CSCulinary Specialist(CS Navy Rating)
Culinary Specialists prepare and serve meals aboard ships and at shore installations. They manage galleys, plan menus, order food supplies, and maintain food service sanitation standards.
Overall
Quick Stats
Security Clearance
No Clearance — Open to Permanent Residents
This rate does not require a security clearance and is open to lawful permanent residents (green card holders) as well as U.S. citizens.
ASVAB Requirements
Who This Is Best For
Best for individuals who enjoy cooking or food service and want a clear path to restaurant, hospitality, and food management careers. Strong logistics and inventory management skills develop alongside culinary training. Good advancement and generally positive quality of life compared to many operational rates.
+Pros
- ✓Strong opportunity advancement outlook
- ✓Strong civilian career transition
–Cons
- ✗Significant sea duty
Real Opinions
+Positive
“Advancement is decent and the food service skills transfer if you want restaurant management.”
“Placement and advancement opportunities are excellent for qualified Culinary Specialists — one of the better advancement rates in the Navy. Whether you're serving dinner on a submarine, preparing a gourmet meal for foreign dignitaries, or cooking for the White House, your work is essential to keeping morale at its best. There are 23 civilian credentials closely related to CS duties.”
–Negative & Mixed
“Everyone complains about the food but nobody wants to do the job. CSs work the longest hours of any rate on the ship.”
“If you apply yourself and look for reasons to excel and enjoy it, you will go far. If you do nothing but complain, you will hate life.”
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0 charsRecruiter vs Reality
What the recruiter says vs. what it's actually like.
🫡 Recruiter says
“Culinary specialists are the morale of the ship and learn professional cooking!”
💀 Reality
Source: MyNavyRates researchYou will cook, but expect 14-16 hour days in a hot galley. Meal service happens 4 times a day underway. On submarines it is even more demanding with tighter spaces.
🫡 Recruiter says
“You'll learn culinary skills you can use at any restaurant.”
💀 Reality
Source: veteran feedbackCS work aboard ships is mass-produced cafeteria cooking for hundreds of sailors, not fine dining. The skills are more institutional food service than culinary arts. Shore galleys offer more variety.
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Horror Stories
Real stories people have shared about this rate. Swipe to browse.
“I was a CS on a ship, and it was the worst experience of my life. Wake up at three in the morning. Work sixteen hours or more in heat that makes you dizzy. Cook for hundreds of sailors, then clean everything until your hands crack. Then do it again tomorrow. And the next day. The work is demanding, thankless, and never-ending. Nobody thanks the people who feed them. They just complain the food isn't good enough. You give everything and get nothing back but exhaustion and contempt.”
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0 charsRelated Reading
Guides on picking a rate, ASVAB, bonuses, promotion, and life after the Navy.
Getting Started
How do you choose the right Navy rate for you?
Choosing a Navy rate means weighing your ASVAB scores, lifestyle preferences, civilian career goals, and willingness to deploy or go to sea. Start by identifying which ratings you qualify for, then narrow the list by what matters most to you.
Getting Started
What is the ASVAB and what scores do you need?
The ASVAB is a multi-aptitude test that determines which Navy ratings you qualify for. Your sub-test scores combine into line scores, and each rating has minimum line-score requirements. Higher scores open more options.
Career & Pay
Which Navy rates have the biggest enlistment bonuses in 2026?
Active Component (Active Duty) only. Per the CNRC GENADMIN dated 24 July 2026, the biggest source-rate bonus is $40,000 — Nuclear Field on FY26 ship dates ($75,000 EB cap). Special Warfare Boat Operator (SB) follows at $35,000, then EOD and SEAL (SO) at $30,000, and Aviation Rescue Swimmer (AIRR) and Cryptologic Technician Maintenance (CTM) at $25,000. Special Operations Future Sailors who clear the elevated PST standards add a flat $20,000 EBPST. Most rates cap at $50,000 total EB. The Loan Repayment Program adds up to $65,000 on top, separately. Reserve component (SELRES) bonuses are governed by a different message and are not covered here.