FOOD ON CARGO SHIPS | STEWARD DEPARTMENT | GALLEY OPERATIONS | LIFE AT SEA

#lifeatsea #galley #stewardship #merchantmarine #cargoship
Taking a close look into what makes ship's food so important.
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[@jimc-sb7cg]

I’m a cook on the Great Lakes and it’s amazing how from one boat to the next the differences in what the crew wants to eat. I replaced a steward who was all about heart healthy and the crew was begging me for bacon cheeseburgers at lunch. So they got them every day if they wanted. Another crew was all about wraps at lunch. Except for one guy who wanted Mac and cheese and hot dogs all the time. Some crews eat lots of soup and others won’t touch it. And contrary to Gordon Lightfoot, it’s never too rough to feed the crew. Although I’ve had to tell an officer that onion rings were out of the question. We were rolling 20-30 degrees that day.

[@Tipp_Of_The_Mitt]

From watching many of the maritime gally/food videos on YT, the lake boats all appear to have great food of whatever the cooks are making.

[@n_tha_kitchen3797]

How did you get that job

[@doyoulovehimloretta1607]

Thunder Bay Alpena girl here waving 👋 hi. Take good care.

[@Tipp_Of_The_Mitt]

@@doyoulovehimloretta1607 Well Hello from Cheboygan, lol.

[@doyoulovehimloretta1607]

@Tipp_Of_The_Mitt hi my friend, love Cheboygan!

[@janterjehalsen3324]

Im a cook on a Norwegian fishing vessel. 16 to 20 people, and usually 6 weeks at sea. Saturday at 20.00 hours its always Steak. The whole Norwegian fleet. That is how we count the weeks!

[@TheWandererTiles]

how do you cook a steak if the sea is rough?

[@TheWandererTiles]

How do you cook steak if the sea is very rough?

[@janterjehalsen3324]

@@TheWandererTiles We have a gyro stabilized pan, but mostley I brown the filets and finnishes them in the owen.

[@laura-ann.0726]

At my age (66), I'm way past the time of life where I might have considered the merchant marine as a career, so Joe's video's are my chance to see what my life might have been like had I made a few different choices when I was in my twenties. Great video, Joe!

[@mikepette4422]

ditto was just saying the samething

[@kathyslatton3998]

Our dad was a cook on merchant marine ships. Loved his cooking, he could make anything taste great!

[@JeffDeWitt]

Yes, I see some of these videos about the people who work on merchant ships and think if I'd made different choices that's something I might have done. (and maybe if my parents had too... if we hadn't moved from western Michigan were we could see the ships).

[@jamesftoland]

My experience exactly

[@wildwestunlimited]

Same here!

[@rashidsukhera8674]

Hello from indian ocean. Capt Rashid Sukhera here, i gotta show this to my chief cook😂.

[@kaycey7361]

Ask your cook , to prepare some pork roast. Tasty and offensive to you but loved by the rest. 😂😂

[@diane9247]

@@kaycey7361 Are you trying to be funny?

[@CRUSHENGLISH]

Mate just the way you open this piece says it all "We always see big ships in the distance but completely ignore the fact that people are on board", was class. I'm amazed by how well stocked the larder on board that ship was. Bloody interesting!

[@GulfCoastTim]

Over 30 years ago, I worked for a security company in Florida, one of my first jobs ever. I'd stand watch on ships like this while they were in a shipyard. Once at dinner time aboard some foreign ship, they called me into their dining room or mess hall (as you all call it) and invited me to eat. I could hardly understand their language but they were very polite and friendly. They told me to sit down at the table, then brought me a plate of food. I don't remember what it all was but i remember that food was so good.

[@barbarawright5774]

Oh lovely!

[@josephlewis6987]

I'd like to try the food on board cargo ships,submarines.

[@Aeoxander]

In today's world, people need to be VERY careful because the food might be drugged or poisoned.

[@josephlewis6987]

Ohh! That's very good

[@all.day.day-dreamer]

I love the warm and inviting voice of Joe. His words are carefully chosen and with his tone, it's soothing and easy to listen to. The music and editing he has chosen brings a fair amount of "romance of the sea" to the over-all vibe of his videos, and I honestly enjoy his videos. I wish him all the best. I hope he makes a good amount of money to fund the next chapter in his life. My favorite parts of the video were showing the cooks that were dancing, laughing and enjoying their tasks of cooking. I love cooking for others and the compliments I receive.

