Boatnerd Discussion Forum

I find it almost unbeliveable to understand how one person can be the sole cook and kitchen manager for a crew that works 24 hours a day. How does a person do that without just providing frozen food that gets microwaved and then served on paper plates? When does the cook get some rest? And the biggest question would be why would anyone take a job like this no matter what the pay? sounds like slave labor......

Guest wrote: October 20, 2026, 1:29 pm

Guest wrote: October 19, 2026, 6:26 pm I don’t know of any American fleet that still uses porters.in fact many now carry only the chief steward and no 2nd cook however I think interlake may still have a few 2nd cooks. So it’s either the head cook or 2nd cook would clean guest quarters.

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How the heck can one person cook meals to keep a crew fed on 3 shifts a day and also keep the kitchen clean, food ordering and inventory, and THEN clean rooms for guests? Even if there are 2 people it seems like an impossible work schedule. Can someone here tell us about the schedule and life of those who keep the crew fed?

Welcome to today’s world of Great Lakes shipping and lean n mean bean counters.its a tremendous stress on anyone working in the galley. Many fleets did away with one porter with the new design builds of the 70s n cafeteria style chow lines

Guest wrote: October 19, 2026, 6:26 pm I don’t know of any American fleet that still uses porters.in fact many now carry only the chief steward and no 2nd cook however I think interlake may still have a few 2nd cooks. So it’s either the head cook or 2nd cook would clean guest quarters.

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How the heck can one person cook meals to keep a crew fed on 3 shifts a day and also keep the kitchen clean, food ordering and inventory, and THEN clean rooms for guests? Even if there are 2 people it seems like an impossible work schedule. Can someone here tell us about the schedule and life of those who keep the crew fed?

I don’t know of any American fleet that still uses porters.in fact many now carry only the chief steward and no 2nd cook however I think interlake may still have a few 2nd cooks. So it’s either the head cook or 2nd cook would clean guest quarters.

Do companies use porters on boats that have corporate execs or customers on board?