Private chef · Yacht
Private chef on a yacht charter
A private chef on board changes the shape of a day at sea: you eat when it makes sense to stop, not when you can find a berth. Syntonia places chefs on board for day charters and weekly charters, on motor yachts, sailing boats and superyachts along the whole Tuscan coast.
We coordinate directly with the captain and crew, handle the provisioning and cook under way or at anchor. You stay a guest at lunch too.
What the service includes
- A chef on board for the full day. Breakfast, lunch, sunset aperitivo and dinner: you choose which of them to cover.
- Provisioning and loading. We handle the shopping and stow it on board around the fridge space the boat actually has.
- Menus built for life at sea. Dishes that hold up to movement, salt and long hours: raw fish, the day's catch, vegetables and cold courses that lose nothing if lunch slips by an hour.
- Service on deck. On request we add front-of-house staff for dinner on board or for an aperitivo with guests.
- Coordination with the captain. Route, timing and stops are his call: the menu adapts to the day, not the other way round.
- The galley left clean. When service ends, the boat's kitchen is back in order.
How it works, from day charter to full week
- 1. Tell us about the boat. Length, what the galley is like, how many guests and how much crew. A 15 metre sailing yacht works differently from a superyacht with a full galley.
- 2. We build the menu. Around the length of the charter, your preferences and any dietary needs. For weekly charters we plan a rotation so nothing repeats.
- 3. We handle provisioning. Shopping and loading before departure, or restocking in port during the week.
- 4. The chef comes aboard. He works in the boat's galley and agrees timing and service with the crew.
We work both with private owners and with brokers and charter companies. In the second case we stay in the background and the client remains yours.
Where we operate: Versilia, Argentario, Elba
We come aboard in the ports of the Tuscan coast: Viareggio, Forte dei Marmi and Marina di Pietrasanta in Versilia, Livorno and Marina di Cala de' Medici, Punta Ala, Porto Santo Stefano and Cala Galera on the Argentario, and the harbours of Elba.
On request we follow longer passages towards Corsica, Sardinia and the French Riviera, and the wider Mediterranean, agreeing travel and crew timing in advance.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a private chef on a yacht charter cost?
It depends on the length of the charter, the number of guests and the menu. A day charter is priced differently from a week with a rotating menu. We send a written quote within 24 hours of your enquiry.
Does the chef cook under way?
Yes, with menus designed for movement. If the sea gets up we prefer to serve at anchor or in a sheltered bay, and we agree with the captain in advance how to handle the day.
Does the boat need a professional galley?
No. We work with the galley that is there. We just need to know in advance what kind of kitchen it is and how much fridge space we have, so we can plan provisioning and prep around it.
Who takes care of provisioning?
We do, and it is included in the quote. On weekly charters we also organise restocking during port calls.
Do you work with charter brokers and companies?
Yes, and it is a significant part of what we do. We stay in the background: the relationship with the client stays yours and we never appear as a commercial counterpart.
Can you work on a superyacht that already has crew?
Yes. The chef fits into the existing organisation and coordinates with the chief stew and the captain, without overlapping with roles already on board.
Can you handle diets and allergies?
Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, coeliac, fish or shellfish allergies: we need a few days notice so we can plan the provisioning, because at sea you cannot fix it at the last minute.
Lunch only, or dinner on board as well?
Both, and the sunset aperitivo too. Day charters usually take lunch and aperitivo, weekly charters normally cover the whole day.
Request a chef for your yacht
Tell us route and guests: we'll prepare your table under sail.
Request a quote