Catering Crew

Offshore oil rig jobs fascinate many job seeking youth. While the job scenario in other fields seems gloomy, the oil rig industry is booming, with hundreds of vacancies being generated in recent times. The reason is, most of the staff is due for retirement within the next 10 years, which is likely to create a human resource shortage in this industry. Thus, this seems an excellent time and opportunity for those who wish to pursue a career in this industry.

The offshore industry has a great demand for catering and housekeeping professionals, due to its continuous expansion. There are several job openings for various positions in this industry. Here are some of the best that you can target.



Camp Boss

The camp boss is the highest position in offshore catering. He is responsible for the smooth running of the entire catering department. He oversees the work of the chefs, night bakers, stewards, and other catering crew. He is responsible for keeping the moral of the oil rig staff high by providing good and nutritious food. This is a 12-hour shift duty, which also involves supervision of the cleanliness of the recreation area and sleeping quarters.


Chef/Lead Cook

Prior experience in food preparation and maintaining a kitchen is a must for this job profile. Since the food served offshore is often comparable with that of quality restaurants, it is imperative that the chef possesses excellent culinary skills. A candidate may be considered for this position even if he has no experience in offshore work. However, expertise at handling a kitchen is a must.


Assistant Cook

The assistant cook works under the supervision of a lead cook, and carries out the duties assigned to him. The job description for this position includes preparing 4 to 6 main courses, and running the kitchen efficiently in the absence of the lead cook. Often, candidates with credentials of a lead cook, but with lesser or no experience are considered for this position.


Night Baker

Due to long offshore journeys, the catering crew gets all of their bakery supplies in-house. A night baker is responsible for baking fresh bread and other bakery supplies like pastries, muffins, etc., for the next day. This is a night duty, which extends over 12 hours. For smaller rigs, an assistant cook often doubles up as a night baker, whereas, larger rigs have both as separate positions.


Housekeeper

Housekeeping is a responsibility which revolves around duties such as cleaning and maintenance of a rig. Although this job starts at a lower level with minimal wages, there is an ample scope to move up the ladder and secure a position of maintenance supervisor.


Steward

The job description for a steward is a combination of the responsibilities of a housekeeper, galley hand or dishwasher, and a busboy. Years of experience as a steward can help obtain a better position in offshore catering.