Superyacht Galley Stainless Steel Fabrication

Marine-grade stainless steel fabrication is the structural and hygienic backbone of every superyacht galley. Every worktop, sink, preparation surface, equipment stand and storage fixture must be designed specifically for the marine environment — dimensioned precisely for the available space, fabricated from materials that withstand salt air, constant cleaning and the stresses of life at sea, and finished to a standard that reflects the luxury context in which they will be installed.

At The Superyacht Galley, custom stainless steel fabrication has been central to our service since the business was founded. We manufacture galley components for vessels from 30 metres to over 100 metres, from single replacement worktops to complete bespoke galley furniture packages for new build superyachts. Every item we produce is designed, detailed and fabricated to precise specifications, using 316L marine-grade stainless steel throughout.

Why Marine Galley Fabrication Is Different from Commercial Kitchen Fabrication

Commercial kitchen fabrication for land-based restaurants and hotels is a mature, well-understood discipline. Marine galley fabrication for superyachts is a fundamentally different specialism — and the difference matters enormously to the quality of the finished result.

A superyacht galley must withstand conditions that no land-based kitchen ever faces. Constant vibration from propulsion systems, hull flexure in a seaway, thermal cycling between tropical heat and cold ocean passages, salt-laden air that attacks any surface not genuinely marine-grade, and cleaning regimes that use high-temperature water and strong sanitising agents multiple times per day — all of these demand a level of fabrication quality and material specification that commercial kitchen suppliers rarely achieve.

Key differences in marine galley fabrication include:

• Material grade — 316L stainless steel throughout, not the 304 grade commonly used in land-based kitchens. The additional molybdenum content of 316L provides significantly better corrosion resistance in chloride-rich marine environments.
• Weld quality — all structural welds are full-penetration TIG welds, ground and polished to eliminate crevices that harbour bacteria and accelerate corrosion. Commercial kitchen welding standards, which tolerate partial-penetration welds and visible grinding marks, are not acceptable in a marine context.
• Fixing methods — fixings in a marine galley must allow for vessel movement without generating fatigue cracks. We use specific fixing details and expansion joints where required to accommodate hull flexure.
• Surface finish — our standard surface finish is 2B mill finish or brushed to 240 grit on all exposed surfaces, with polished welds and radii. This finish is easy to clean, resists bacteria adhesion and maintains its appearance under heavy use.
• Dimensional precision — in a superyacht galley, every millimetre matters. Equipment must be positioned to precise dimensions to integrate with adjacent items, allow correct utility connection and maintain the required clearances. Our fabrication is accurate to ±1mm tolerance on all critical dimensions.

Our Marine Stainless Fabrication Capability

Worktops, Sinks and Drainers

Worktops are the primary working surface of the galley and the most used and most visible stainless fabrication in the space. We manufacture worktops in full 316L plate with fully welded upstands, integrated sinks, drainer grooves and equipment cut-outs as required. Sinks are formed from 316L with fully radiused internal corners — no square joints that trap food and bacteria. All sink bases are sloped to drain fully, without standing water pools.

Worktop heights are manufactured to the dimensions specified in the galley ergonomic review, which may vary by zone — preparation surfaces at the correct height for the primary user; plating and finishing surfaces at a slightly elevated height for precision work. Custom heights are standard; we do not default to fixed residential dimensions.

Preparation Tables and Work Surfaces

Free-standing preparation tables allow flexibility in the galley layout — they can be repositioned, replaced individually or removed entirely for refit access. We manufacture tubular-leg tables in 316L with adjustable feet, under-shelf and optional drawer units, all in stainless. Tables are designed with adequate knee clearance for seated preparation where space permits, and with structural bracing to prevent vibration-induced racking during sea passages.

Equipment Stands and Housings

Commercial cooking equipment specified for superyacht galleys — combi ovens, deck ovens, bratt pans, pasta cookers — requires purpose-built stands that position the equipment at the correct working height, allow adequate ventilation clearances, provide secure mounting to the vessel structure and accommodate the utility connections beneath. We design and fabricate bespoke equipment stands for every piece of cooking equipment, ensuring that each appliance is correctly integrated into the galley structure rather than simply placed on a generic shelf.

