Patrick Wilson joined the Royal Navy to train as a Chef in 2005. He volunteered to join the Submarine Service and has served on HMS Torbay since he completed his training and received his Dolphins.
When Patrick chose to become a Chef with the Royal Navy, he joined our Logistics branch. After his Phase One Basic Training at HMS Raleigh, Patrick started 26 weeks of professional training, at the Defence Maritime Logistics School. The training gave Patrick all the skills that you’d expect from a civilian catering course, including a Level 2 NVQ qualification. Patrick had chosen to join the Royal Navy Submarine Service, but we have Chefs onboard our surface fleet vessels too. Wherever our Chefs work, they undergo the same high standards of training to ensure that they’re ready to cook for the best, anywhere in the world.
As a Submariner, Patrick has to be able to do a lot more than cook. He’s part of an elite team and has to be ready to take on the challenges of working onboard our state-of-the-art vessels. As well as providing good food for the crew, Patrick could be called upon to fight fires or even take the helm and his training gives him the skills to do it all. It’s demanding stuff and we reward our Submariners for their hard work, by giving a £5,000 bonus to all new recruits when they successfully complete their training and earn their Dolphins.
Alongside offering him the training he needed to pursue his chosen career, the Royal Navy has helped Patrick to keep up his sports. He’s a keen cricketer and rugby player and gets to keep up both, representing HMS Torbay and HMS Raleigh in the Navy Cup.
If you’d like to know more, join Patrick for his Live Chat by visiting our website between 4-6pm on Wednesday 11th February.
Cooking for the best - a career as a Chef in the Royal Navy
Beneath the Surface - our elite Submarine Service
Life without Limits - Sport and Adventure in the Royal Navy
