Galley team

Most cruise ship chefs need several years of professional kitchen experience, usually in hotels, restaurants, or large catering operations. P&O Cruises prefer chefs who have worked in high-volume kitchens because cruise ships produce thousands of meals daily across multiple dining venues.

Experience is one of the most important requirements for cruise ship chef jobs. Applicants typically need at least 3–5 years of professional cooking experience, ideally with international cuisines, buffet service, or fine dining.

Backgrounds in large hotels, resorts, banqueting venues, or busy restaurants are highly valued because these environments involve preparing large quantities of food under time pressure. Chefs should also demonstrate strong teamwork and the ability to work in structured kitchen brigades.

Common experience backgrounds:

• Hotel or resort kitchens
• Fine dining restaurants
• Banqueting or catering operations
• High-volume buffet kitchens
• International cuisine experience

To work as a cruise ship chef you should hold recognised culinary or hospitality qualifications such as City & Guilds 7061/2, NVQ Levels I–III in Food Production, Preparation, Bakery, Patisserie or Food Manufacture, and the Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering.

You should also have experience working within 3–5 star volume hotel or restaurant environments, as well as specialist areas such as bakery, butchery, pastry, large‑scale food production, and supermarket or corporate settings.

Cruise ship chef applicants should demonstrate strong technical culinary knowledge, including pastry techniques and butchery skills, with experience using equipment such as bandsaws where relevant. Additional capabilities include budget awareness, food‑wastage management, financial oversight, and experience managing managers.

Background may also include work within cookery schools, delivering courses and providing training or teaching in classroom or practical environments.

Culinary school is not always required. A culinary diploma or apprenticeship demonstrates professional cooking techniques, kitchen management skills and knowledge of food safety practices, which are essential in large cruise ship kitchens.

Many cruise ship chefs begin their careers with culinary school training or professional apprenticeships. Formal training helps chefs develop essential skills such as knife techniques, food preparation, menu planning and sanitation procedures.

Cruise ship kitchens operate under strict international hygiene standards, so you’ll need to understand professional kitchen systems and procedures. Formal training is especially important for specialist roles such as pastry chef or sushi chef.

Benefits of culinary training:

• Professional cooking techniques
• Food safety knowledge
• Understanding kitchen hierarchy
• Improved job prospects
• Access to specialised culinary roles

To become a cruise ship chef you need professional kitchen experience, food safety certification and the ability to work in high-volume kitchens. For some roles you need a culinary diploma and at least 3–5 years of experience in hotels, restaurants or large catering operations.

Cruise ship chefs work in onboard kitchens called galleys. These kitchens operate similarly to large hotel kitchens but serve thousands of meals every day. Candidates also need maritime safety training and a seafarer medical certificate. Entry-level chefs often start as commis chefs or kitchen assistants before progressing to senior positions like chef de partie, sous chef, and executive chef.

Key requirements:

• 3–5 years professional kitchen experience
• Culinary diploma or apprenticeship (preferred)
• Food safety or hygiene certification
• Basic English communication skills
• STCW maritime safety training

A cruise ship chef prepares meals for guests and crew in large onboard kitchens known as galleys. They follow established menus, cook dishes efficiently in high volumes, maintain food safety standards and coordinate with other culinary staff to serve thousands of meals across restaurants, buffets, and room service.

Cruise ship chefs are responsible for preparing a wide variety of dishes in restaurants, buffets, and crew dining areas. P&O Cruises ships serve thousands of guests daily so chefs must work quickly and maintain consistent quality.

Duties include preparing ingredients, cooking menu items, plating dishes, maintaining hygiene standards and assisting with inventory management. Chefs usually specialise in a specific station such as hot kitchen, bakery or pastry and work as part of a large culinary brigade led by the executive chef and sous chefs.

Typical responsibilities

• Cooking menu items for guests and crew
• Preparing ingredients and food production
• Maintaining strict food safety standards
• Working in specialised kitchen stations
• Supporting large-scale meal service

A typical day for a cruise ship chef combines food preparation, cooking, service support and quality control. Depending on your station, you might prepare ingredients, cook menu items, monitor food safety standards, manage stock and support service across multiple dining venues.

