How to Become a Flight Chef: Tasks, Skills and Career Opportunities

Becoming a chef on board is a dream that attracts many people who are passionate about cooking and eager to explore the world while working. 

Adventure, creativity, and experimentation are just some of the characteristics of this profession, which allows a chef to come into contact with different realities, colleagues from many countries, and raw materials of the most particular and unusual kind.

It is a role that requires a combination of culinary skills, organisational abilities, communication skills and stress management. And at the same time it offers plenty of career opportunities. with the chance to work in a variety of contexts, travel the world and considerably increase one's knowledge and skills.
But what are the tasks, skills required and career opportunities that this fascinating profession offers today?

Chef on Board: the tasks 

The role of on-board chef goes beyond the simple preparation of meals. Besides this task, there are others that have to do with coordinating the entire kitchen department of the plane or ship and working in synergy with cabin crew and food suppliers. 

As for the Main duties of a chef on boardthese include:

1. Menu planning: An on-board chef creates and develops menus, considering aspects such as passenger preferences, dietary restrictions and nutritional balance.
2. Purchasing and supply management: the on-board chef must place orders for kitchen supplies, manage stocks and ensure the quality of ingredients to guarantee delicious and safe meals.
3. Meal preparation: the chef supervises the preparation of meals and ensures that they are prepared with the utmost care, adhering to strict hygiene standards.
4. Staff management: Coordinates the kitchen team, assigning tasks and ensuring that work is done efficiently and collaboratively.
5. Adaptability: Being on the move, the on-board chef must be able to work in small spaces and with limited resources.

Competences and Skills Required

Definitely one on-board chef will have to prove that they have strong culinary skillsHe must have a broad knowledge of cooking techniques, dish presentations and gastronomic trends. And the more experience he/she gains over the years, the more these skills will be honed and matched in ever higher contexts.

Among other skills, however, organisational ones are very important: the ability to efficiently plan and organise the kitchen is crucial, as the chefs on board have to manage menussupplies and personnel to make sure everything is ready for the trip. Being a chef on board is much more complex, precisely because before departure everything is ready and perfect, with no margin for error.

Another important factor is the Communication: As part of a team working in a dynamic environment, communication skills are essential to successfully coordinate the kitchen, cabin and the crew.

Stress management: Travel can be unpredictable and stressful. The chefs on board must remain calm and make quick decisions in high-pressure situations.

Creativity: The ability to create innovative menus and appealing dishes is a competitive advantage and can help you stand out in this profession.

A career as a chef on board

Le career opportunities for on-board chefs are wide and varied. With ever-increasing tourism and the spread of boat trips, from cruises to yachting, as well as an increase in on-board events, such as weddings, fairs and gala dinners, the figure of the on-board chef is going through a really flourishing moment.

This is a professional figure that is increasingly in demand and for which it is necessary to demonstrate an excellent basic training, especially where no solid experience has been gained.

And this is where IET comes in (European Tourism Institute), with its chef on board course.

Find out about the programme, lecturers, dates and opportunities offered by this specific and very practical course. Click here