Galley
Sushi Chef
The Sushi Chef runs the Japanese section of a large yacht galley, preparing sushi, sashimi and omakase menus to restaurant standard for owners and charter guests who expect it at sea, wherever the yacht is anchored.
- Department
- Galley
- Reports to
- Executive Chef or Head Chef
- Yacht size
- 70m to 150m+
- Contract
- Seasonal, permanent or freelance per trip
- Starting pay
- €5,000 per month
What the job is
On a large yacht with an owner who loves Japanese food, the Sushi Chef is the specialist in the galley. You prepare nigiri, sashimi, maki, hand rolls and full omakase dinners, plus Japanese breakfasts, bento lunches for beach picnics and canapés for cocktail hour. You work alongside the Head Chef and Sous Chef, who handle the rest of the menu, and you slot your courses into their service plan.
Most of the job is sourcing and handling fish safely far from Tsukiji style markets. You order from trusted suppliers in Monaco, Palma, Miami or the Maldives, check every delivery for temperature and quality, and break down whole tuna, hamachi and salmon yourself. You manage freezing for parasite control, keep strict temperature logs, and plan menus around what the yacht can actually get at the next port.
Outside service you help the wider galley with prep, crew meals and cleaning, and on some yachts you cover a station when the team is short. Many sushi chefs join for a season or a single owner trip on a freelance day rate, while a few yachts keep one on full time. Guests often watch you work at a counter on deck, so presentation and calm conversation matter as much as knife skill.
What makes a good one
- Whole fish breakdown and knife work
- Perfect, consistent sushi rice
- Strict food safety and cold chain control
- Menu planning around remote sourcing
- Calm, friendly counter service
A day in the life
- 06:30Check the walk-in and sushi fridge temperatures, sign the logs and confirm the fish order arriving by tender from Porto Cervo.
- 07:30Help the Head Chef with guest breakfast and plate a Japanese breakfast of grilled salmon, miso soup and tamagoyaki for two guests.
- 09:30Receive and inspect the fish delivery, then break down a bluefin tuna loin and two sea bream, portion them and label everything with dates.
- 11:00Wash, soak and cook the sushi rice, season it with your own vinegar blend and keep it at the right temperature for lunch.
- 12:30Serve a poke and hand roll lunch on the sundeck while guests come back from the water toys.
- 14:30Crew lunch cleared, galley deep cleaned. Take a two hour break in your cabin.
- 17:00Set up the deck sushi counter with the Chief Stewardess, prepare garnishes and agree timings for the tasting menu with the Head Chef.
- 20:00Run a twelve course omakase for ten guests at the counter, talking them through each piece while the stewards pour sake.
- 23:00Break down the counter, store leftover fish correctly, write tomorrow's order and finish the cleaning schedule before bed.
Pay by country
Monthly salary for an experienced sushi chef on a 70m+ yacht. Freelance chefs hired per trip usually earn €350 – 600 per day. Charter tips are shared with the crew and can add 10 to 20 percent of the charter fee to the pot.
- France and Monaco
- €5,000 – 7,500
- Spain
- €5,000 – 7,500
- Italy
- €5,000 – 7,500
- United Kingdom
- £4,300 – 6,400
- USA (Florida)
- US$5,500 – 8,000
- Caribbean
- US$5,500 – 8,000
- UAE
- AED 20,000 – 30,000
- Australia
- A$8,500 – 12,500
- New Zealand
- NZ$9,500 – 14,000
Required
- STCW Basic Safety Training
- ENG1 medical
- Food Safety Level 2
- Proven professional sushi experience
Recommended
- Ship's Cook Certificate (MCA)
- Food Safety Level 3
- PDSD
- WSET Level 1 Award in Sake
- Formal Japanese culinary training
Visas
- Schengen visa
- US C1/D visa
- US B1/B2 visa
- Australian MCV
Where it leads
Sushi Chef jobs open now
Questions crew ask
Do I need yacht experience to get a sushi chef job?
Not always. Yachts hiring a sushi specialist care most about years behind a serious sushi counter, but you still need STCW and an ENG1 before you can join.
Is this a full time role or freelance?
Both exist. Many sushi chefs work freelance for owner trips or charters on a day rate, while a smaller number of very large yachts employ one permanently.
How do you get good fish at sea?
You build relationships with specialist suppliers in the main yachting ports, order ahead of each itinerary and freeze correctly for parasite control. In remote areas you plan menus around frozen premium fish and local catch.