with days of notice. Short-term placements of 90 days or fewer are 33.3% of total salary paid, minimum €500.
I recruit wherever the fleet is and know the crew market in each hub. If your vessel is berthed in one of these, there are likely vetted chefs nearby already.
The densest crew market in yachting. Chefs available at short notice through the Med season.
Yacht chef recruitment in Antibes →Refit and Balearics season base. Strong pool of sole and head chefs.
Yacht chef recruitment in Palma →US and Caribbean season gateway. B1/B2 and American-market chefs.
Yacht chef recruitment in Fort Lauderdale →Want the detail on pay before you set a package? Read the full 2026 yacht chef salary guide, or the longer guide to hiring a yacht chef.