[@joannehart9624]

I really enjoyed this episode. I've attended professional cooking school and always wondered what it would be like to work on ship. Food service is a difficult and demanding job, and onboard a ship raises that to another level. Glad to hear about some of those great departments that really understand how important their responsibility is.

[@markakira8988]

I'm fascinated by cargo ship food and most YTube videos just show the food, galley and steward. This was in depth. Logically thought out and well paced. I never considered the 3 main factors. I paused at each food spread. I like how the steward wrote 'Honey Mustard' in yellow for Super Bowl menu. He cares and has pride. //Fishing scenes were my favorite part. Shout out to Arsenio, his Marlin was the most cool/neat/interesting highlight of the video. //Happy to see Grey Poupon as one of the condiments.

[@leversforever9748]

A sailfish that identifies as a Black marlin

[@karmenolsen7686]

Truly enjoy your content! Multitudes of us will never experience this, many will not even know this life exists. Thanks for sharing.

[@TacoMyrick]

I was a deckhand on a towboat. Illinois Waterway and Upper Mississippi. We ate GOOOOOD! Fridays was fish...Saturdays steak...Sundays was fried chicken. Without fail. When Joe mentioned cheeseburgers being a time stamp I immediately thought of our Saturday steak. We were also allowed free access to food in the galley at all hours of the night. If you have a favorite cereal or something like that our cook did their best to accommodate. Our regular cook was an awesome lady. Us regulars called her Mom.

[@Fjord_Driver]

Gordon Ramsay should do a 30 day run as the chef on a cargo ship. That would be interesting.

[@KingofCrusher]

They'd all murder him in the kitchen in like five minutes, lol.

[@tomelko]

Food and ships... two great things that go great together.

[@joylapine9004]

I don’t know why your videos fascinate me because I am petrified of large bodies of water…the ocean…a lake…a reservoir or large river. I’m sure you all work very hard and need large meals to keep your energy up. Great video!

[@rogerhallau5284]

I was a Marine back in the late 70s-early 90's.I went on two WestPac floats for 6 months each.I was aircrew so hours were long and most of the time I could only get dinner.I looked so forward to that meal! Surprisingly, the food on board the carriers was pretty good.On one float we had a jarhead who was technically attached to our squadron but was a baker and in the wee morning hours he would bring a tray of fresly baked donuts.What a treat! We took care of him by letting him fly on our helicopters whenever he wanted unless the flight was a test flight,then only aircrew were allowed on board the chopper.So when you say food was a morale booster or morale breaker,I can testify to the validity of that statement.

[@MrStarfishPrime]

My Uncle was a merchant Sailor in the 70-80s (Spanish). He always said that contrary to most of the stereotypes the food in the ship was always good and the cook always had as a pride doing new things and making the crew happy.

[@Tonyx.yt.]

awfull cooks are probably thrown overboard😂

[@cammy2100]

Hi Joe I worked in the galley for a lot of years, we used to look forward to loading stores when we got to the States. It was always very difficult when we loaded at foreign ports especially Africa and some places in the far east. The quality really varied when we went to some of these places,especially when there was no English writing on the labels or packets. I'm now retired, I enjoyed every single day at sea,sure there were challenges but life's full of them. Can't beat a happy crew on a ship , it sure makes life a lot easier. Keep the great videos buddy. I'm glad to say that I've been there. It's a life like no other.

[@bakerbill4274]

Pulling into Houston as I write this. Stores arriving in two hours! After a 40 day transit, I'm not sure if I'm more excited to get fresh vegetables, dish soap, or a cold beer!

[@PG-ku9qd]

Joe - I love that you are a regular hard working guy sharing what your life at sea is like. It's stuff like this video that is most compelling for us that don't get to see what it's like on a day-to-day basis. As always, really well done video. Thanks so much for sharing, brother!

[@chuckoboy952]

I was a cook for the United States Navy for Twenty years, The best time of my life , spent most of my time in the med 😊😊😊 Have fun bud Good Memories ❤❤

[@HazletNJ]

Greetings from Hazlet, NJ Thanks for this and all of your videos. I’m living vicariously through you. I’m a retired 70 y/o stroke survivor and I love your narrations/descriptions.

[@bigstick6332]

Great video as always. We can really feel like we're experiencing ships life by watching these. Thanks, and godspeeed.