Cruise ship kitchens operate on a large scale, serving thousands of meals daily. As a result, strong organisation, teamwork and attention to detail are essential qualities for success.

Yes. Many chefs build long-term careers working on cruise ships. Culinary staff can progress through the kitchen hierarchy from junior roles to senior leadership positions with experience, training, and strong performance.

Cruise ship kitchens offer clear career progression for motivated chefs. Many professionals begin in entry-level roles such as commis chef or kitchen assistant. With experience, they can advance to chef de partie positions responsible for managing cooking stations. Senior chefs may then progress to sous chef and executive chef roles overseeing entire culinary teams. Cruise ship kitchens provide exposure to international cuisines, large-scale food production, and multicultural teams, making them valuable career environments for ambitious chefs.

P&O Cruises Galley Career Passport Programme also supports structured, long‑term growth.

Cruise ship kitchens follow a structured hierarchy to manage large culinary teams. The executive chef oversees the entire galley, while sous chefs supervise kitchen sections. Chef de partie chefs lead individual stations, and junior cooks such as demi chefs and commis chefs support daily food preparation.

A clear hierarchy ensures efficient communication and quality control in cruise ship kitchens. The executive chef manages the overall culinary operation, including menus, staff, and food quality. Sous chefs coordinate daily kitchen production and supervise different departments. Chef de partie chefs lead specialised cooking stations such as grill, pastry, or sauce. Junior cooks, including demi chefs and commis chefs, assist with preparation and cooking tasks. Support staff such as hotel assistants maintain cleanliness and sanitation. This structured system allows large culinary teams to serve thousands of meals every day.

Cruise ship kitchens are organised into specialised sections to manage high-volume food production. Each section focuses on a specific type of cooking, allowing culinary teams to prepare thousands of meals efficiently across multiple restaurants and dining venues.

P&O Cruises ships operate multiple restaurants, buffets and crew dining rooms, which require structured kitchen operations. To manage this workload, galleys are divided into departments with specialised chefs and support staff.

Each section handles specific food preparation tasks, such as hot dishes, pastries, or cold items. This system allows chefs to focus on their expertise while maintaining speed and consistency during busy meal services. The organisation is similar to large hotel kitchens but adapted for the unique space and operational demands of ships at sea.

Typical galley departments

• Hot kitchen (main dishes)
• Cold kitchen / larder
• Pastry and bakery
• Butchery and meat preparation
• Buffet production
• Crew galley

Cruise ship chefs usually work long shifts of around 9–12 hours per day. Most chefs work split shifts organised around breakfast, lunch and dinner service.

Cruise ship kitchens operate nearly 24 hours a day to serve both guests and crew. Chefs typically work split shifts, beginning early in the morning for breakfast preparation and returning later in the afternoon for dinner service. Dinner is usually the busiest time of day. Although the hours can be long, chefs receive scheduled breaks between shifts. Many chefs enjoy the structured routine and the opportunity to gain experience in large-scale culinary operations.

Typical schedule:

• Morning shift for breakfast preparation
• Lunch service production
• Afternoon break
• Evening dinner service

Rotation opportunities vary depending on your position, experience level and operational requirements. Many chefs gain exposure to different kitchen sections as they develop their skills, helping them broaden their culinary knowledge and prepare for future promotion opportunities.

Any rotations are planned by the culinary leadership team to support both business needs and individual development.

The equipment you use will depend on your role, training and level of responsibility. Chefs receive training on the safe operation of galley equipment, food preparation systems and hygiene procedures before working independently.

Safety always comes first and all equipment must be operated in accordance with company procedures, food safety standards and maritime regulations.

Embarkation days, gala evenings and major onboard events are some of the busiest times for the galley team. Chefs are expected to work efficiently, support their colleagues and maintain consistently high food quality, presentation and food safety standards.

Planning, preparation and teamwork are essential. During these periods, you may help produce larger volumes of food and adapt quickly to changing operational requirements while continuing to deliver an exceptional guest experience.

Breaks are scheduled in line with maritime working-time regulations and operational requirements. Because food service runs throughout the day, break times are usually planned around meal periods and production schedules.

When off duty, chefs can relax in designated crew areas, including crew mess facilities, social spaces and other crew-only amenities available on board.