Captain / Chef
A Captain / Chef runs the boat and the galley. You plan the passage, take the helm, brief the guests on safety, then cook lunch for eight at anchor. The job lives on yachts from about 15m to 30m, often catamarans and sailing yachts in charter fleets. It suits people who can cook well and hold a commercial command ticket.
The jobWhat fills the day
The work splits two ways. As captain you hold legal command: passage planning, weather, anchoring, engine checks, paperwork, port clearance and crew. As chef you write menus, provision, cook three meals a day and keep the galley to food hygiene standards. On a crewed charter catamaran in the Caribbean you may also drive the tender, fix the watermaker and teach a guest to paddleboard. Nobody else on board will cover for you, so your planning has to be sound.
With guests aboard the days are long. Breakfast at 07:30, a morning move to a new anchorage, lunch, snorkelling runs, sundowners and a plated dinner. You cook while the boat sits at anchor and leave the helm to your mate or partner, or you time passages around meals. Between charters the work turns to maintenance, provisioning and admin. On a private yacht with a regular owner the pace is steadier and menus follow the family's tastes and diets.
Most hires are couples. Charter fleets in the BVI, Bahamas, Greece and Croatia advertise for a captain and a chef/host, and a captain who cooks well can pair with a partner who works as mate or stew. Employers want a commercial ticket, a strong safety record and real cooking ability. Photos of your food and charter guest reviews often matter as much as the CV. Previous charter experience is close to essential.
People arrive from both directions. Some are skippers or mates who learned to cook; others are chefs who sailed for years and took their Yachtmaster commercially. From here, many move up to captaining larger yachts where a separate chef is employed, which means upgrading to Master 500gt or 3000gt. Others stay in the dual role for its independence, or move ashore to charter management or running their own charter boat.
Skills captains look for
- Passage planning and pilotage
- Charter menu planning
- Provisioning in remote islands
- Guest safety briefings
- Basic diesel and systems maintenance
- Dietary and allergy management
- Charter guest hosting
A day aboardCharter day, 24m sailing catamaran, British Virgin Islands
Check the forecast and anchor, run engine and generator checks, top up the watermaker log.
Bake bread, set out fruit and cook eggs to order for six guests.
Weigh anchor at Norman Island and sail to Cooper Island while the mate handles lines and trims the sails.
Anchor, brief guests on snorkel safety and run them to the reef in the tender.
Serve a lunch of grilled mahi tacos, salads and a lime tart prepared the night before.
Two hours off in the cabin while guests swim and the mate keeps watch.
Clear in paperwork for tomorrow's run to Jost Van Dyke, then start dinner prep.
Plate a three-course dinner, then clean the galley and check the anchor alarm.
Write tomorrow's menu and provisioning list, then turn in.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Charter tips of 10-20% of the charter fee are shared among the small crew and can match or beat salary in a busy Caribbean or Mediterranean season. Couple packages are common, and private boats tend to pay a steadier salary with fewer tips. See the Captain & Relief Captain salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- RYA Yachtmaster Offshore or Ocean with commercial endorsement, or MCA Master 200gt
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- RYA VHF SRC
Gets you hired
- MCA Master 500gt
- Ship's Cook Certificate
- PDSD
- Medical Care on Board or Elementary First Aid
- AEC
Visas
- US B1/B2
- Schengen (if not EU national)
Where it leadsA typical career path
Captain & Relief Captain jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to be a trained chef?
No, but you have to cook to charter standard. Guests are paying luxury prices and will judge you on your food. A culinary course or a Ship's Cook Certificate helps, and so does a portfolio of plated dishes.
Why are these jobs so often for couples?
Boats this size have room for two or three crew. Charter companies prefer a couple who already work well together, and one cabin for crew keeps the guest space free.
Which ticket do I need to start?
An RYA Yachtmaster Offshore with commercial endorsement covers most charter boats under 24m within 150 miles of a safe haven. Larger yachts or longer passages usually need a Yachtmaster Ocean or Master 200gt.
Where are most of the jobs?
The BVI, Bahamas, Grenadines and Antigua in winter, then Greece, Croatia and the Balearics in summer. Charter catamaran fleets hire heavily from October for the Caribbean season.