Sushi Chef
A sushi chef is a specialist hire. You'll mostly find the job on yachts over 80m, where the owner wants omakase at anchor to the same standard as their favourite counter in Tokyo or London. You run one section of a brigade, and you answer for fish quality, rice and knife work. Most of these jobs go to chefs with years of formal Japanese training behind them.
The jobWhat fills the day
The work centres on sourcing fish and handling it. You buy whole fish, break it down, age it where that suits the fish, and keep it at the right temperature through a cold chain that has to work in the Bahamas as well as it does in the Med. You season and hold rice to your own standard. Then you serve it, often at a counter set up on the sundeck or in the dining room, with guests watching every cut. You also help the wider galley with crew meals, canapés and other services when sushi isn't on the menu.
With the owner aboard, the days are long and depend on what the owner likes. One family might want sushi at lunch every day. Another might ask for one omakase dinner a week, with kaiseki-style courses on the other nights. With no guests aboard, you deep-clean, sharpen and maintain your knives and kit, order from Japanese suppliers, and cook for the crew. On rotational yachts over 100m you may share the role with a relief chef. On smaller yachts the job usually turns into a sous chef post with sushi as your speciality.
Captains and head chefs hire on proof of skill. They want to see years at a serious Japanese restaurant, a clear pedigree on your CV, and usually a trial service before you're offered the job. Japanese nationals and chefs trained in Japan are common in the role. Plenty of European, Australian and South African chefs who have worked under respected itamae get hired too. Yacht experience helps but isn't essential. Agents will often place a strong shore chef as long as their STCW and ENG1 are in order.
Most sushi chefs move up one of two ways. Some stay specialists, building a name for owner trips and short-term contracts, and those day rates can be very good. Others broaden into a sous chef role and then head chef, using Japanese cuisine as their speciality while they learn menu planning, budgets and provisioning across a full galley. A few go on to cook for one owner across several yachts and residences ashore.
Skills captains look for
- Whole fish butchery
- Shari rice preparation
- Omakase counter service
- Cold chain management
- Japanese knife maintenance
- Global seafood sourcing
- Allergen and raw-fish safety
A day aboardOwner trip, 95m motor yacht, Maldives
Meet the tender at the jetty to collect yellowfin tuna and reef fish bought through the agent in Malé. Check each fish for eye clarity, gill colour and core temperature before it comes aboard.
Break down the tuna into akami, chutoro and otoro blocks. Wrap them and label them for the aging fridge.
Crew breakfast and a short galley meeting with the head chef about today's menus and one guest's shellfish allergy.
Wash and cook the rice, then season it with your own vinegar blend. Prep garnishes, grate fresh wasabi and set up the counter for a light lunch.
Serve a nigiri and chirashi lunch on the aft deck for eight guests. Talk the owner through the fish when asked.
Two hours off. Rest in your cabin or take a swim from the crew platform if the chief officer allows it.
Prep for the omakase dinner: cure mackerel, torch the toppings, slice the sashimi and plan 14 courses with the chief stew so they're timed against the wine pairings.
Run the omakase at a counter set up on the sundeck. You serve each piece by hand while two stews clear and pour.
Break down the counter, deep-clean the section and log fridge temperatures. Sharpen your yanagiba for tomorrow.
Pay by yacht sizeMonthly, before tips. Estimates. Bars share one scale.
Owner-trip contracts often pay a day rate of USD 350-600. Charter yachts add tips, which can be 10-15% of the charter fee shared among crew. Rotational posts pay slightly less per month but give paid time off. See the Yacht Chef & Galley salary guide for figures from live adverts.
Tickets and visas
Must have
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 Medical Certificate
- Food Hygiene Level 2
- PDSD
Gets you hired
- MCA Ship's Cook Certificate
- Food Safety Level 3
- Formal sushi academy or apprenticeship certificate
- Allergen awareness certificate
Visas
- Schengen visa
- US B1/B2 visa
Where it leadsA typical career path
Yacht Chef & Galley jobsOpen now on SuperyachtRoles.com
Questions crew ask
Do I need to be Japanese or trained in Japan?
No. It helps, though, and some owners ask for it. What matters most is a provable record under a respected sushi chef and a trial service that holds up.
Where do yachts get fish for sushi in remote places?
Through agents, local markets and specialist suppliers who air-freight from Toyosu or Europe. Part of your job is building that network and turning down fish that isn't good enough.
Can I get the job with no yacht experience?
Yes, more often than in most galley roles. You'll need STCW, ENG1 and Food Hygiene before you join, and you have to be ready for cabin sharing and long days during trips.
Will I only make sushi?
Rarely. Expect to help with crew meals, canapés and other services, and to cover a section when the brigade is short.