Yacht Crew Training Quarterdeck
Yacht Crew Training Quarterdeck

Dinner Recipes for 7-Day Yacht Charters

Dinner service onboard requires timing, presentation, and structured planning. These dinner recipes are designed for charter yacht meal planning and manageable galley workflows.

Beef Lasagna

Ingredients
  • Bolognese sauce
  • 800 g Minced meat
  • 4 Yellow onions
  • 4 Garlic cloves
  • 75g butter
  • 800g Crushed tomatoes
  • 4 tbsp Tomato puree
  • 4 tsp Dried oregano
  • 2 dice Vegetable broth
  • 18 Lasagne sheets
  • Pepper & salt
  • Bechamel sauce
  • 85g Butter
  • 8 tbsp All-purpose Flour
  • 3 ¾ cups of Milk
  • Salt & pepper
Recipe

Bolognese sauce

  1. Dice onion and garlic. Heat the butter in a large pot and saute the onion and garlic until they are translucent.
  2. Add the minced meat. Cook until brown
  3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, oregano, pepper and vegetable broth. Let the sauce boil for about 5 minutes

Bechamel sauce

  1. Add butter to a saucepan over slow heat.
  2. Pour the flour in and keep on whisking to create a roux.
  3. Pour in your milk and increase the heat. Keep on whisking and your sauce will thicken.
  4. When you are happy with the consistency, season with salt and pepper. Adjust flavour to your liking.
  5. At this point, you can choose to add cheese too to make a cheesy sauce mornay.

Chicken Teriyaki Skewers

Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 4 skewers
  • 4 radishes
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 large carrot
  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 handful sugar snap peas
Servings: 2
Recipe

Preheat the grill in the oven on a high heat.

MARINADE THE CHICKEN- Soak the wooden skewers in water if you’re not using metal ones. Slice the chicken into chunks and pour over the teriyaki sauce. Leave the chicken to marinade for as long as you can.

PREPARE THE VEGETABLES- Slice the radish and sugar snap peas thinly. Cut the peeled carrot into very thin batons.

DRESSING AND SKEWER- Mix the honey, soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl, then add the veggies. Skewer the chicken strips, dividing them equally between the
skewers.

COOK THE CHICKEN- Place the skewers under the grill and cook them for 4-5 minutes, turning regularly until well browned and almost cooked through.

FINISH & SERVE- Sprinkle the skewers with sesame seeds immediately after taking out from under the grill. Serve the skewers with the salad!

Seafood Pasta

Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil divided use
  • 1 cup onion finely chopped
  • 4 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 0.5 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 56 ounce can San Marzano Whole Tomatoes pureed in a blender or food processor
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 24 ounces spaghetti or other long pasta
  • 1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined, leave tails on if desired for nicer presentation
  • 1 pound sea scallops
  • 1 pound clams scrubbed
  • 1 pound mussels
  • 4 tablespoons parsley chopped
  • red wine
Recipe
  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  2. Stir in the red pepper flakes (optional), then add the pureed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until sauce has just started to thicken. Stir in the butter, then remove the sauce from the heat.
  4. While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
  5. Drain the pasta, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.
  6. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Season the scallops with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan.
  7. Cook the scallops for 1-2 minutes per side or until browned and opaque.
  8. Remove the scallops from the pan. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add them to the pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until pink and opaque.
  9. Remove the shrimp from the pan. Place the clams and mussels in the pan, along with the reserved pasta water. Bring to a simmer.
  10. Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes or until clams and mussels have opened. Discard any shells that did not open.
  11. Add the shrimp and scallops back to the pan along with the tomato sauce and spaghetti. Toss to coat everything with the sauce.
  12. Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

