Cooks and their employment.

[John Arton]

Despite the much reduced crew Manning on most sea going vessels these days I think if you look at a ship's minimum safe Manning certificate you will see there is still a requirement to carry a certified ships cook. The attached regulations refer to U.K. registered vessels but are part of SOLAS regulations.
Rgds
J.A.
; https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1613/note/made

[Michael Lawrence]

Des. My first ship the Marylyn reg., London. Over the Atlantic to Bond St or Broad St Brooklyn load up with general cargo for Persian gulf . Somewhere up the Shat al Arab whatever(memery is getting bloody awful) T a place called Kharamsha (I think) and I finished up in hospital have injections both ways. The doctor told me I was poisoned by the amount of salt tablets the C/Stwd was sending down my gullet and asked how long I had been taking them. 'From Suez to here doctor' Don't know if the doctor had had a word with him and the flow of tabs eased off. So I am very careful when it comes to salt. If W.R. puts anything strange in food I'm in ignorance. When I was up the gulf there was one of H.M. frigates up there named the Loch Lomond this was the early 50's., strange how your mind acts.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Michael, this is from the NHS SITE,...……………..

.A diet high in salt can cause raised blood pressure, which can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
High blood pressure often has no symptoms, and many people who have high blood pressure don't know it.
For tips on how to cut down on salt, read Tips for a lower-salt diet.


Brian

[Dennis McGuckin]

Yes Bill,
I signed on as 2nd cook/baker many times.
But there was no such rating on big ships.
They were bakers and some were pastry chefs.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Brian.
Like I said in an earlier post I like salt, and a lot of it, yet every three months when I see the Dr for my implant, he shows me my cholesterol, and blood pressure reading and says he can't believe I eat that much salt, but I don't eat much sugar, so that may be it. If I put my mind to it I can still taste those B salt tablets.
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

If I recall there was a regulation stating that a ship could sail with out a captain, but not without a ships cook.
Liners would have their chefs and cooks, and yes den some who thought they could make bread.
But they could not be used as ships cooks replacements.
Skipper could be replaced by chief officer as he should be qualified enough to fill the role.

[Michael Lawrence]

I remember the Cook on the 'Shaftesbury' quoting me that in the 60's .

[Red Lead Ted]

Can always remember when the ship run out of bread, And cookie used to bake his own bread rolls I am sure most of us done it dug the dough out of the middle and played tennis against a bulk head the inside was just like rubber

[Dave McGouldrick]

Not so many years ago when Holland America flagged back to Netherlands, the surveyor on (I think) old Rotterdam, asked to see the Chief Cooks ticket. Of course there was an exec chef, a number of sous chefs etc stc - no-one with a ships cook's ticket. Fortunately Leo the storekeeper (who had been at sea so long he still had a US Laminex) was remembered by the O.M. and he asked Leo if he had his ticket with him.
Situation saved.

[happy daze john in oz]

Can always remember when the ship run out of bread, And cookie used to bake his own bread rolls I am sure most of us done it dug the dough out of the middle and played tennis against a bulk head the inside was just like rubber

They were not called 'Second cook and Brick layer' for nothing mate.
Seen French sticks that looked more like giant straws than bread.
Amazing what they could do with what was supposed to be bread.
Any comments Den??