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Head chef

Alternative titles for this job include Kitchen manager, executive chef, chef de cuisine

Head chefs oversee a restaurant's staff, food and budgets.

Average salary (a year)

£23,000 Starter

to

£50,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

40 to 48 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on split shifts

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become a head chef

You could get into this job through:

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

University

You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • culinary arts
  • hospitality management
  • professional cookery

A course with industry placements will help you to gain experience and may give you an advantage when looking for work.

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 do a college course like a Level 3 Diploma In Advanced Professional Cookery or Level 4 Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
  • 1 or 2 A levels, a level 3 diploma or relevant experience for a level 4 or level 5 course

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could take chef de partie or senior chef advanced apprenticeship.

You could also do a senior culinary chef higher apprenticeship.

These will take between 12 to 24 months to complete.

You may also be able to do this role in the armed forces. You can find more information from:

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 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

Most head chefs work their way up after starting in a job like a kitchen assistant, before working as a section chef and building up their skills and experience.

You'll also need a qualification in food safety.

More Information

Further information

You can find out more about careers in catering from the Hospitality Guild and 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
  • leadership skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to monitor your own performance and that of your colleagues
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • the ability to organise your time and workload
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • the ability to work well with others
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

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

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

You could:

  • plan menus and create new dishes
  • research and find new ingredients and catering equipment
  • present new ideas to restaurant managers and owners
  • make sure food is of the right quality and price
  • manage stock and order food from suppliers
  • control a budget and keep accurate records
  • manage health and hygiene procedures
  • organise and supervise the team preparing and presenting food
  • recruit, train and develop staff

Working environment

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

Your working environment may be hot and humid.

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 go on to manage larger kitchens and more staff. You may work for a large restaurant chain, managing more than one kitchen. This is a management role, so cooking duties could be limited.

You could also set up your own business, running your own restaurant or franchise. Some head chefs go on to set up their own restaurant brand.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Kitchen Team Leader Apprenticeship

  • Wage: £14,976.00 Annually
  • Location: Not known

Chef de Partie Apprenticeship

  • Wage: £19,760.00 Annually
  • Location: Weymouth
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Professional Cookery NVQ 3

  • Provider: The Manchester College
  • Start date: 01 September 2023
  • Location: Manchester

Professional Cookery

  • Provider: SOUTH DEVON COLLEGE
  • Start date: 11 September 2023
  • Location: Paignton
Find courses near you

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