All about Chef

Work activities

Chefs prepare food using a variety of cooking methods. In large kitchens they usually work as part of a team, and look after one food area, like bread and pastries, or puddings. The head chef, also known as executive chef, kitchen manager or chef de cuisine, runs the entire kitchen.

Your main tasks as a chef would include:

• preparing, cooking and presenting food in line with required standards
• keeping preparation at the right level
• making sure that food is served promptly
• monitoring food production to ensure consistent quality and portion size
• stock control
• following relevant hygiene, health and safety guidelines.

You would usually start as a kitchen assistant or trainee chef, also known as commis chef. At this level you would spend time in each area of the kitchen, learning a range of skills and how to look after kitchen equipment.

With experience, you could progress to section chef, also known as station chef and chef de partie. In this role, you would be in charge of an area of the kitchen. The next step would be sous chef, where you would be running the entire kitchen for the head chef when needed. At head chef level, you would be responsible for creating and updating the menus, and for producing and meeting financial budgets.

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Working hours and conditions

Hours are likely to involve early mornings and/or late nights depending on where you work. You can also expect to cover weekends and public holidays. Part-time, casual and seasonal work is often available.

Kitchens are hot and humid and very busy around key meal times. You would wear chef whites and a hat for hygiene reasons.

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Income

A trainee (commis) chef may start on a salary of around £13,000 a year.

Section chefs (chefs de partie) can earn up to £16,000 a year, and a second chef (sous chef) may earn around £22,000 a year.

Head chefs (chefs de cuisine) can earn up to £30,000 a year.

An executive head chef in a top hotel can earn between £40,000 and £50,000 or more.

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

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Entry requirements

You may not need any academic qualifications to start work as a trainee (commis) chef, although some employers will prefer you to have a good general standard of education. It may help if you have hospitality or catering qualifications.

You could prepare for working in this industry by taking a part-time or full-time college training course to gain some of the skills and knowledge needed in the job. Courses combine classroom study with practical experience. They include:

• Level 1 Diploma in Introduction to Professional Cookery
• Level 2 Certificate in Hospitality and Catering Principles (Professional Cookery - Food Preparation and Cooking)
• Level 2 Certificate in Professional Patisserie and Confectionery
• Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery.

Check with colleges for details of course entry requirements.

You may choose to begin your career as a chef as an apprentice. This means you can learn on the job in the kitchen, and study at a college or training centre at the same time. It normally takes two to four years to become fully qualified this way.

The range of Apprenticeships available in your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of skills employers need from their workers. 

Training and development

Once working, you would receive induction training and work under the supervision of experienced staff. Your employer may encourage you to take further qualifications, such as:

• Level 3 (NVQ) Diploma in Professional Cookery
• Level 3 Award in Supervising Food Safety in Catering
• Level 3 Diploma in Advanced Professional Cookery
• Level 3 Diploma in Professional Patisserie and Confectionery
• Level 3 (NVQ) Diploma in Hospitality Supervision and Leadership.

Some of these qualifications allow you the option to specialise in particular types of regional cookery, for example Chinese, Indian and Thai. There are also many private training academies offering a range of specialist professional development courses and qualifications, such as the Level 4 Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts.

With experience you could take further qualifications related to the business side of operations, such as a foundation degree or degree in hospitality management. You can find courses like these on the UCAS website.

• UCAS 

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Skills, interests and qualities

To become a chef, you will need to have:

• a keen interest in food and cooking
• strong communication and leadership skills
• the ability to work under pressure
• high standards of cleanliness and hygiene
• the ability to do several tasks at once
• creativity and imagination for food presentation
• the ability to work as part of a team
• good organisation skills.

Opportunities

Despite our expanding café culture, and a love of eating out, industry reports show that there are a shortage of skilled chefs in the UK. As a qualified chef, you can look for work anywhere in the UK and in every area of the industry, including hotels, restaurants, wine bars and cafes, as well as in education, the NHS and the Armed Forces.

Many restaurants are managed by their owners, or run as a partnership business. Many are owned and run by chefs.

With qualifications and on the job experience, you could progress to head chef or kitchen manager/supervisor. There are usually more opportunities for promotion in larger kitchens.

You could also move into management, set up your own contract catering business, or pass your skills and knowledge on by teaching catering or professional cookery in colleges.

Jobs are advertised in the local and national press, Jobcentre Plus offices and on the following websites:

• Hospitality Guild  (vacancies)
• Universal Jobmatch 
• Caterer.com 

Job market information

This section gives you an overview of the job area that this profile belongs to. You can use it to work out your next career move. It can help if you’re looking for a job now or want to do some further training.

The 'Market statistics' charts are based on figures from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The list of job vacancies under 'Apply for jobs' is from the Universal Jobmatch database. The vacancies are not from the National Careers Service.

Resource: nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk