Skip to main content
National Careers Service

Beta How could we improve this service? Your feedback will help.

  1. Home
  2. Explore careers
  3. Chef

Chef

Alternative titles for this job include Head chef, sous chef, commis chef, cook

Chefs prepare, cook and present food in hotels, bars and restaurants.

Average salary (a year)

£22,000 Starter

to

£40,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

40 to 45 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

Meet Alex

Head chef Alex enjoys learning about food, and finds it a rewarding industry to work in.

1 minute 50 second watch

View transcript

My name is Alex Bruno. I'm the head chef here at JÖRO in Sheffield.

The basics, so in the morning kind of orders are coming in, making sure they're right for what we need. Making sure that the quality is right. Just helping the other chefs, essentially.

They all kind of have their own job lists. Making sure that they're getting on with that. Making sure it's done properly. If they have any questions, you know teaching them certain, you know, new things.

It goes into health and safety as well, daily record sheets, allergens, making sure everything's cooked to the right standard.

And then I guess, well, the most important thing is then actually kind of the service and you know, the customers, the guests, making sure that they are enjoying themselves. Because, end of the day, that's what restaurants are about really.

Being able to manage your time, prioritise certain things. Obviously it takes a little bit of experience, you know how to do certain things and how long they take, and kind of being able to manage your time.

You need to kind of learn that, which I definitely have, especially going from kind of like a chef de partie, to a sous chef to a head chef.

The interest in food, I think that's really important. And just being inquisitive and expanding your horizons. There's so much with food, like you’re never, ever going to know everything, you know, about it.

But having that kind of interest and passion to learn as much as you can and always keep learning. I think that's something that you'll have from when if you're a really, you know, junior chef to a senior Chef. That's always going to be really important.

It's a very rewarding industry, if you find what you're interested in, your passion for it whether that's kind of pastry or a different side to it, you know, more catering or more restaurants, or so many, so many, so many options with it.

I think that's why it's a great thing that if you find kind of what suits you. It can be really, really rewarding.

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role

University

You can study for a higher education qualification in:

  • culinary arts
  • professional cookery
  • bakery and patisserie technology
  • food and nutrition

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

More Information

College

You could take a college course to get into this industry. Courses include:

  • hospitality and catering
  • professional cookery
  • culinary skills

Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could get into this career by doing an apprenticeship. There are several available for this role, including:

  • Catering and Hospitality Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
  • Production Chef or Commis Chef Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Chef de Partie Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Pastry Chef Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Senior Culinary Chef Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship

These take between 1 and 2 years to complete.

You can also train to be a chef by doing an apprenticeship in the armed forces:

Foundation apprenticeship

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You could start work as a kitchen assistant or trainee commis chef in a restaurant or catering company and work your way up while learning on the job.

More Information

Career tips

You'll need a food safety certificate as a chef. Training courses last 1 to 2 days and are widely available through local authorities, colleges and private training providers.

Further information

You can find out more about how to become a chef from Caterer.com.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • knowledge of food production methods
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • leadership skills
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • the ability to organise your time and workload
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

As a chef, you would:

  • develop recipes, plan menus and create new dishes
  • research new ingredients and suppliers
  • prepare and cook dishes and desserts
  • control stock and inspect deliveries
  • maintain food safety and hygiene standards
  • supervise kitchen staff to make sure food is of high quality, presented well and served on time

Working environment

You could work at a restaurant, in an NHS or private hospital, at a school, at a college or on a cruise ship.

Your working environment may be hot, humid and physically demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience you could progress from being a commis chef, preparing and cooking dishes, to sous chef, supervising staff and running a kitchen when the head chef is away.

As a head chef, you could train to move into restaurant or hospitality management. If you work for a chain, you may be responsible for managing several sites.

You could also set up a catering business or open your own restaurant.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

The Royal Navy - Catering Services ( Production Chef Apprenticeship )

  • Wage: £20,400 a year Annually
  • Location: The Admiral Sir Henry Leach Building, Portsmouth, Hampshire

The Royal Navy - Catering Services Apprentice (Submariner) (Production Chef)

  • Wage: £20,400 a year Annually
  • Location: The Admiral Sir Henry Leach Building, Portsmouth, Hampshire
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Catering (Professional Cookery) City & Guilds Level 2

  • Provider: HEREFORDSHIRE, LUDLOW, AND NORTH SHROPSHIRE COLLEGE
  • Start date: 01 September 2026
  • Location: Oswestry

Certificate in Hospitality and Catering Principles (Professional Cookery) L3

  • Provider: REWARDS TRAINING RECRUITMENT CONSULTANCY LIMITED
  • Start date: Flexible
  • Location: Not known
Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Search further careers

Related careers

Skills assessment

Take an assessment to learn more about your skills and the careers that might suit you.

Speak to an adviser

You can call 0800 100 900 or use webchat to speak to an adviser.

We're open:

  • 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday
  • 10am to 5pm Saturdays and bank holidays

We're closed on Sundays, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Is this page useful?

Yes No

Thank you for your feedback.

Thank you for your feedback. Click here if you'd like to let us know how we can improve the service.