International culinary and hospitality talent for Florida kitchens and resorts.
Seasonal staff through J-1 Work & Travel, and interns and trainees in structured culinary and hospitality training. Students pay their own program fees, so there is no placement fee for employers. Every placement is coordinated with a U.S. Department of State designated sponsor.
Seasonal staff from abroad, with no fee to you
University students from our partner agencies join your team for up to four months during their summer or winter break. You pay normal wages, as for any seasonal employee. Nothing to Apollo Talents.
No placement fee
Students pay their own program fees. Your only cost is the wages and hours you agree with them.
Housing comes first
Before anything else we plan housing with you: staff housing, or nearby options the students can afford.
Teams that match your season
Groups that arrive for your peak and leave when it ends, from a handful of students to teams of 10 or more.
When students are available
Each country's university break sets the dates, so different countries fit different parts of Florida.
| Students from | Typically available | Best fit in Florida |
|---|---|---|
| Summer season | ||
| Lithuania | May 2 – September 15 | Panhandle beaches (Destin, Panama City Beach), Orlando attractions and water parks, the Keys |
| Bulgaria | May 3 – October 1 | |
| Kazakhstan | May 8 – September 1 | |
| Serbia | May 21 – October 10 | |
| Spain | May 24 – October 7 | |
| China | June 1 – September 15 | |
| Montenegro | June 15 – September 21 | |
| Romania | June 15 – September 30 | |
| Winter season | ||
| Brazil | November 15 – March 15 | Naples, Marco Island, Sanibel, Palm Beach |
| Argentina | December 1 – April 1 | |
| Chile | December 1 – April 4 | |
| Peru | December 1 – March 31 | |
| Spring to early summer | ||
| Thailand | March 7 – July 7 | Orlando attractions, spring-break and early-summer beach towns |
| Year-round | ||
| Interns & trainees, any country | Up to 12 months, any start date | Clubs, resorts and restaurant groups anywhere in Florida |
Typical dates. Exact availability varies by country and year and is confirmed by the sponsor. Work & Travel placements last up to four months.
A training program your chefs and managers can be proud of
J-1 interns and trainees come to learn, not to fill casual shifts. We help you design a real training path, find candidates who fit it, and stay close once they arrive.
Meet
We visit you to learn which departments can train, who will supervise, and when you need people.
Plan
Together we outline a training plan (Form DS-7002) with phases, skills and evaluations, for review by the sponsor.
Recruit
Partner agencies abroad put forward screened candidates. You interview and choose.
Support
We help with arrival, housing and transport planning, and check in with participants and supervisors.
What a good host brings
- A committed decision-maker: general manager, HR director or executive chef
- Experienced supervisors and a clear learning plan
- Defined start dates, ideally with future cohorts in mind
- Housing and transportation participants can realistically afford
- Someone who answers participant concerns promptly
Training fields we focus on
Apollo Talents is not a designated J-1 sponsor and does not issue Form DS-2019. Every program is reviewed and approved by a designated sponsor, who sets the final host requirements.
A U.S. partner who knows your side of the work
I spent 15 years running an agency myself. I know what you need from a U.S. partner: real placements, fast answers and participants who are looked after.
Host placements
Seasonal Work & Travel jobs and culinary and hospitality training positions across Florida, developed and visited in person.
Clear requirements
Candidate profiles, English level, experience and timelines agreed before recruitment starts.
Someone on the ground
A Naples-based contact for your participants, their supervisors and the sponsor.
From Montenegro to Naples
Apollo Talents LLC is a Florida company founded by David Knezevic. Before moving to Naples, David spent 15 years running an international exchange organization in Montenegro, mainly Summer Work Travel along with Intern and Trainee programs.
That work covered every stage: recruiting and screening participants, preparing them for the U.S., coordinating with sponsors and supporting people throughout their stay. U.S. sponsor partners have described the organization as reliable, well prepared and committed to compliance. Reference letters are available on request.
Apollo Talents brings that experience to Florida employers who want to train international culinary and hospitality talent properly.
Let's talk for 20 minutes
Tell us a little about your property or agency. I'm based in Naples and happy to come to you.
- david@apollotalents.com
- Phone
- +1 (239) 316-8442
- Based in
- Naples, Florida