For equipment that generates significant heat — solid fuel ranges, high-output gas burners, steam equipment — we specify stainless steel heat shields and clearance details that meet SOLAS requirements for combustible surface separation.

Bespoke Storage and Racking Systems

Storage in a superyacht galley must be efficient, secure in a seaway, hygienic and accessible. We design and fabricate bespoke storage solutions tailored to the specific provisioning and equipment requirements of each vessel — pot and pan storage with fiddle rails, spice and dry goods storage with fiddle bar fronts, refrigerated undercounter units with proper stainless surrounds, and built-in racking for specialist equipment like vacuum sealers, blast chillers and large-scale blending equipment.

All storage fabrication is designed for locking in passage, with spring-loaded catches or positive locking mechanisms that prevent cupboard and drawer contents from becoming a hazard in rough weather.

Ventilation Canopies and Extraction Hoods

Ventilation canopies for superyacht galleys are one of the most technically demanding fabrication items in the galley. The canopy must capture and extract all heat, steam, grease and combustion products from the cooking equipment below, while fitting within the structural envelope of the vessel's deckhead and integrating with the vessel's ventilation ductwork. It must also be aesthetically appropriate to the galley's interior design — typically polished stainless steel with clean lines and integrated lighting.

We design and fabricate custom ventilation canopies to the specific dimensions and configuration of each galley, with integral grease filters, lighting positions and ductwork spigots sized for the ventilation engineer's specification. All canopies include provision for the kitchen fire suppression system nozzles and detection heads, and are manufactured with the access panels required for filter cleaning and nozzle inspection.

Bespoke Galley Furniture for New Build Projects

For new build superyacht galley projects, we manufacture the complete bespoke galley furniture package — every stainless item from worktops to equipment stands to storage units — as a single coordinated fabrication package. All items are manufactured to the approved galley drawings, inspected against those drawings before despatch and delivered to the yard in a scheduled sequence that matches the installation programme.

This coordinated approach eliminates the dimensional errors and material inconsistencies that arise when galley fabrication is spread across multiple suppliers working from different drawing sets.

Material Standards and Certification

All stainless steel used in our galley fabrication is 316L grade, sourced from certified European mill stock with full material traceability. Mill certificates are available for all critical fabrications on request. For vessels under survey by Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, DNV or other classification societies, we provide the fabrication documentation required for class approval of galley structure.

Where food safety regulations require HACCP-compliant surface standards — as they do for commercial charter vessels — our fabrication standards meet and exceed the surface quality requirements of European food safety regulation EC 852/2004, including the radius dimensions for internal angles and the surface finish specification for food-contact surfaces.

The Fabrication Process: From Drawing to Delivery

Technical Drawing Review

All fabrication begins with a technical drawing review. We work from the galley layout drawings and any shipyard structural drawings to produce detailed fabrication drawings for each item. These drawings are reviewed with the project team and approved before any material is cut.

Cutting and Forming

Sheet material is laser-cut to precise dimensions. Tube and section is cut and prepared by machine. Forming operations — bends, radii and curves — are produced by specialist equipment to consistent tolerances. We do not use manual cutting or forming methods for primary structural elements.

Welding and Assembly

All structural welding is by certified TIG welders. Welding procedures are established and followed consistently. Each assembly is jigged before welding to ensure dimensional accuracy through the distortion that welding heat introduces.

Finishing and Inspection

All weld areas are ground and polished to the specified surface finish. Inspection against the fabrication drawing is conducted for each item before it leaves the workshop. A dimensional check sheet is completed for every critical item and retained in the project file.

Passivation and Packaging

Completed stainless fabrications are passivated — a chemical treatment that restores the chromium oxide passive layer disrupted by welding and grinding, maximising corrosion resistance. Items are then wrapped and packaged for transit to minimise surface damage during delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions: Superyacht Galley Stainless Fabrication