chef-clientクックブックが動かない

Chefでインフラ構築をしていてぶち当たったトラブルです。

コミュニティクックブックのchef-clientを使おうとしたのですが、
chef-client::init_serviceのchef-clientの起動のところで以下の様なエラーが出て困っています。

  * service[chef-client] action start

    ================================================================================
    Error executing action `start` on resource 'service[chef-client]'
    ================================================================================

    Mixlib::ShellOut::ShellCommandFailed
    ------------------------------------
    Expected process to exit with [0], but received '1'
    ---- Begin output of /sbin/service chef-client start ----
    STDOUT: chef-client を起動中: [失敗]
    STDERR: /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/util/path_helper.rb:199:in `home': couldn't find HOME environment -- expanding `~' (ArgumentError)
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/util/path_helper.rb:199:in `all_homes'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/util/path_helper.rb:161:in `home'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/provider/service/macosx.rb:36:in `gather_plist_dirs'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/provider/service/macosx.rb:40:in `<class:Macosx>'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/provider/service/macosx.rb:27:in `<class:Service>'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/provider/service/macosx.rb:26:in `<class:Provider>'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/provider/service/macosx.rb:25:in `<class:Chef>'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/provider/service/macosx.rb:24:in `<top (required)>'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/lib/ruby/site_ruby/2.1.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/lib/ruby/site_ruby/2.1.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef/providers.rb:93:in `<top (required)>'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/lib/ruby/site_ruby/2.1.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/lib/ruby/site_ruby/2.1.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/lib/chef.rb:25:in `<top (required)>'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/lib/ruby/site_ruby/2.1.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/lib/ruby/site_ruby/2.1.0/rubygems/core_ext/kernel_require.rb:54:in `require'
        from /opt/chef/embedded/apps/chef/bin/chef-client:23:in `<top (required)>'
        from /usr/bin/chef-client:51:in `load'
        from /usr/bin/chef-client:51:in `<main>'
    ---- End output of /sbin/service chef-client start ----
    Ran /sbin/service chef-client start returned 1

    Resource Declaration:
    ---------------------
    # In /var/chef/cache/cookbooks/chef-client/recipes/init_service.rb

     32: service 'chef-client' do
     33:   supports :status => true, :restart => true
     34:   action [:enable, :start]
     35: end

    Compiled Resource:
    ------------------
    # Declared in /var/chef/cache/cookbooks/chef-client/recipes/init_service.rb:32:in `from_file'

    service("chef-client") do
      action [:enable, :start]
      updated true
      supports {:status=>true, :restart=>true}
      retries 0
      retry_delay 2
      default_guard_interpreter :default
      service_name "chef-client"
      enabled true
      pattern "chef-client"
      declared_type :service
      cookbook_name "chef-client"
      recipe_name "init_service"
    end

エラーメッセージでググっても、クックブックのの利用方法（https://supermarket.chef.io/cookbooks/chef-client）を
よく読んでも全く解決の糸口が見えません。
chef-clientクックブックのバージョンは4.2.4、Chefは12.2.0、OSはCent OS 6.6です。
どなたか助けてください・・・・m(_ _;;)m