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Hospitality

Chef

Chefs prepare, cook and present food, and progress through kitchen roles from commis chef to head chef. You can start through college, an apprenticeship or directly as a kitchen assistant — university is not required.

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Career fit

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Entry level
£22,000 (starter)
Mid-career (typical)
£22k – £40k
Senior / lead
£40,000 (experienced)
What you'll do

A day in the life

  • Prepare ingredients and cook dishes to order
  • Follow food safety and hygiene rules
  • Plan menus and order stock
  • Work under pressure during service
  • Train and supervise junior kitchen staff
The path

Your career roadmap

Every milestone from school to senior. Track progress as you complete each stage.

  1. 1

    GCSEs

    education
    Usually 2 years at school; resits vary

    Build English, maths and practical skills for cookery training, taking food preparation subjects where available.

  2. 2

    Hospitality / catering study

    education
    Often up to 1 year; may be part of cookery training

    Learn basic food preparation, kitchen hygiene and hospitality skills through introductory catering study.

  3. 3

    Professional cookery qualification

    qualification
    Often 1–2 years; route and qualification level vary

    Develop professional cooking techniques through a practical college qualification or paid commis chef apprenticeship.

  4. 4

    Kitchen experience

    experience
    Weeks to months; often alongside training

    Practise preparation, cleaning, safe food handling and service routines in a working kitchen under supervision.

  5. 5

    Commis Chef

    role
    Often 1–2 years before greater responsibility; varies

    Work as a junior chef, preparing ingredients and cooking dishes under more experienced chefs during service.

  6. 6

    Chef / Chef de Partie

    role
    Often several years building section leadership experience

    Take responsibility for a kitchen section, coordinating preparation and service while supporting junior chefs.

  7. 7

    Sous Chef

    role
    Varies; often several years before head chef progression

    Support the head chef by coordinating service, supervising staff and helping manage ordering, food costs and kitchen standards.

  8. 8

    Head Chef / hospitality management

    role
    Ongoing career stage

    Lead kitchen operations, menus, budgets and staff, or move into broader hospitality management with additional operational experience.

What you need

Skills you'll build

Qualifications
  • Professional cookery qualification (optional)
  • Commis chef / Chef de partie apprenticeship
  • Food safety and hygiene training
Certifications
  • Level 2 Food Hygiene Certificate
  • Level 3 Food Safety (supervisory)