A chief cook (often shortened to cook) is a seniormost unlicensed crewmember working in the
steward's department of a
merchant ship
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...
. The chief cook's principal role is to ensure the preparation and serving of meals that are both delicious and nutritious.
In addition to directing and participating in the preparation and serving of meals, the chief cook determines timing and sequence of operations required to meet serving times; inspects galley and equipment for cleanliness; and oversees proper storage and preparation of food. The cook may plan or assist in planning meals and taking inventory of stores and equipment.
A chief cook's duties may overlap with those of the
steward's assistant, the
chief steward, and other steward's department crewmembers.
In the
United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marines are United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, an ...
, in order to be occupied as a chief cook a person has to have a
Merchant Mariner's Document issued by the
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, m ...
. Because of international conventions and agreements, all chief cooks who sail internationally are similarly documented by their respective countries.
See also
*
Seafarer's professions and ranks
*
Chef
A chef is a trained professional cook and tradesman who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation, often focusing on a particular cuisine. The word "chef" is derived from the term ''chef de cuisine'' (), the director or head of a ki ...
(Chef cuisinier)
References
*
External links
United States Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Licensing and Documentation web site*
{{Merchant Marine Billets
Marine occupations
Transport occupations
Chefs