Island-Hop with a Chef
All You Need to Know About Hiring a Private Chef
Whether you’re new to sailing or just want a hands-off, luxury boating experience, Navigare offers professional crew members for hire that can easily be added to your booking.
For those who prefer a professional crew member to sail the boat (regardless of sailing experience) so that they can lean back and relax, our professional skippers (captains) are an excellent add-on service. They take care of sailing the boat for you and escort you safely to all stops on your itinerary.
Following our previously published article about renting a boat with a skipper, we now turn our attention to another highly requested crew member: the chef.
Whether you choose to have a professional chef onboard is completely up to you, but doesn't it sound nice to be pampered while on vacation? Hiring a private chef to island hop with you is becoming a frequently requested option due to the unique experience and luxuriousness. The chef will prepare 2-3 custom meals per day according to your dietary preferences, including snacks and beverages in between the meals.
As previous guests have discovered and glowingly reviewed us for, having a private chef onboard is super convenient as it frees up a lot of time for you to fully enjoy the unique getaway, and also takes the yachting experience to a whole other level of luxury. Our commitment to all of our guests since 2001 is providing an industry-leading sailing experience. This is reflected in the acclaim that comes with winning three 2023 Travelers’ Choice Awards.
We’re proud to offer award-winning sailing experiences and crew members who always go the extra mile for our guests. We invite you to read about some excellent crew members mentioned in our guest’s acclaimed reviews.
Chefs are offered at our most popular destinations including Croatia, Greece, Spain, the British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, and the Seychelles.
Let’s get a deeper understanding of what a chef does, the booking process of hiring a chef, and why you may want to choose this added service on your next boating vacation.
How to Book the Boat
The first step, as always, is to book the boat. Once you know the basics of your trip such as when it will take place, in which destination (we offer 12 destinations globally), and how many people are in your group, it is time to reserve your private yacht. The size of your boat will be determined by the size of your group including added crew members (such as skipper and chef) and personal preference. Our blog provides an overview of what you need to know when selecting a boat.
Whether you have rented a boat before or if this is your first time, we recommend contacting our charter sales team as they can help you select an available boat that best fits your needs. They can also give expert recommendations, take care of you through the entire booking process, and answer any questions. If you so choose, you can book the boat without the help of charter agents through the online booking platform on our website.
Before you embark on this marine adventure, we strongly recommend checking out our blog as it provides valuable information, guidance, recommendations, and expert tips and advice, so you can set out on your sailing journey feeling confident and well-informed.
After you have decided on the basic parameters of your trip, it is time to decide whether a private chef is the right option for you (we think it is).
Why Hire a Chef?
A private chef adds incredible value to your yacht charter vacation in many ways. Besides preparing gourmet meals and serving snacks and drinks throughout the day, the chef will also take care of meal planning, do the dishes, keep the galley* clean, and help with provisioning*.
As many of our guests have discovered, having a chef onboard is the ideal way to get the most out of your sailing experience. No need to spend valuable time during your island-hopping vacation on mundane tasks such as meal planning, cooking, and doing the dishes. With a chef, you are free to spend your time however you like, whether that means relaxing on deck while enjoying the scenery, socializing with your friends or family, kayaking, paddle boarding, and snorkeling, or stepping ashore and exploring the nearby islands. No matter what you are doing, you can be sure that around mealtime, there is always a delicious home-cooked meal for you and your group to enjoy.
Besides being very convenient and freeing up a lot of time, who could deny that having a private chef onboard elevates the experience to a much higher level of luxury? Navigare Yachting is committed to providing the best possible charter experience, and our professional crew members play a very important role in our guests’ overall satisfaction. Our top-rated crew consistently receives rave reviews from our clients and we are proud to offer this award-winning, white-glove service to make your sailing getaway the best it can be.
If this sounds like a service you would be interested in, let us walk you through how to book the chef (spoiler alert, it’s very simple!).
How to Hire a Chef
If you decide to add a chef to your booking, the process is super easy. If you book your boat with the help of a charter agent, all you need to do is let them know that you want to add a chef to your booking and they will do the rest. Don’t worry if you have already reserved the boat, you can still add crew members at a later stage.
If you book without the help of an agent through our online booking platform you can easily add the chef to your booking. In the checkout step, choose from a menu of add-ons: extra services such as crew, water toys, or airport transfer. The chef will be in the crew category at the top.
The cost to hire a chef for a week is currently $1,690-1,771 (€1.470-1.540) in the Caribbean or $1,610-2,294 (€1.400-1,995) in the Mediterranean. The cook requires their own cabin with a bathroom (head) so keep this in mind when reserving the boat.
In addition to the fee above, you also need to provide food for the crew member for the duration of the trip and a customary 15-25% gratuity at the end of the charter. The amount you tip depends on factors such as the size of your group, the level of service you received, and your overall satisfaction. Here is more information about tipping. As always, if you are unsure, don't hesitate to ask your charter agent.
We understand that it can seem costly to hire a chef, but keep in mind that the boats fit large groups of people: most boats can comfortably accommodate 6-10 people. If you split the cost among 8 people, you would only pay $200 - $287 per person per week plus the tip.
What to Expect?
You and your group will have the chance to communicate with your designated chef a few days prior to your check-in date, once they have been assigned and the booking has been finalized. At this point, you can let your chef know about your specific dietary preferences, any allergies or intolerances to take into account and make a plan for how and when provisioning will be done.*
Considering your group's individual dietary needs and preferences, the chef will make a meal plan and either join you at the grocery store or order groceries online and then load them onto the boat before embarkation.
During your boating vacation, the chef will make sure your needs are met at all times and provide top-notch service from morning to evening. Wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Begin your day with a morning swim in the calm blue water followed by a gourmet breakfast served without you having to lift a finger.
Sail to your next stop where you anchor by a hidden beach, and enjoy the land and water for a few hours only to sit down again and savor a delicious home-cooked lunch. Our chefs use local high-quality ingredients and love to put a traditional spin on many of their expertly prepared meals. That way, guests get to experience the very best of the local cuisine in their chosen destination from the comfort of their boat. We have heard from guests worldwide that the food they ate on the boat was even better than the one they had in restaurants. Our cooks are also publicly known to please even the most picky eaters.
Continue your sailing journey to a coastal town where you can step ashore and spend your afternoon exploring on land. Whether you want to enjoy dinner at a local restaurant or onboard your yacht with the sunset as your backdrop is up to you. The chef will accommodate your plans.
Final Words
From their culinary skills and expertise to their dedication to providing unparalleled service, our chefs put the cherry on top of extraordinary sailing getaways.
While some guests may choose to eat most of their meals in restaurants and, therefore, decide that a chef is not necessary for them, or simply prefer to cook their own food onboard their yacht, an ever-growing number of our guests have discovered the incredible benefits of hiring a professional chef.
Most would agree that the added value of the chef's service is worth every penny and so much more. It’s a simple way of turning your sailing vacation into an unforgettable luxury experience, both from a culinary perspective and a vacation perspective.
If you are still in doubt, see what previous guests have to say about it.
*The kitchen on the boat is called the galley.
*The food on the boat is referred to as provisions, so provisioning simply refers to buying the groceries and loading them onto the yacht before leaving the marina.
Since 2001, over 350,000+ charter guests have set sail with Navigare - it’s safe to say that your yachting adventure will be in capable hands. With 12 exotic locations worldwide, the possibilities are endless! Whether you're an experienced sailor or a first-time adventurer, Navigare Yachting opens up a world of exploration, discovery, and sailing that comes with complete peace of mind.