Motor or Sail Yacht? A Chef's Perspective

I'm going to give you an honest insight into both options — from someone who has actually worked on both.

Pictured ~ My first superyacht job on the 30m M/Y EnCore, anchored off the famous Monuriki Island in Fiji.

So far in my career I've worked on a couple of dive boats (23m–35m), a sailing catamaran (16m), 30m EnCore, 63m SuRi, 37m Bliss racing sloop, 60m Arience then temped between 45m-73m, 68m Loon and a 88m motor yacht. It's safe to say I've experienced most types of vessels the industry has to offer.

The honest answer to which is better is — it depends entirely on what you want from the industry. Both have real advantages and real drawbacks. Let me walk you through my experiences to help you decide.

30m Motor Yacht — M/Y EnCore

I received an email one afternoon from an Australian crew agent asking if I'd be interested in joining a 30m motor yacht as sole chef and first mate. At the time I wasn't happy where I was and was at a transitional point in my life. I didn't waste a moment — I was on the phone to the captain that same day. A few days later I was on a flight from Western Australia all the way to the French territorial island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific.

This yacht travelled to some of the most remote and beautiful places in the world — Fiji, Vanuatu, New Zealand, Australia and New Caledonia. Almost unheard of for a vessel this size. The owners didn't just want to sit at a marina to be seen. They wanted to use the yacht for exactly what these things are made for — exploring the world.

As soon as guests boarded, we were off. We'd wake up anchored in some tropical paradise with no idea what the day would bring. With only three crew onboard, we were treated more like family. My role was split roughly 50/50 between chef and deck — fishing operations, diving, tender runs, wash downs and guest transfers to shore. Off charter, it was mostly deck work as cooking for three didn't take much time.

These were some of the hardest but most rewarding days of my career. A small yacht teaches you to appreciate every role onboard and how to work as a real team. After three years, though, it took its toll on my body and I needed a break.

Pictured ~ Crew enjoying the toys on M/Y SuRi anchored in Fiji.

63m Explorer Yacht — M/Y SuRi

I then got a call from a friend who was Chief Stewardess on M/Y SuRi — one of the most incredible original explorer yachts out there — asking if we'd like to do a month-long temp contract in Fiji.

She had a crew of 23, including a helicopter pilot, a dive master, a kite instructor and even a pilot for a two-seater foldable seaplane. The galley was enormous — a huge walk-in coolroom, a freezer and a dry goods area the size of a small grocery store. A $20,000 provisioning budget. A sous chef. This was my first real taste of large yacht life as a chef.

Big budgets, big storage, big galley — it was a completely different world. The downside? I spent the entire 10-day charter inside and barely saw the outside of the galley. It was different, not bad. But it's worth knowing that the bigger the yacht, the less you'll experience life beyond your department.

Pictured ~ S/Y Bliss in the Super Yacht Cup

37m Racing Sail Yacht — S/Y Bliss

After a short break, Captain Andy found us on LinkedIn and offered us a couples position on a 37m high-performance sailing yacht built in New Zealand. I was sole chef with some deck support when needed — but far less than EnCore, as we now had five crew.

I loved getting back into focused cooking. The challenge? Cooking on an angle. The boss sailed every chance he got, and so did the crew. Fighting to compensate for the heel of the vessel during 16-hour days is genuinely tough on your body. It's not for everyone. But sail yacht owners tend to be adventurers and explorers by nature, and the destinations reflect that. We joined the yacht deep in Indonesia and explored Raja Ampat — still to this day one of the most breathtaking places I've ever had the privilege of visiting.

So this brings me to our current couples position as I sit here on my holidays spending it in a house only 2 miles from where M/Y Arience is sitting in West Palm Beach, Florida. Finally having time to write these article during the Corona (COVID-19) crisis of 2020.

So now we have gained positions through yacht agencies, word of mouth, online platforms and now certainly one of the most interesting stories of how we got this next job..

As I worked away on the deck of S/Y Bliss in Palma De Mallorca during the longest shipyard period of my life. Which in my opinion is one of the hardest/boring times as a yacht chef on smaller vessels as you are expected to help out with all not so nice jobs that need to get done. This isn't to sound like spoilt brat but 7 months of yard period for a chef is seriously soul destroying, it can get you down, that's for sure.

Pictured ~ M/Y Arience during a 12 day crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

60m Motor Yacht — M/Y Arience

As I worked the deck of S/Y Bliss during a seven-month yard period in Palma de Mallorca — which, for a yacht chef on a smaller vessel, is genuinely soul-destroying — I heard an Aussie voice call out from the dock asking to see the chef. I walked over and had a short conversation with Captain Dean, who told me he had two captain interviews lined up in America that week on a 60m and a 75m. If he got one, he wanted Sabrina and me to join as head chef and second stew. He'd been following my food on Instagram for a while and loved the style.

A week later, we got the call. He'd got the job on the 60m. Not long after that, we were flying to West Palm Beach, Florida.

I still look back on that moment as one of the most perfectly timed things that's ever happened to me.

68m Motor Yacht — M/Y Loon

Following on what happened on Arience I was contacted by the captain from Loon due to my experience and following to join the most followed yacht on social media. This yacht in particular was busier than all the yachts i had worked on previously due to the socials. This was a super fun but wild ride which ended abruptly due to one persons choice. You can look up what happened on google.

68m Motor Yacht — M/Y Project X

Once again following on from Loon I got contacted by the captain from Project X who wanted to up the game in the galley and create buzz about it through socials. This yacht was also super busy and I ended up burning out by the end of the season when the owners came onboard. The clientele were much more demanding and the expectaions were much higher.

So which should you choose?

Here's a rough breakdown by vessel size to help you decide:

25–35m — Sole Chef / Deck / Stew You'll likely be helping across multiple departments, which takes time and energy away from cooking. Expect a varied, physical role.

35–45m — Sole Chef Usually focused on cooking for guests and crew, with occasional deck duties. A solid starting point.

45–55m — Sole Chef (The Chef Killer Range) No sous chef yet, but you're cooking for up to 12 guests and 10–14 crew. Huge workload. Usually comes with strong salary compensation — but it will test you.

50–80m — Head Chef and Sous Chef My personal favourite range. Two in the galley keeps things manageable and the quality of food stays high. Cooking for 12 guests and 12–30 crew.

80–170m — Head Chef, Sous Chef, Galley Hand The galley runs much like a land-based kitchen. If you're coming straight from a Michelin-level background with no yachting experience, this is often the entry point at this size. They'll usually be looking for serious culinary credentials.

My own career followed a natural progression from the smallest vessels up to where I am now. That's the most common route for yacht chefs — start small, build experience, work your way up.

If you have no choice but to take what's available right now, take it. Every job will teach you something and move you closer to where you want to be. That's how this industry works.

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Next step you will be looking at provisioning for your first charter. Check out the link HERE!