No. Level 2 is the standard, for chefs as well as stewardesses.
The industry repeats "Level 2 for stews, Level 3 for chefs" so often that most people assume it is a rule. We went looking for it in the MCA guidance and it is not there.
MIN 689 (M) Amendment 3 says it directly: "Level 2 is the minimum acceptable level for ship's cooks, catering staff and other persons processing food in the galley."
Level 3 may help you stand out, and some employers ask for it. That is a preference. Nobody should be selling it to you as a legal requirement.
If you are junior interior crew
There is a useful nuance here. MSN 1846 defines catering staff to include stewards and stewardesses, but crew working under qualified supervision "needn't hold formal qualifications but must demonstrate competency". A junior stew working under a qualified chef is not legally required to hold Level 2, though most employers will still want to see it.
The Ship's Cook Certificate is a different question
This one has a real threshold, and it is not the one people quote. You will hear "required over 24 metres" or "over a certain tonnage". Neither appears in the regulation.
MSN 1846 exempts ships that "operate only within 60 miles of a safe haven" and ships that "ordinarily operate with fewer than 10 seafarers on board". Ten crew, not ten guests. That exempts the large majority of charter yachts. If someone tells you that you need one for a boat running six crew, ask which regulation they mean.
Sources
Last reviewed 16 August 2026. Note that MIN 689 Amendment 3 expires on 30 November 2026, so check for a replacement after that date.