Culinary Position Information
Culinary Position Information
Resources – Culinary Position Information
Military Sealift Command is looking for skilled culinary professionals to work in shipboard kitchens worldwide. As a culinary professional, your duties and responsibilities may include progressive cooking techniques, menu development, healthy recipe development/preparation, preparing entrees utilizing the Armed Forces Recipe Service and local recipes and instructions, knowledge of and ability to prepare bakery items, knowledge and safe operation of various food service equipment, knowledge of health and sanitation criteria associated with the food service operation, knowledge of procedures associated with storing and utilizing leftovers and unused portions.
Positions MSC plans to hire from external sources are:
Chief Steward
Steward Cook
Chief Cook
Second Cook
Cook/ Baker
Assistant Cook
Culinary professionals, either civilian or military – please review the below chart as a guideline to determine where your military skills, pay grade, and/or American Culinary Federation (ACF) certifications would place you for a career with MSC.
| MSC Culinary Positions |
Equivalent Military Pay grade |
American Culinary Federation Certification |
| Chief Steward | E7 – E9 | Certified Executive Chef |
| Steward Cook | E7 | Certified Executive Chef |
| Chief Cook | E6 | Certified De Cuisine |
| Cook/Baker | E5 | Certified Working Pastry Chef Pastry Culinarian |
| 2nd Cook | E4 | Sous Chef |
| Assistant Cook | E3 | Certified Culinarian |
American Culinary Federation certificate level information can be obtained at www.acfchefs.org.
Serv-Safe principles information can be obtained at www.servsafe.com.
American Culinary Federation Course Costs
Former Military Equivalency to MSC Positions
Chief Steward
Food service military pay grade E7 to E9. Must have successfully completed a senior military food management course and obtained the related food specialty code or certificate for the course completed; successfully completed a minimum 3 year tour as a food production manager of a large preparation facility managing over 50 personnel; must be highly skilled in the operation of a food service management system and have extensive experience in the requisitioning of provisions through the prime vendor system or equivalent for Coast Guard personnel. Must have completed a food safety management course and certificate is current.
Steward Cook
Food service military pay grade E7. Must have successfully completed a senior or mid-level military food management course and obtained the related food specialty code or certificate for the course completed; successfully completed a minimum 3 year tour as a food production manager of a small preparation facility managing up to 25 personnel or an assistant manager of a large facility working directly with the senior food production manager. Must be skilled in the operation of a food service management system and have experience in the requisitioning of provisions through the prime vendor system or equivalent for Coast Guard personnel. Must have successfully completed a food safety management course and certificate is current.
Chief Cook
Food service military pay grade E6. Must have successfully completed an advanced military food preparation course and obtained the related food specialty code or certificate for the school completed; successful completed a minimum 3 year tour as a food production supervisor of a food preparation facility and managed up to 15 personnel and responsible for the daily requisitioning of provision and the preparation of meals to support a minimum of 100 personnel. Must have successfully completed the annual 4 hour food service sanitation training course and certificate is current.
Cook Baker
Food service military pay grade E5. Must have successfully completed a military baking course and obtained the specialty code or certificate of completion for the course completed; successful completed a minimum 3 year tour as a baker in a military baking facility daily preparing bakery products for over 100 personnel; must be skilled in requisitioning bakery items needed for daily preparation from the associated facility storeroom(s) and/or warehouse. Must have successfully completed the annual 4 hour food service sanitation training course and certificate is current.
Second Cook
Food service military pay grade E4. Must have successfully completed a military food production course and obtained the related food specialty code or certification of completion for the course completed; must have cooked in a food production facility for a minimum of 2 years; must have successfully completed the annual 4 hour food service sanitation training course and certificate is current.
Assistant Cook
Food service military pay grade E3. Must have successfully completed a military introduction to food service course (“A” school) and obtain a certification of completion for the course completed; must have cooked in a food production facility for a minimum of 1 year; must have successfully completed the annual 4 hour food service sanitation training course and certificate is current.
Getting Started with Maritime Employment
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