Food Safety

FOOD SAFETY & THE YACHTING INDUSTRY

It is mandatory for anyone working on a yacht, handling food, to have a valid food safety and hygiene certificate if they are working on an MCA (Maritime Coastguard Agency) compliant yacht.

INTERIOR YACHT CREW

As interior yacht crew, the certificate you need to have is Food Safety in Catering Level 2 or Food Safety at Sea Level 2. You do not need to have the Level 1 certificate before obtaining the Level 2.

CHEFS

For Chefs you will need the Food Safety in Catering Level 2 or the Food Safety at Sea Level 2.
If you are supervising other chefs you will need to obtain the Food Safety in Catering Level 3 or the Food Safety at Sea Level 3.
You can go direct to Level 3, however if it is some time since you last studied food hygiene, it is recommended that you do Level 2 before commencing with the Level 3.

MAKE A PLAN

Getting ready to join yachting will take time and money but is made so much easier if you get your timing right.  The industry has seasons and in general, we work around the Mediterranean season, which runs from late April through to the end of October and the Caribbean season which runs from December through to the end of April.

SHIPS COOK CERTIFICATE

If you are applying for your Ships Cook Certification you do not need to have the Level 3. For more information on the Ships Cook Certificate go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ships-cook-certificate-of-competency

We can also assist you with verification of your original documents if you are based in Palma.

ACCREDITATION

Prior to the start of the COVID 19 Pandemic, these courses  had to be held in a classroom.  Certificates for online studies were not acceptable.

Things have changed and at the present time it is possible to obtain the correct certificate with online studies and an invigilated exam, however this is only with training providers who run courses with the MCA’s accepted accreditation.  The MCA do not accredit courses or certificates.

For more information about what courses/certificates are accepted please go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/min-671-mlc-food-and-catering-recognised-qualifications-in-food-hygiene-or-food-safety/food-safety-and-hygiene-certification