TransientChef

Get the certs. Find a bunk. Get the job. Feed the boat.

Certifications, crew housing, nearly 100 placement agencies and port-by-port provisioning for yacht and estate chefs, in the order it actually happens. Written by a chef who did it, for the chef doing it now.

Written by Tory Aunspach. Thirty years in kitchens, five of them on yachts and estates. More about that.

The whole site, on one map

Port guides, crew agencies, crew housing, ENG1 and STCW, and where chefs have been reading this week. Zoom in, hover a dot, click a marker.

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Nine ports

All port guides. Next in line: Palma, the Bahamas, the BVI, Croatia, Greece, the Pacific Northwest. Work a port that is not here? Say so.

Certifications

ENG1, STCW, the Ship's Cook Certificate, what each flag state wants, and where to get them done fast.

Crew housing

Where chefs actually sleep between boats in Fort Lauderdale, West Palm, Newport, Antibes, Palma and St Maarten.

Want a yacht or estate chef job? Start here.

One of the largest consolidated agency lists for private chefs and yacht and estate crew. nearly 100 recruiters and boards, one page.

What the jobs actually pay

Yacht chef pay by boat size, estate chef pay by city, day rates, tips, rotation, and what it costs you to earn it. Real 2026 numbers from the agencies doing the hiring.

Something changed?

Every guide is re-checked every 90 days. If you are in a port and a name, number or hour is wrong, there is a box at the bottom of every page. Say it there. Fixed the same week, credited to you if you want.

Crew contributors

Antigua: Arjaan Hendriksen, Gigi Di Renzo

TransientChef by Tory Aunspach

Free. Just tell me who you are.

The original TransientChef, since 2014. Two questions, first visit only. Leave your email and I promise I'll only update you with cool shit.

Transient Chef LLC, Jersey City. No vendor pays to be on this site.