HOISIN BEEF NOODLES

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium onion (sliced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup bok choy (shredded)
  • 9 ounce ramen noodles
  • 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 3 green onions (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 large carrot (shredded or sliced thin)
Recipe
  1. Cook Noodles: Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
  2. Cook Beef: Heat the olive oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the ground beef and spread it out in the pan. Let it cook without touching it for at least 5 minutes or until all the meat juice has evaporated and there’s a char on the bottom. Using a spatula flip the charred beef and toss it around.
  3. Add veggies: Add the onion to the wok and cook for another minute, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or until aromatic. Add the bok choy and carrot and cook for another minute or until the carrot wilts just a bit. Turn off the heat.
  4. Stir in noodles and sauces: Add the noodles to the wok then add the oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, vinegar and sesame oil to the wok and toss until everything is well combined.
  5. Garnish and serve: Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds and serve.
Serves: 4

Creamy chilli and lemon prawn linguine

Ingredients
  • 1000 g linguine (2 packets)
  • 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1kg prawns, peeled and deveined
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 white onion (diced)
  • 1/2 tsp. crushed chilli flakes, plus more for garnish
  • 800g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 yellow pepper
  • 120 ml white wine
  • 750l double cream
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 100 g freshly grated Parmesan
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt
  • Rocket and flaked parmesan for garnish
Recipe
  1. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook linguine according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 120ml pasta water, and return to the pot.
  2. In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add white onion and prawns, season with salt and pepper and all garlic. Cook until prawns turn pink and cooked through, 4 minutes roughly.
  3. Add butter and chilli flakes and yellow to the pan and keep simmering. Add wine and cook until mostly reduced, 5 minutes.
  4. Add double cream, lemon juice, and Parmesan. Let simmer until the sauce is thickened, 5 minutes. Add pasta, prawns and toss to coat. Finally add the cherry tomatoes. If the sauce is too thick, add some additional pasta water.
Serving Size:12

Grilled cajun fish burgers

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon cajun spice mix
  • 8 x 150g firm white fish fillets, skinned, boned
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 medium white bread rolls (200g), split in half
  • 1/2 cup (150g) whole-egg mayonnaise
  • 2 cup shredded red cabbage
  • 1 cup shredded green cabbage
  • 1 teaspoon tabasco
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 fresh green jalapeño, sliced thinly
  • Sriracha Mayonnaise
Recipe
  1. Combine spice mix, fish and oil in a shallow dish; season.
  2. Preheat a char-grill plate (or grill or barbecue) to high. Cook fish for 2 minutes each side or until just cooked through.
  3. Toast bread rolls, in batches, cut-side down on grill for 1 minute each side or until grill marks are visible
  4. Meanwhile, combine mayonnaise, cabbage, tabasco, and coriander in a large bowl; season to taste.
  5. To assemble burgers, divide half the fish between bread bases, top with cabbage mixture, remaining fish, jalapeño then drizzle with sriracha mayonnaise
Serving size: 4 burgers

Chicken and mushroom Risotto

Ingredients
  • 6-7 chicken breasts
  • 1 package of fresh mushrooms
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 shallot or onion (minced)
  • 4 cups arborio rice
  • 3 cups white wine or vermouth
  • 9-10 cups chicken stock
  • 50g butter
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese plus more for serving
  • A good handful of fresh parsley (chopped)
  • Salt & pepper
Serving Size:12
Recipe
  1. Start with preparing the chicken. Cube the chicken and fry it in olive oil. Set a side.
  2. Heat up 10-15 cups of water with 4-5 chicken stock cubes until dissolved
  3. Dice shallot/onion, garlic and mushrooms.
  4. Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the mushrooms with garlic and shallot/onion until they are translucent.
  5. Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook the rice for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently to toast, until it becomes translucent.
  6. Add the wine to cover the rice and stir frequently (scraping the bottom of the pan to stir all that flavor into the wine) until the liquid has completely absorbed.
  7. Add the stock until the rice is covered. Stir frequently until the stock has absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process a couple of more times. Check for seasoning, you probably will need to add salt.
  8. When the rice is cooked remove the pot from the heat. Mix in the butter and cheese. Mix vigorously until well combined.
  9. Top with cooked chicken, and serve immediately garnished with grated cheese and parsley.

