What is a galley hand?

Galley hand is the name of a job available on oil rigs and ships. The position involves assisting in the cooking and serving of meals as well as cleaning up afterward.

A galley hand's kitchen duties involve assisting the cook in meal preparation, properly storing and rotating foods, preparing coffee, cleaning the galley area and processing outgoing and incoming linen. Some galley hands are also tasked with general cleaning outside of the kitchen, such as the cleaning of latrines and sleeping areas. Since the jobs tend to be in remote areas, workers are often required to commit to working 12-hour shifts or during holidays.