[@Mark-pp7jy]

Nice video Joe. I like the way you calmly explain different aspects of your profession. Also, that you give "credit" where credit is due. Nobody wants to work with someone who is stuck in negativity, and I have no doubt that your gratitude has served you well. All the best, Mark

[@bradleygraves5915]

As a cook myself (at a resort on the beach) I am immensely PROUD of those stewards making use of the fresh fish. I got some red snapper one time and made "rainbow" tacos with the snapper, and salsa (mango, tomato, red and white onion, jalapeno, and cilantro). SImple, but one of my best days thanks to the guys who got the fresh fish.

[@mikegallegos7]

Nice. When I was crew on submarines, Military Sealift Underway Replenishment (unrep) ships, the schooner Barbara, I mostly enjoyed the food. Since going ashore for a few years, am now returning to sea as Cook and did a contract on Pride of America. They cruise around the Hawaiian Islands so the food is always fresh and always delicious. I learned a lot aboard under Chef Alaine and as long as the budget and port of calls allow, great tasting food is always my intention. I don't like to work with canned food but there are ways to make it work, however fresh is king. I will add baking to my skills by shadowing a baker or two an hour or two off duty to pick up what I can. Am very interested in bread so will focus on that staple before desert baking. Thanks for the video, Shipmate !

[@guylamaupassant]

If I had 20 or more years to serve on board I would be enrolling in a class as soon as possible. I didn't know this career was available until I saw Joe Franta's youtube channel. Thanks for the heads up.

[@jerrygengler9515]

Keep up the content Joe. As an ex Navy guy(submariner at that), I have always been fascinated by the sea. I'm too old now to jump into a life like you have, but it truly is interesting(yes I get it can be a grind) but this video rings so true. On the subs we were fortunate to have great cooks and a definite moral booster at that. One of our cooks enjoyed baking so much we had doughnuts, cakes, brownies, etc. Those were the treats. Only one time did it get to us when deployed for a long time, the cooks had to invent what to do with chuck roast, so we had french dips, yankee pot roast, Mississippi pot roast, beef stew, etc. They tried, but everyone was tired of road beef essentially HA!.

[@MesaperProductions]

Tunny SSN-682, '94-'98. You?

[@jaideedave]

@@MesaperProductions Not him but I was on an old diesel boat 71-74 SS75 HMCS Rainbow nee Argonaut from USN we ate very well thank you..Our cooks were savvy and when we went to sub base San Diego Point Loma we traded a lot of beef roasts for lobster..

[@2fast65]

Great video Joe I agree food can make or brake the attitude of people after extended times of work Thanks for taking us along have a great day be safe.

[@davidmelton7268]

Thanks Joe! As always, your videos are informative and insightful, and the production values are just amazing. You are a great presenter. I think I could listen to you talk about pretty much anything! Wishing you safe travels, wherever you are, and thanks again.

[@keokukia9800]

The food looks amazing. I've had some food that "everyone" said was terrible, but it seemed great to me. I think some people tend to get bored with food and begin to think it's terrible when it's actually quite good. Friends have said I'd eat the tableclothe if it didn't have plates on it, so maybe I don't require much.

[@Oldman808]

Yeah, I’ve never understood picky eaters. If I was too busy to take a lunch break, I’d hand another worker some money to bring me lunch. They’d always ask what I wanted, and I’d tell them just bring me the same thing you get.

[@TheGor54]

Some folks just open thier mouths when they're not hungry. Watch out for those types, they're always trouble.

[@BigRoofBigSnow]

A beautiful constructed video to tell a simple yet compelling story. Thank you and job well done!

[@mesquitoful]

My Dad was a Panama Canal Pilot in the 1970s. He took me along on many transits. Crazy how that was allowed. I remember eating strange but delicious food from heavy China. And these were freighters and and bulk carriers. My sisters, being privileged, went along on the cruise ship transits. Royal Viking Sky, Sea, whatever.

[@pamspencer5733]

So jealous! 😤

[@celial56]

I like Joe's videos because they help me relax and forget my day to day worries for a little while. I also enjoy learning what life on a cargo ship is like.

[@submarineradioman5535]

Food in the USN Submarine Service is AMAZING !!! SURFACE Navy - eh…

[@johnkane1898]

I had started watching this video earlier in the day and paused it for a few hours. Getting ready for bed I thought about switching back on and remembered my late Dad who passed 2 years ago telling me when he was a Belfast Harbour Pilot in Northern Ireland about a big Indian flagged ship he brought in and had the best Indian food ever on board. I started playing the video again and Joe you’re saying about the Tampa pilot coming aboard saying his favorite ships are the Indians for their food.