Tomato & courgette risotto

Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small onion , diced
  • 2 garlic cloves , crushed
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds , crushed
  • 200g risotto rice
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • 200g carton passata
  • 12 cherry tomatoes , halved
  • 2 courgettes , halved and sliced
  • 2 tbsp mascarpone
  • parmesan grated, to serve
Servings: 2
Recipe
  1. Put 1 tbsp of oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5-7 mins until softened. Add the garlic and coriander seeds and cook, stirring, for another 1 min. Stir in the risotto rice, coating it in the onion mixture. Gradually add 300ml of the vegetable stock, stirring until fully absorbed by the rice between each addition. Pour the passata into the risotto, cover and simmer for 10-15 mins. Stir occasionally and add more stock as needed.
  2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the cherry tomatoes and courgettes in a roasting tin, keeping them separate, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, season and roast for 10-12 mins until just tender.
  3. Add the mascarpone and plenty of seasoning to the risotto. Stir until the rice is completely cooked and the risotto is creamy, about 5 mins more. Add the courgettes and stir to combine. Serve the risotto in bowls topped with the roasted tomatoes and some grated Parmesan.

Garlic Mushroom Pasta

Ingredients
  • 4 ounces uncooked pasta
  • 3 tablespoons butter divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 7 ounces mushrooms slices
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth or veg broth or white wine
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice + zest of 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • Salt & pepper to taste
Recipe
  1. Boil a salted pot of water and cook the pasta al dente according to package directions.
  2. Meanwhile, prep your ingredients.
  3. Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the onions and mushrooms. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the water has been released from the mushrooms & cooked off and everything gets a good sear and is browned/caramelized (this gives a ton of flavor). It’ll take 8-10 minutes or possibly a bit longer.
  4. Stir in the rest of the butter, plus the garlic and Dijon mustard. Cook for about a minute.
  5. Add in the broth and lemon juice + zest, and let it bubble for about a minute or so.
  6. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and parsley. Add a splash of the hot pasta water prior to draining the pasta (a couple tablespoons) and then toss the pasta with the sauce. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients
  • 1.5-2 kg boneless skinless chicken thighs/breasts
  • 2 cup plain/greek Yogurt
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 tbsp Tikka Masala paste
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 white onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tsp fresh ginger, shredded
  • 2-3 tbsp garam masala
  • 600 ml passata/tinned diced tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 2½ cup heavy cream
  • 4 tbsp granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup water
Recipe
  1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken with yogurt, garlic, ginger, Tikka Masala paste, and salt and mix until the chicken is coated then cover and set aside in the fridge for 30-minutes up to overnight.
  2. Once the chicken has marinated, you will heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a large skillet, and then cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes stirring regularly.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside (it will not be fully cooked).
  4. Add the butter and onions to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Then add in the garlic, ginger, Tikka Masala paste and continue cooking for an additional 1 minute.
  6. Reduce the heat to low and pour in the canned diced tomato and tomato puree, chili powder, and salt then stir.
  7. Mix in the heavy cream, sugar, and water then stir to combine.
  8. Simmer, stirring occasionally for an additional 7-8 minutes or until the sauce is starting to thicken and the chicken is fully cooked.
  9. Serve with rice and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro over the top.
Serving size:12

Fresh Tomato, Kale, and Cherry tomato Pasta

Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 pounds cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1/3 cup store-bought pesto
  • 2 cups baby kale leaves
  • 1 cup fresh ricotta
Recipe
  1. Place the tomatoes, red wine vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl and, using a fork, gently crush the tomatoes. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
  2. While the tomato is marinating, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 8–10 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta and place in a large bowl, add the pesto and toss to coat. Top with the tomato mixture, kale, ricotta, salt and pepper to serve

Seared tuna Poke bowls

Ingredients
  • Chili
  • Coriander
  • Parsley
  • garlic
  • oil
  • Honey
  • soya sauce
  • Lemon
  • Sesame oil
  • Sesame seeds
  • Tuna steaks
  • Cabbage
  • Avocado
  • Mango
  • Radish
  • Edamame
  • Cucumber
  • Rice
Recipe
  1. Chop chili, garlic and the herbs.
  2. Mix this with oil, soja sauce, lemon and honey.
  3. Cut thick slices of tuna and dip them in the sauce.
  4. Dip the tuna steaks in sesame seeds.
  5. Fry the steaks about 45 to 60 seconds each side.
  6. Assemble in a bowl with rice, edamame, avocado, radish, cabbage, cucumber and mango.
  7. Garnish with sesame seeds.

