Chef
Make delicious food for people to enjoy in a restaurant, cafe or bar. Cook the food to order and present it for the waiting staff to serve to the customers.
Also known as: sous chef, head chef, cook, commis chef, chef de partie, chef de cuisine
About the job
A day in the life – Chef
What it's like
Do you love cooking up a storm in the kitchen? As a chef, you'll cook and prepare all sorts of delicious food.
Chefs use a variety of cooking methods. Your creativity and imagination will help you present food in an attractive way.
If you work in a large kitchen, you’ll be part of a team that focuses on one type of food. For example, you may work on bread and pastries, or vegetables.
You’ll probably start as a kitchen assistant or trainee chef (also called a commis chef). You’ll spend time in each area of the kitchen, learning a range of skills and how to look after kitchen equipment.
With experience, you could become a section chef (also known as station chef and chef de partie). In this role, you'll take charge of an area within the kitchen.
The next step would be sous chef, where you'll run the entire kitchen for the head chef when needed. The head chef – also known as executive chef or chef de cuisine – runs the entire kitchen, plans the menus and manages budgets.
Your tasks might include:
preparing, cooking and presenting food to the required standards
making sure that food is served promptly
monitoring food production to make sure you offer consistent quality and portion sizes
looking after kitchen equipment
controlling the stock levels of ingredients
following hygiene regulations and health and safety legislation to make sure your kitchen is a safe place to work
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
Career Scope – explore careers in hospitality, leisure and tourism
YouTube video – a day in the life of a chef at one of London's busiest restaurants
Like the sound of this career?
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Chef'
Select qualification level(s)
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
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Tourism and hospitality
Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- creative
- cooperating
- verbal communication
- attention to detail
- developing a plan
- managing resources
- making decisions
- motivating others
- taking responsibility
- delegating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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Food Health and Wellbeing
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Hospitality: Practical Cake Craft (Home economics)
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Hospitality: Practical Cookery (Home economics)
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Skills for Work: Hospitality
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Hospitality
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are a few different routes you can take to become a chef.
Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time. You might want to consider an MA in areas such as:
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you secure a job or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Professional Cookery
Hospitality
Hospitality Management
Culinary Arts
Use the My World of Work course search to find college courses.
University
A degree could be helpful for getting into this job. You could study subjects, such as:
Culinary Arts
Professional Cookery
Hospitality Management
Food and Nutrition
Use the My World of Work course search to find degree courses.
Trainee roles
You can become a chef by working as a trainee chef or kitchen assistant. In these roles, you'll learn on the job without needing previous experience.
You can use the My World of Work job search to look for vacancies.
An Elementary Food Hygiene Certificate from the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) may be useful.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a chef. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Chef'