[@rfw700]

I worked on a couple of drillships. One of them was called the Noble Duchess. When I was on it, we were working in India, consequently we had a mainly Indian crew including catering. Everything we had was spicy. One day the cook made doughnuts. These were presented to the crew on a large platter, and arranged to form a large pyramid of doughnuts. On seeing these doughnuts, I had a Homer Simpson moment and subconsciously said "Mmm Dougnuts". This coincided with taking a bite of one, and quickly realising I had probably taken a bite of what was probably the spiciest, hottest thing I had ever eaten. We also had to contend with a huge infestation of cockroaches, which invariably found their way onto your plate. I got as far as moving them to the side of my plate. I never knowingly ate them, but I'm sure they were part of my diet.

[@alexbaum2204]

About 16 years ago, I was on a ferry from the Indonesian port of Bitung to the city of Ternate in the Moluccan islands. It was a two day trip. Being the only westerner on board, and using my bicycle to travel the islands, I think the captain took a shine to me and invited me to have dinner in the mess with him and his officers. I was very flattered and very humbled by the experience. There we sat, eating fried rice, beef rendang, and lumpia. There we sat together, flicking away denizens of cockroaches as we tried to finish our food. I’m two days out now from going to the SIU training program. Cockroaches are one of my biggest fears. But I guess if I’m flicking them away with the rest of the crew and I’m not alone in it, it’s not as bad as it could be.

[@anotheraccount4776]

Yeah everything about India just sucks period.

[@rfw700]

@@alexbaum2204 l was also on another drillship, called Deepwater Expedition, the cockroaches also found there way into your food. However the food was quite good. Eventually the company called in pest control experts, who got rid of the cockroaches. After that the food was terrible. Maybe cockroaches are quite tasty after all.

[@barbarawright5774]

Spicy doughnuts, oh no!! Just swallow. Thanks for telling us. Cockroaches is protein. Oh dear.

[@guymorris6596]

Yikes.

[@mwlgo6188]

Fantastic video Joe! Keep’em coming! May you have fair winds and following seas.

[@kevi.h8609]

Hi Joe, how right you are, if a ship is a good feeder then you have a happy crowd (crew) if not a good feeder you have multiple pay-offs here there and every where. On the Aussie coast there was a chief steward named by the crowd as Tom the cheap, as you can imagine not a happy ship. Great video as always Joe. Greetings from Tasmania.👍

[@GiselleTrujillo]

A very underrated subject. Keep it coming! Much more appreciation for this industry.

[@bobseashols517]

I was a cook on a US ballistic missile submarine (90-95). This was an excellent video.

[@beckyumphrey2626]

A great cook is always key to a great crew.

[@mattheweburns]

12:32 I never thought about the variety of food being a perk for a port pilot lol I didn’t realize they were on board that long. Really cool to hear that.

[@indianabukidboyszutowicz3191]

Thank you so much for this video. Having cooked for Military Sealift Command, and now soon to be cooking in the private sector shipping industry, it is nice to know what I am going to be getting in too. Most everything you said is definitely true, the stewards department can really make or break the moral fibber of a ship. I worked with great Filipino cooks and others, we knocked it out of the park almost everyday. Three proteins every lunch and dinner, two starches, and three vegetable dishes. Up at 5am, out of the galley at 6:30pm 7 days a week. Love the job and putting smiles on my fellow shipmates faces. I specialize in authentic Mexican, and love Filipino food dishes, as well as many Asian dishes, not to mention many curry dishes as well. Great video, loved it!!!!!

[@bakerbill4274]

Learn to make other dishes. I'm a Chief Cook and never make more than one Asian or Mexican dish per week. That includes anything curry. If all you make is Asian food, then you'll probably get a lot of shit from the crew. This isn't MSC. We're not predominantly Filipino.

[@indianabukidboyszutowicz3191]

@@bakerbill4274 copy that. I cook almost everything. Very well versed on many dishes, especially American foods and dishes.

[@neilturner6865]

I work on the equivalent of the msc on the Royal Fleet Auxilliary as a chief 👨‍🍳we have to feed large ships crews as the msc my budget is £3.68 per person per day safe sailing calm seas Bro 👨‍🍳

[@adamfischer6768]

While working with the Coast Guard for a short time their mid day meal (lunch) was the biggest meal of the day and the the entrées changed daily. The evening meal or Dinner was usually very light and consisted of sandwiches or pizzas. I don't know if this was just the unit I was at or if it was done fleet wide but no one ever skipped the lunch meal.

[@FoxyfloofJumps]

Wow... Cargo ships are the very definition of "choose wisely". Your videos are really opening my eyes to a totally different lifestyle, that still has roots centuries-old.

