I became a superyacht chef without any formal training. Here's how I turned my hobby into cooking for celebrities like Pharrell Williams while traveling the world.

• Rachel Cunningham has cooked on superyachts in Asia, in the Caribbean, and in the Mediterranean.
• The superyachts she works on feature submarines, spas, helipads, and even video-editing suites.
• She's cooked for the Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda, Pharrell Williams, politicians, and royalty.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rachel Cunningham, a 38-year-old superyacht chef and the founder of thesuperyachtchef.com. It has been edited for length and clarity.