ONBOARD Magazine - spring 2023

AMANDINE INTERNATIONAL CHEF PLACEMENT
Many of the world’s best chefs work with Amandine Chefs because
of the standards they set and because they understand how
much great food matters. The standard of cooking on a yacht can
make all the difference and is arguably one of the most important
factors in keeping owners, charter guests and crew happy. The chef
cooking trials conducted in the head office test kitchen, together
with the combined food credentials of the team, puts them in a
unique position to assess the experience and capabilities of yacht
chefs. The selection process is rigorous, every chef recommended
is known to them personally and their background is thoroughly
researched and verified. The result: Right chef. Right Job. First Time.
For more details visit www.amandinechefs.com
there is a lack of crew with desired longevity of 1 year+ on one
vessel. This is an ongoing issue around crew retention, where
6–10-month stints onboard seem to be relatively common these
days.”
“At the start of the season the hospitality, specialist stew and
the galley roles are very much in demand,” says Chloé Collet,
Captain & Officer Recruitment Specialist Executive at YPI Crew.
Hardy notes a demand for carpenters and Lees reminds us of
a perpetual need for engineers.
Carla Swaine, recruitment consultant at JMS Careers says,
“We seem to be looking for a lot of stews at the moment but
actually lots of boats also seem to be changing quite a few crew
for various reasons such as yachts changing hands, and then
the yachts crewing up from winter and refit skeleton crew etc.
In March and April it’s go, go, go. This is a good thing and we
have lots of entry level candidates - the real greenies.”
From a crew point of view, McKee reckons it’s hard to pinpoint
a particular position more coveted than others; “I have seen a
very large number of applications for all departments we are
recruiting for at the moment. From an employer standpoint,
we generally see an appreciable increase in requests for junior
crew as the seasons change. Many seasonal yachts have started
to look for seasonal and temporary crew in the build up to the
summer Med season with an eye to having some of these positions
become permanent depending on how the crew perform during
the summer.”
PONTOON POUNDING
The numbers of new or ‘greenie’ crew pounding the pontoons
in search of a first step are up reckon some experts; a result
of greater exposure of the industry on social media and TV
streaming services such as ‘Below Deck’ . Dykstra explains, “The
normalisation of travel post-covid combined with the backlog of
greenies who put their plans to join the industry on hold for a
year or so between 2020-2022 has also increased the numbers.”
“This undeniable growth in interest,” says Lees, “has fuelled the
dreams of many seeking what they hope will be a thrilling and
rewarding career in this unique industry.”
But for new crew it’s a Catch 22 situation points out McKee,
“Employers want experienced crew, but in order to gain experience,
junior crew need to get a job, and so the cycle goes. There are a
great deal of talented junior crew out there who are all eagerly
awaiting a chance to prove themselves. I think it’s easy to forget
that we once all started as junior crew and that someone took a
chance on us, so the onus is on us to give others their start.”
YOA - YOUR OWN AGENCY
YOA was founded in 2014 by Don McKee and Tom Aveling in New Zealand and specialise
in placing yacht crew worldwide. The team of 14 highly experienced agents have all held
senior positions as either captains or heads of departments on yachts which allow them
to provide top quality vetted crew. The team knows the challenges employers face as
they have been on both sides themselves. They are committed to providing exceptional
service, and this is evident in the calibre of crew they provide. The team prides itself on
verifying references, conducting in-person interviews, and assessing candidates’ experience,
qualifications, and overall suitability for the job before submitting a candidate to the clients.
With agents based in locations around the world, including the US, Europe, and Asia YOA
provide clients with exceptional service irrespective of a yacht’s location.
For more details visit: www.yoaagency.com
42 | SPRING 2023 | ONBOARD