For Captains, Owners & Management · USA & Caribbean

Yacht Chef Recruitment in Fort Lauderdale

Hire a vetted yacht chef in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, the Bahamas or Caribbean. Visa status, STCW and references verified up front. Chef-founded recruitment, shortlist in 48 hours.

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Recruiting a yacht chef in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale is the gateway to the American and Caribbean season, and the hiring constraints here are practical before they are culinary. Visa status decides the shortlist as much as cooking does — a superb European chef with no B1/B2 is not a candidate for a US-flagged programme in November, however good the food is.

We front-load that. Every candidate we put forward for a Florida or Caribbean brief has had visa status, ENG1, STCW and food safety verified before you see the name, so you are not three interviews deep before discovering someone cannot legally join. It sounds basic. It is also the single most common way US briefs waste a captain's fortnight.

Where we place

Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach and Newport through the US season, then across to the Bahamas, St Barths, Antigua, the BVI and the wider Caribbean. Many of the programmes we recruit for run New England in summer and the islands in winter.

What a Fort Lauderdale brief usually needs

Visa status verified

B1/B2 and, where relevant, C1/D or US citizenship confirmed before a name reaches your shortlist. American chefs where the programme requires one.

Caribbean provisioning

Island supply is nothing like the Med. We screen for chefs who can plan a crossing, freeze intelligently and still put out fresh-tasting food in week three.

US charter standard

High-volume charter with demanding preference sheets and heavy dietary requirements — allergies, vegan, keto, gluten-free, often all at one table.

Seasonal to permanent

Many US briefs start seasonal with a view to permanent. We screen for chefs looking for the same shape of role.

Fees for US and Caribbean placements

Fixed €2,500 all-in, or a success fee of one month's salary payable only when you hire. Charter and short-term cover of 90 days or fewer is 33.3% of total salary paid, minimum €500. Every search carries 7 days of exclusive attention and a 60-day replacement guarantee. In accordance with MLC 2006, chefs are never charged for placement.

"Dean kept my CV on hand and forwarded it directly to the captain when the position became available. It has been the perfect fit."— Chef Ben Descoteau, 60m M/Y Come Together

Frequently asked questions

Do you check visa status before sending candidates?

Yes. B1/B2 and, where relevant, C1/D or US citizenship is verified before a name reaches your shortlist, along with ENG1, STCW and food safety certification. Visa status decides US shortlists as much as cooking does.

Do you cover the Bahamas and Caribbean as well as Florida?

Yes. We place across Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach and Newport, and through the Bahamas, St Barths, Antigua, the BVI and the wider Caribbean.

Can you find an American chef specifically?

Yes. Where a programme requires a US citizen or a chef already holding the right status, we filter for that from the outset rather than presenting candidates who cannot legally join.

What does it cost to hire a yacht chef in Fort Lauderdale?

A fixed €2,500 all-in fee, or a success fee of one month's salary payable only when you hire, with a 60-day replacement guarantee.

Other recruitment locations

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