Shipping companies must ensure a high quality of food and hygiene standards remain throughout a vessel’s whole voyage, says leading catering management provider MCTC as it hopes to bring the industry together to celebrate Cook’s Day 2023.

MCTC has called on the industry to support them in celebrating and honouring the role of the Cook, which the company says is hugely undervalued, for the second annual Cook’s Day event.

The initiative is aimed at showing appreciation to Cooks and recognising them for the vital work they do onboard.

Earlier this month it was revealed that happiness levels among crews were declining in the latest Seafarers Happiness Index report, which cited dissatisfaction with the quality of food onboard as a significant factor, particularly when crews have been out at sea for many months.

Following the report. Group CEO of MCTC Christian Ioannou is encouraging shipping companies to prioritise the health of their crews by providing healthy and nutritious meals and snacks for the duration of the vessel’s voyage, to help promote a healthy lifestyle onboard.

International company MCTC provides the full spectrum of catering management services to vessels, from recipe planning, ordering provisions, and budgeting, along with a range of catering and nutrition training courses for galley staff. It also promotes a healthy lifestyle with fitness and mental health initiatives.

Mr Ioannou said: “It is deeply concerning that seafarers’ happiness levels are declining in the latest report, and how they are growing increasingly unhappy with the quality of food served onboard.

“Over the last few years, we have really seen the tide starting to turn how much investment and importance companies are placing on health and wellbeing. It is important for the industry to carry on working together to ensure standards continue to improve across the board.

“The importance of the Cook’s role is hugely undervalued, and the Seafarers’ Happiness Index latest report shows just how much good food can impact the rest of the crews.

“The report showed that seafarers expressed that meals were sometimes unhealthy and low quality, especially when they ended up serving onboard longer than expected. This is coupled with concerns over inadequate budgets in relation to the cost of inflation and increasing costs across the board, leaving seafarers feeling fed up and not well cared for.

“This really shows how important the role of a good Cook is. Through our services, we give galley crews the knowledge to create healthy meals within budget and we are completely transparent with our clients, so they understand the true cost of their food provisions,” Mr Ioannou added.

MCTC has expressed its gratitude to everyone taking part in Cook’s Day 2023 with crew members set to show their appreciation to their Cooks by baking an Easy Banana Cake recipe, created by MCTC’s team of expert Culinary Consultants.