[@neilharrison7555]

Great video, very informative. I retired in 2017, after 43 years. In the '70's / '80's the food was good, both from the point of quality and how well it was cooked. After that, things tended to go downhill as Owners tried to cut costs. However, if you had a good Captain who also liked his food, we'd get good food, despite any "squeeze" put on by the Owners. In my last say 10 years the Cook was usually Filipino, cooking for a couple of Europeans (or just me!) Chinese and other nationalities. Not an easy job. Yes, the standard of stores supplied varied. India/Pakistan/Egypt was usually poor. Aussie/NZ/USA/Europe usually very good. Some cooks were brilliant. Some...not so much! I was astounded by the amount/selection of foods/snacks/ice cream etc in the Messroom fridges. I have seen NOTHING like that in the last 10-15 years of my time at sea. Thanks for an informative video. And yes, the Cook has one of the most difficult jobs on a ship. Safe Sailing.

[@josephemidy8604]

you make a great point, the captain dictates the budget, if the stewards dept is really good, the steward can order anything he wants provided what comes out of the galley is keeping his crew happy..with the exception of that aqua green/blue company that could care less about food on the ship, they are about calories, bottom line cost and not traditional fare for seafarers. Companies and the union go far to try to sell healthy and not comfort food for mariners that cost allot less. Companies like Crowley, OSG and few a others really care about their crews being happy with quality food. I know Tom Crowley cares allot about his crews happiness while working on his vessels...thank god there are good ship owners like him still around. I'm retired and thank Tom and other good vessel operators who see the value in happy and well fed crews...an unhappy crew leads to mistakes and eventually unfortunate outcomes for all aboard. I ounce had a captain tell every new hire coming aboard not to mess with his steward...rule 1...smart captain!!!

[@pattrickhumphreys2257]

Having been in Navy aboard an Aircraft Carrier. The Ship had two mess decks for the enlisted E-6 and below. Had the three main meals and midrats, midrats being a meal at midnight. The food was always good. Breakfast was always the best because its really hard to mess up eggs. lol

[@indianabukidboyszutowicz3191]

We had a cook baker that came on our ship and he was able to screw up eggs. OMG, he is not there no more. Tao-187 Kaiser!!!

[@MichaelCurrie71]

I'm a former logistics officer and responsible for subsistence in an entire state army national guard and I had the same ethic of caring for the troops and what they eat and what they want to eat. This video completely makes sense to me.

[@waynecory5314]

You make such a good point here! I know from your videoes & others, that you guys work your ass off at most times, & often enough doing messy pain in the ass hard jobs! Has to be so great to know the stewards love & care about their fellow shipmates - & have a really great meal waiting for you, when you finally get a break!

[@bakerbill4274]

It's not because we care about our shipmates really. A lot of cooks are just lazy and here to pick up a paycheck. For me, I care about the food I prepare. The crews are too diverse to satisfy everyone, so my "bar" is if I'm happy with the meal I put out. As for the crew's happiness, it's simply not a factor. If there's a REAL problem, then the Captain will address it with us. Whining about the food is simply a passtime onboard most ships.

[@sandy1653]

@@bakerbill4274 If the crew isn't complaining about something, they aren't breathing.

[@rockcityprepper9134]

I’m a chef and that looks like fun and crazy hard work. I’m sure you know. Treat them good and they will treat you better. Dig it.

[@liamh9814]

Joe, never change your style, the authenticity of your voice is your unique appeal. Fantastic content. I always wanted to be a merchant sailor. Instead I went into law. Your videos are a vicarious pleasure. Thanks.

[@Dr_V]

I have a distant relative who worked as a cook on oceangoing freighters all his life. He had a "gray market" trade running just to make sure they stock up enough quality food for the crew no matter the official ship's budget (which was often insufficient). Nothing illegal, just exotic trinkets or deep sea fish caught by the crew, bartered for fresh fruits and vegetables, prime quality beef or pork, cured cheese and various other supplies. He's a master of pickling and making fruit jams and one of the few cooks I know able to process any kind of meat as fast as a butcher using just a standard kitchen knife.

[@GrumpyForester]

Really excellent video, Joe. This is a world I will never know, so thanks for this peek behind the curtain on the world of food on a cargo ship...

[@SidewaysTA]

I work on a research ship that spends 60-65 days at sea between port calls/food replenishments feeding 100-120 people. Everything you said is 100% accurate. And that mess you showed is absolutely incredible. You can get candy bars on board my ship but definitely not for free. You must buy them from ship's stores.