SATAY CHICKEN NOODLE salad

Ingredients
SAUCE
  • ¼ cup peanut butter (preferably smooth)
  • 1 garlic clove , minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sriracha , or 2 tsp
  • chili paste/sauce + 2 tsp vinegar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 6 tbsp coconut milk (I used low fat)
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Servings: 3-4
SALAD
  • 10 oz/300g egg noodles
  • 2 cups red cabbage , shredded
  • 2 cups green cabbage , shredded
  • 2 carrots , finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 scallion/shallot stems , finely sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 large red chilli (not very spicy), deseeded and finely sliced
SATAY CHICKEN
  • 12 oz / 350g chicken breast , cut in half vertically and thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp curry powder
  • 2 tsp sweet soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
GARNISH
  • 3 tbsp peanuts , roughly chopped
Recipe
  1. Mix dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
  2. Prepare noodles according to packet instructions.
  3. Place both cabbages and carrots in a bowl, add 1/4 tsp salt, toss to combine and set aside for 5-10 minutes to wilt lightly.
  4. Place the Satay Chicken ingredients EXCEPT the oil in a bowl and toss to coat.
  5. Heat oil in a non stick fry pan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes until golden, then transfer to a plate.
  6. Toss noodles and remaining salad ingredients with chicken and Dressing, then serve. Serve at room temperature or warm.

Spicy tomato and sausage gnocchi

Ingredients
  • 400g herby sausages
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 fennel bulbs, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
  • ½tsp dried chili flakes
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
  • 500g pack fresh gnocchi
  • 100g baby spinach
  • Small pack of basil, leaves chopped
  • Grated parmesan, to serve
Recipe
  1. Slit open the sausages and remove the sausage meat, discarding the skins. Heat a wide, high-sided frying pan with the oil over a high heat and cook the sausage meat for 8-10 minutes, breaking it up into small pieces with the back of a wooden spoon. Once golden brown all over, tip onto a plate and set aside.
  2. Add the onion and fennel to the pan and cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute then add the tinned tomatoes with 200ml water, the chili flakes, oregano, bay leaves, tomato puree and soy sauce. Simmer for 20 minutes, until reduced slightly and adjust the seasoning to taste.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the gnocchi according to the pack instructions.
  4. While the gnocchi is cooking, add the cooked sausage meat to the sauce and stir the spinach through until it’s just wilted. Drain the gnocchi and stir into the sauce with the basil. Remove the bay leaves, divide between 4 plates and serve with the parmesan and plenty of fresh black pepper.
serves:4
Breakfast
Lunch
Side Dishes
Snacks
Dessert

FAQ – Cooking on a Charter Yacht

What does a yacht host cook during a charter week?

Yacht hosts typically prepare breakfast, light lunches, and in some cases simple dinners, depending on charter structure and crew setup. Meals must be adaptable to guest preferences and dietary requirements.

How do you provision for 8 guests on a charter yacht?

Provisioning requires structured 7-day meal planning, awareness of galley storage limits, and flexibility for dietary needs. Efficient ingredient overlap and clear menu planning reduce waste and simplify service.

What meals work best in a compact yacht galley?

Meals that balance preparation time, ingredient reuse, and presentation efficiency work best in 40–60ft yacht environments. Simple structure and clear timing are key.

Can I use these recipes to prepare for Host Academy?

Yes. This cookbook reflects real charter meal structures and galley conditions. If you’re planning to apply to Host Academy, practicing structured breakfast service, light lunches, and 7-day menu planning using these recipes can help you prepare for onboard expectations.

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