**Video**
Set: Galley
Setup: Camera on Tripod
Script:
Dean: Nowadays, you can become a highly successful yacht chef having never working in a proper kitchen before. Years ago, at the start of my yachting career I would have advised people to go go and do an apprenticeships. It was too much to expect people to learn all the things they need to know about food, and also all the things they need to know about yachting, to become a full fledged yacht chef. You just couldn’t get the experience necessary.
Technology has changed the game though, nowadays there are incredible ways to learn cooking techniques online, and practice them at home. Through a combination of youtube, and paid online courses, it’s possible to develop a skillset in cooking that is strong enough to get started.
I’ll be honest, this path is the hardest! There will probably be a lot of tears, you will be challenged constantly, but it is possible! If you’re getting your start, you’re better off focusing on smaller yachts where you’ll be a combo role yachtie, combining being a Deckhand and a Cook or a Steward and a Cook. You can also look to be a Crew Chef on a larger yacht. One of the best known examples of this is someone you probably know or have heard of and that’s Nina Wilson. She put in the time, focused on getting bits of land based experience in her time off, and now she is a highly capable Head Chef who is killing it.
The way forward for you if you’re going this route is to focus on getting sharp at home, cook for your friends, cook for your family, get a rounded base before you leave. Do a short course here and there if you can, you don’t need to do a full 4 year apprenticeship, but even a few weeks in an academy is going to help you with terminology and basic prep skills that will pay massive dividends in the future.
When you are on the yacht, you’re really going to have to focus on being friendly and getting allies! You naturally going to need to keep honing your skills, and you won’t have that to fall back on. You’ll need the help of your Head Chef and the other Crew to help guide you as you take on your new career. Stick with it, and you’ll achieve things you could only dream of.