During the episode Certifrycation Class, Reuben states that chef certifrycation students who don't follow the recipe will become Recipe Pirates. Reuben used a ship to show that being a Recipe Pirate can ruin a dish. This was essentially a way for him to humiliate Mung during the class.

Appearance

Based on the episode, a student chef is forced to add an accessory whenever they fail a recipe, eventually dressing up like a stereotypical Black Beard-style pirate. The final outfit includes a large hat with a skull and crossbones, gold earrings (and in Mung's case, mustache rings), a fake beard, an eyepatch, a peg leg, a belted brown wool coat, a bandana, a black rubber boot, and a hook for a hand (which may sometimes have a cork for safety). It is implied that the accessories may work like a game of hangman, where the errors accumulate until the student eventually fails the class. In extreme cases like Mung's, when a student completely fails to earn a certifrycate, they become a full-blown Recipe Pirate and are made to walk the plank off a crow's nest on the building's roof.

Trivia

• Despite the name, Recipe Pirates aren't said to steal recipes. The only example we've seen is Mung, who didn't steal a recipe in this episode. However, he did steal Endive's diploma at the end, becoming a certifrycation pirate.
• Although Chowder attends class with Mung as his assistant, he doesn't have to wear the same outfit. Instead, he is given a parrot's beak mask. Pirate characters often have a parrot sidekick.