[@benjaminmccluskey2643]

Dang Joe, you make me want to quite my engineering job of 20+ years and become a sailor man!! Traveling the world and being on the Ocean! I would love it!!! I'm not afraid to work hard either. I was Blue-collar way before white!!

[@bakerbill4274]

I'm a former Civil Engineer and now sail as Chief Cook. Not making as much money, but I can live on 90k with 6 months vacation each year!

[@keinaanabdi6821]

Both Nicole and Mikey have a great story telling ability I would have enjoyed if they chose to make vlogs, specially we would like to hear how Nicole got to an officer.

[@sribalagiragavendran3579]

Big fan of your videos . I am in pre-sea training in India. All your videos are helpful for me. Keep posting such videos. Keep up the good work👍

[@russellhalleran9080]

Smooth Seas Ahead ! As a NAVY Carrier sailor,food was always important and our cooks did an Outstanding job. Thanks for the video.

[@texbraz]

Joe, you do great videos. What more can I say? They are just great.

[@Toooldforthisshite]

Love all your videos, but this one is the most insightful. I’ve never worked on a ship or oil rig, but I’ve put in years working remotely away from family, home, and friends and if you haven’t experienced this you won’t understand how important food is, or more importantly how important good food is. When you have nothing to look forward to but a good meal with coworkers it’s a bonding experience and definitely effects morale. Thankfully I’m now retired and get to sleep in my own bed every night, but I still remember how difficult the isolation and loneliness were. I wish you nothing but sunny skies and calm seas………

[@rupertthedrone4717]

Hey! I'm currently training to be an AB in the UK and these videos are really making me wanna try deep sea! I'm doing my training with a ferry company and your videos really help me relax after a long monotonous day securing cargo and vehicles! Thank you for the content!!

[@atlbuck]

I am a submarine veteran. It's amazing it's the same as this video. You can have great food...but if the cooks don't care...its a waste of time. Thanks joe!

[@timothyferguson105]

Love your videos! That was a Sailfish, actually a small one. I caught a 135-pound one off the coast of Costa Rica

[@JoseCaballero-c4m]

Yea I did 30 years on various type of ships love it

[@michaelangelo3305]

that dance he did showed he cared about the food

[@frankcelle744]

As always, a fantastic video. I have a lot of down time at work and go down a TON of KZbin rabbit holes...this is by far my favorite channel on KZbin. I've re-watched so many of your videos. Thanks for keeping great content coming. You obviously put a ton of time and effort into these on top of an already demanding job. Thanks Joe, be well.

[@Amanda-cr9ph]

Just finished the video! Engine room is definitely the central nervous system that keeps everything in working order. The deck officers think they run the show, but without the engineers, that ship doesn’t go anywhere! Engineers keep the ship going! We all play an important role in operations, but in my experience, mates and captains are in charge of delegating coffee fetching responsibility to the abs, the abs get the great views and mostly cushy jobs apart from watching the gangway in winter, the deckhands and tunnelmen are the hardest working people depending on the type of ship and the cooks are (usually) the heart who feed everyone’s soul. I’m from Canada, so it may differ slightly, but I definitely agree cooks make or break the ships morale

[@henrytupper6959]

I agree with that. Fourth engineer.

[@jokerquinn104]

SERVED 21 YEARS IN MARINE MORSOC FORCES...& THEY TREAT THE COOK LIKE ROYALITY,. THIS REALLY MAKES OR BREAKS MORAL..A COOK IS WORTH HIS WEIGHT IN GOLD ..UMM😉🙃

[@purpleandred7]

I was planning on serving my family leftover stuffed shells with meatballs for dinner tonight, but after seeing that steak on your video I'm now defrosting 4 New York strips steaks for dinner instead 😋🤤🥩

[@greggross8856]

Great slice of life at sea video. Question: When a crew gets a really great steward department/cook(s) that work so hard even when the the crew is of, doe the crew do anything for them at the end of cruise or the end of a contract to show appreciation?

[@raxxmoriti]

0:12 those are beautiful bridge equipment. JRC Radars JRC VHF Radios with the Yokogawa Gyro giving true heading

[@fly-over1517]

This is a great video on a subject that is often if not always overlooked, and I have to ask, how in the halibut did you haul that black Marlin up the side of that ship? My gawd that must have been amazing to bring that in, and most of all what a moral booster that was. Love this video, thank you

[@AvianSavara]

I'm simple : I'll eat whatever you put in front of me and be grateful. But a good, flavourful, enjoyable meal is always great and there's nothing like it.

