How to become a Chef

Official title: Chefs

Also called: Head chef, Sous chef, Owner-chef, Commis chef, Pastry chef, Private chef, Chef-manager, Chef manager, Chef de partie, Chef de cuisine, Development chef, Garde-manger

Chefs plan menus and prepare, or oversee the preparation of food in hotels, restaurants, clubs, private households and other establishments.

Main tasks

• Requisitions or purchases and examines foodstuffs from suppliers to ensure quality
• Plans menus, prepares, seasons and cooks foodstuffs or oversees their preparation and monitors the quality of finished dishes
• Supervises, organises and instructs kitchen staff and manages the whole kitchen or an area of the kitchen
• Ensures relevant hygiene and health and safety standards are maintained within the kitchen
• Plans and co-ordinates kitchen work such as fetching, clearing and cleaning of equipment and utensils

How to become one

There are no formal academic requirements. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs, BTEC Certificates and Diplomas and foundation degrees are available. Apprenticeships are also available. Courses are also run by private cookery schools.

Ways in

• Apprenticeship (England): Chef de partie (level 3). England. Typically 18 months. Skills England standard ST0227.
• Apprenticeship (England): Commis chef (level 2). England. Typically 12 months. Skills England standard ST0228.
• Apprenticeship (England): Production chef (level 2). England. Typically 12 months. Skills England standard ST0589.
• Apprenticeship (England): Senior production chef (level 3). England. Typically 12 months. Skills England standard ST0232.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £30,010 a year The middle half earn £25,894 to £36,126.
• About 221,700 people work in this job now, and about 222,100 are projected by 2035. (+0.2%)

Related jobs

• Butchers
• Bakers and flour confectioners
• Fishmongers and poultry dressers
• Cooks
• Catering and bar managers

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Chef?

There are no formal academic requirements. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs, BTEC Certificates and Diplomas and foundation degrees are available. Apprenticeships are also available. Courses are also run by private cookery schools.

How much does a Chef earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £30,010 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £25,894 to £36,126.

Is a Chef a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to stay about the same by 2035: about 221,700 people now and 222,100 later (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a Chef?

Usually not. Only 20% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Chef de partie (level 3).

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03