Inside Quarterdeck
DESIRED SKILLS
Quarterdeck requires all hosts to have a passion for cooking and a love for hosting groups of 6-12 people. The ideal host would have previous experience in a professional kitchen and/or enjoys cheffing up meals for friends and family at home and can demonstrate the following skills;
Pre-Academy Training Access
Once accepted into the Host Academy, you’ll receive a link to our pre-academy training video. This exclusive preview gives you valuable insight into life onboard and what it’s like to cook at sea.
Basic Knife Skills
How to properly hold a chef’s knife and techniques on how to cut various foods
Desserts
No bake desserts, basic cake skills
Food Safety and Handling
This is one of the most important lessons
Menu and Meal Planning
Implementing a meal plan for the week based on different dietary restrictions and needs
Food Presentation
People are said to eat with their eyes first, meaning that they notice how a dish is presented and garnished and have an opinion on the meal before they even have their first bite
Breakfast
How to properly fry, poach and scramble eggs; how to make french toast; how to cut fruit and make fruit platters; how to make pancakes/crepes
Starches
How to cook rice, quinoa, pasta/cous-cous, and potatoes (understanding the difference between starchy vs waxy). Discuss different potato recipes including mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, Jackson potatoes, etc
Meat
Show various ways to cook meat with dry heat cooking, and moist heat cooking. Learn techniques such as stuffed chicken breast, roast chicken, coq a vin, pulled pork, pork loin/chops, braised beef/pot roast
How to make sauces
White sauce (how to turn a basic white sauce into a cheesy Béchamel, a garlic and herb sauce for pasta, a spicy creamy jalapeño sauce to enhance the flavour of a stuffed chicken breast, etc.), hollandaise sauce & bearnaise sauce, tomato sauce, and wine sauce with herbs
Vegetables
Best ways to peel and cut vegetables; how to maintain bright pigment in vegetables; various ways to cook (simmer in salted water, braise, blanch, fry, etc); various vegetable main courses and side dishes.
Pre-Academy Pathways
Experienced Chef or love cooking for friends and family?
Whether you’re an experienced chef from a professional kitchen, a cooking enthusiast who loves hosting dinner parties, or have honed your skills through cooking classes, we want you! If you have a passion for creating delicious meals and are ready for an exciting new opportunity, you’re ready to apply now!
To get started, simply upload your Sailing CV, Cover Letter, Passport, and Food Hygiene Level 2 Certificate. We’d also love to see your culinary creations, so feel free to include photos of your dishes in your application. For inspiration, check out our Instagram: @quarterdeck.co.
No Cheffing Experience
Think this could be the best job in the world but don’t have the necessary experience or qualifications to attend Host Academy?
If you do not have any formal training please consider taking a cooking course at a local culinary school or complete some online training. The course should teach everything from food handling and safety, meat cutting and cooking, to garnishing and plating techniques.
If accepted into the academy we will provide you with an extensive online training course you can follow at home and practice prior to the academy. We want the students to learn the basics of cooking and leave with the skills and confidence it takes to be in charge of every aspect of a meal.