[@msterry9694]

So glad to see your videos, Joe. All I knew was ships in storms! I will be on one in my next life!!! Thanks!

[@paulmorgan6269]

Worked in the North Sea on boats. Saturday a special meal was made to give you really something to look forward too. Loved Saturday's.

[@marvint.martian5034]

Hamburger Saturday! What a flashback... Thanks for another great one Joe!

[@CaptainSloose]

Joe your filmography and voice overs just keep getting better. Your writing is spectacular.

[@Wedgedoow]

Great insight to maritime victuallling, thanks for posting Pete

[@mskataymskatay2760]

Thank you for taking us into a world most of us will never see or experience!

[@ImogenC-rt3fm]

Used to cook for a crew 3 meals a week. LOVED IT! Nothing challenging-cuz I’d never even need a tender. But it was the fact they were essentially “voluntary prisoners”-and it wasn’t just FOOD! The food part was negligible. It was the basic fact that THAT food was also love, it was also the expression of respect, and it was a choice whether to be creative, whether to pay attention…or to season with the inimitable spice, “Sod Off.” I much preferred to pay attention.

[@ImogenC-rt3fm]

However, found the wild eyes of the dying marlin TOO painful to watch.

[@drivenhome3257]

I have kitchen and camp cooking experience. I love to cook and bake. My crew would always be curious and healthy. Curries and Mexican dishes.

[@Luckydiver83]

Hello! I am a chief steward/ Steward baker. I have worked my way from a steward assistant. I have sailed on many different ships everything from cargo/ containers to tankers, to USNS ships (MSC). The food budget is a big factor if you have $15-$17 per person per day that is usually very good budget. I have found that usually the more people you have the better the food. As a member of the steward department, the galley will vary from ship to ship. Size of galley, what cooking equipment is in working condition, the conditions of the seas, ordering provisions mainly talking about meats can be very tough, different names of cuts compared to the U.S. Yes having a good Steward department is a moral booster, Keeping the inside of the ship clean and sanitary to keeping the food tasteful, safe and healthy. It’s a big job but i love it.

[@jeffvandenberg8422]

Another great video. Food is always great. Cheers from Sarnia Ontario Canada 🇨🇦

[@lisagerman2111]

First time viewer, loved the content. As a retired chef, I appreciate the appropriate detail given to otherwise (on land) simple expectations. My one exception is including cruise/luxury ships in roughly same category, but that would be an interesting segment on it's own. How staff is treated, cruiseline vs cruiseline, can be very revealing and translate to how it's customers are viewed.

[@Lonesome__Dove]

When i was in high school i asked all my grown family members what i should become for a career. My grandpa said a merchant marine. I did a little research on it but ultimately didn't do it. I became a chef. Now, many many yrs later i wish i would pf listened to him. I could of been a cook on a ship.

[@benjaminhedderly4495]

Fascinating 👍...thanks for sharing a glimpse inside! Respect to the men that prepare food for there brothers 🍻

[@elund408]

I also watch other channels, all agree that the food makes the trip. The pay is pretty much the same, the job is the same accommodation can be better or worse but the Food is the one thing that makes the difference.

[@air-run3984]

One time my buddy took us out on his 35 ft boat. For lunch we had sandwiches and canned pop. Oh the memories!!

[@AmbientWalking]

Thanks for this! It's so interesting! I love looking at how people eat!

[@mattdickinson8170]

That was a fun watch! Thanks for the insight and safe travels!

[@palkvalvik3177]

One off the cook`s i had employed before i sold the ship unhook`ed the fish as we caught them and run strait to the gally and we got fresh grilled fish while we was fishing 🙂The food and salary is important on ship`s

[@djmeta5]

Spot on with cheesburger saturday, i can confirm.

[@machinistmikethetinkerer4827]

Bit of a different point of view here. I was on a carrier in the early 80s but I wasn't a cook. I was amongst other duties, the ships plumber. The connection is that any mess deck would have any number of drains, pipes, fixtures and every style of plumbing imaginable. To feed 5000 souls including a Marine Detachment MARDET, it all has to work at all times. When it didn't people didn't get fed and somewhere a Chief was getting severely pissed off. We'd get the call and get em running again. Enlisted mess, Officers mess and even the Chiefs mess always kept us well fed with great food. We'd even get Steak Lobster Corn on the Cob and homemade chocolate cake and real milk from the Admirals mess. We took care of them and they took care of us.

[@Dirtboxhor]

I'd never really thought about cargo ship galleys. The food looks better than I expected. I was US Navy/submarines. Food is everything when you spend months at sea.

[@marcmeinzer8859]

My favorite cook was an ex-navy MS1st class, the rate which was subsequently renamed CS or culinary specialist instead of mess management specialist and the reason he was good was because he knew enough to order reefer containers of American food of the sort that blue collar people prefer to eat or in other words not creamed chicken in all it’s varieties all of the time like the more pretentious stewards he would relieve. It especially helps if the cook first, can read, so he can read recipe books, and second, that he or she not be drunk half of the time. We had this one severely alcoholic lady cook with a suspiciously varied occupational history including being an army officer and an art teacher who dropped a slab of ribs down a ladder well, spaced it out, and subsequently allowed that meat to ripen down there in some void space from whence the malodorous rotting meat wafted a nauseating miasma which could have knocked a buzzard off of a shit wagon. But I wasn’t bothered overmuch by her because she was usually good for a bottle of Scotch if my supply ran low. But Todd, the good steward, who I used to visit in Toledo to go bet on the trotters with, along with Crazy Brian from Detroit , would be sure to stock up on cheese burgers, fries, ribs, Captain Crunch and Fruity Pebbles cereal, and of course eggs and cold cuts and frozen pies and could even make pizza from scratch which was fairly passable.

[@jiff80]

As a chef I appreciate watching these from a logistical point of view

[@samlloyd6197]

I’m a retired executive chef, I worked at higher end private country clubs, I don’t think I would have been financially compensated enough, but I would’ve loved the opportunity to done this at least a few times I think it would’ve been an amazing experience. From a professional perspective, budget is absolutely essential it’s up to the company to set the financial parameters of any food, service operation in that type of environment. Also, having a decent cook is a huge issue if you got someone who just doesn’t give a shit if it’s gonna suck. If you said someone who cares about their job and cares about the people they’re looking for yeah you’re in for a good ride. I enjoy your content You have no idea how much I enjoyed this episode. Thank you very much

[@johnbillington7891]

Best cook ever was Gene the fillipino. He worked with me in Turkey. He was on this video.

[@davidgabrie1302]

I worked in a hotel for almost 40 years. They used a banquet chef for employees meals. For about my first five years , they offered almost a full breakfast option. Pancakes, eggs to order, all the meats, and omelets. Then it was hot cereal, muffins, rolls, toast. Lunch was usually two hot options plus the grill for hamburgers. Hot foods ranged from fish, to beef or pork dishes. They had two soup options, plus a nice salad bar. The same food would be served at dinner. The various Chefs would make foods usually complimented by their ethnic background. Indian, Fillipino, Chinese…. They made up their favorite dishes. It was pretty good. And the best part was it didn’t cost anything. The pride of the Chef made a huge impact on the quality of food. Of course we had employees that were of all races, so it was a reflection of how their races would react to the food they served. If it wasn’t good, they would let the Chefs know. Because we were a large hotel after banquets were finished we would get the left over foods, anything from Salmon, to Steaks. I was fortunate because I knew the banquet servers and Captains. If there was a Wedding Preview Dinner, there were always extra dishes,and I would eat the tastiest Fish, or beef dinners like Braised Beef Ribs. Some cooks didn’t give a damn about the employees, and hated the job. One guy on graveyard shift was caught pissing in the soup. He was terminated. It’s the worst thing I heard that ever happened. When I had to leave to find other employment… I had to pay for my own lunches. It was a hassle, and I missed my free meals I enjoyed eating when I worked at the hotel.

[@arpbarker]

Thoroughly enjoyed this episode. extremely insightful and extremely well made. the opening sentiment is paramount.

[@lpd1snipe]

After two hitches in the Navy as a Boiler Technician I spent 18 years in the Merchant Marine. Both on Union and non-.Union vessels. I wish I only worked 12 hours a day in the Merchant Marine as an Engineer. Most of the days were more like 18 hours seven days a week for three months at a time. Especially if something broke and you had to change a short pack on a EMD 645. Or your Water Maker broke or any number of things that had to be repaired to get underway again. I worked on everything from ocean-going ITB Tug barge combination, Tug and Barge on the tow, Bulk freighters, MSC Command ro-ro's like the USNS Denebola. Special Mission ships T-AGO s class like the Loyal and Victorious. Looks like you guys are eating a lot better than I did over 20 years ago. Smooth Seas to you!