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Description
Example Titles
Classified Elsewhere
Duties
Skills
Employment Requirements
Terms & Conditions
Earnings
Education / Training
Career Paths
Outlook
Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies

Employment by Age Group
Employment by Industry
Employment by Region
Employment by Gender
Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification
Employment by Visible Minority

Chefs (NOC 6241)

Description

This unit group includes various types of chefs who plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities and who prepare and cook meals and specialty foods. They are employed in restaurants, hotels, hospitals and other health care institutions, central food commissaries, clubs and similar establishments, and on ships.

Example Titles

chef
chef de cuisine
chef de partie
corporate chef
executive chef
executive sous-chef
head chef
master chef
pastry chef
saucier
sous-chef
specialist chef

>> View all titles

Classified Elsewhere

Cooks (6242)
Food Counter Attendants, Kitchen Helpers and Related Occupations (6641)
Restaurant and Food Service Managers (0631)

Duties

Executive chefs perform some or all of the following duties:

Plan and direct food preparation and cooking activities of several restaurants in an establishment, restaurant chains, hospitals or other establishments with food services
Plan menus and ensure food meets quality standards
Estimate food requirements and may estimate food and labour costs
Supervise activities of sous-chefs, specialist chefs, chefs and cooks
Arrange for equipment purchases and repairs
Recruit and hire staff
May prepare and cook food on a regular basis, or for special guests or functions.

Sous-chefs perform some or all of the following duties:

Supervise activities of specialist chefs, chefs, cooks and other kitchen workers
Demonstrate new cooking techniques and new equipment to cooking staff
May plan menus and requisition food and kitchen supplies
May prepare and cook meals or specialty foods.

Chefs and specialist chefs perform some or all of the following duties:

Prepare and cook complete meals, banquets or specialty foods, such as pastries, sauces, soups, salads, vegetables and meat, poultry and fish dishes, and create decorative food displays
Instruct cooks in preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food
Supervise cooks and other kitchen staff
May plan menus
May requisition food and kitchen supplies.

Skills

Chefs require the following skills and abilities:

enjoy working with food,
be able to adapt to unusual requests and circumstances,
creativity in food preparation and presentation,
good sense of taste and smell, vision, good hand-eye co-ordination,
physical stamina to stand for long periods of time and to work in hot and humid environments,
the ability to remain calm under pressure,
be well-organized, able to oversee activities in several work areas at once,
be self-disciplined and able to work quickly, carefully and safely,
be able to plan menus, and create and follow recipes,
have good verbal communication skills and be able to work well with others in the kitchen and in food service,
good supervisory skills,
have clean work habits and knowledge of food safety procedures,
basic computer skills may be required,
good recordkeeping and basic financial skills are required to maintain inventories, order supplies.

Employment Requirements

In Manitoba, completion of secondary school is usually required.
Cook's trade certification, which is available in all provinces and territories, or equivalent credentials, training and experience, are required.
Executive chefs usually require management training and several years of experience in commercial food preparation, including two years in a supervisory capacity and experience as a sous-chef, specialist chef or chef.
Sous-chefs, specialist chefs and chefs usually require several years of experience in commercial food preparation.
Interprovincial trade certification (Red Seal) for cooks is also available to qualified chefs.
Chef de cuisine certification, administered by the Canadian Culinary Institute of the Canadian Federation of Chefs and Cooks (CFCC), is available to qualified chefs.

Terms & Conditions

Chefs work while standing for long periods and occasionally need to lift heavy objects. Also, they work near hot ovens and grills. Chefs must follow safety precautions to prevent injury and accidents as they work with food preparation equipment that includes sharp utensils and hot surfaces. They must also adhere to health regulations and meet sanitary standards. While working in the kitchen, chefs wear uniforms, and hats or hairnets for sanitary reasons.

Chefs typically work between 37.5 to 40 hours per week, Monday to Sunday. Shift work may be required by some employers. Nearly all chefs work full-time (89%), while those working in tourist resorts are employed seasonally. A small minority of chefs (7%) are self employed restaurant owners or independent caterers.

Earnings

$26,600 per annum - starting

$36,600 per annum - average

$58,900 per annum - high

Earnings are reviewed annually or more frequently if new information becomes available.

Education / Training

Training may be on-the-job, at technical high schools or at colleges.
A formal apprenticeship program (cook) is also available. To become a certified cook in Manitoba, you must complete an apprenticeship that combines on-the-job (practical) experience and in-school (technical) training. You must find an employer who will give you practical training. Then contact the Apprenticeship Branch to formalize the apprenticeship agreement with your employer. As you learn the skills of your trade, you are paid a wage that increases over the length of your apprenticeship. To start an apprenticeship and succeed, you should have Senior 4 or equivalent high school academic standing. To be an apprentice cook, you must be at least 16 years of age.
The apprenticeship for a cook is two levels. Each level is 18 months and includes 2,700 hours of practical experience and technical training.
If you already work in the trade and want to be a certified journeyperson, contact the Apprenticeship Branch. You may be able to receive some credit for previous job experience and training or become certified by passing a Trades Qualification exam.
Assiniboine Community College offers a two-year diploma program in Culinary Arts. Graduates of this program may obtain professional qualifications (journeyperson status) by completing an apprenticeship program. Students who complete their studies with a 70% average may receive credit toward the apprenticeship program.
Red River College offers 21-month diploma program in Culinary Arts. Students who successfully complete the program will receive credit for Level 1 and Level 2 Apprenticeship.
The University College of the North offers a one-year Commercial Cooking certificate program.
Winnipeg Technical Centre offers a program in Commercial Food Services
The Manitoba Tourism Education Council offers a cook training program.
Some high schools offer a program in Food and Hospitality Services.

Career Paths

Most chefs start as cooks or in other lower skilled kitchen positions. These positions require little education or training, and most skills are learned on the job.

Opportunities for advancement depend largely on acquiring more cooking and management skills. Graduates of technical or apprenticeship programs tend to advance more quickly than those who do not have formal qualifications.

There is some mobility among the various types of chefs in this unit group.

Executive chefs may progress to managerial positions in food preparation establishments or start their own restaurant or food service company.

Red Seal trade certification through the Apprenticeship program allows for interprovincial mobility.

Outlook

Employment prospects for chefs are expected to be good in the period 2010 - 2014. Employment in Manitoba in 2010 is estimated at 1,140.

Economic conditions influence the demand for chefs, especially consumer spending and business travel and tourism. Given a stable outlook for the Manitoba economy over the forecast period it is anticipated that the demand for chefs will be moderate. Opportunities may be more prevalent in family restaurants and specialty foods services, as some consumers look for more economical choices. There will also be opportunities resulting from turn-over.

Prospects should continue to be positive for chefs with training and experience in ethnic or regional cuisines. A small but growing demand exists for chefs to work in assisted living facilities that cater to elderly and/ or affluent citizens.

A proportionally larger share of jobs for chefs are located in Winnipeg. Across industries, the greatest concentration of chefs is in Accommodation and Food Services (83%).

Employment by Age Group

Employment by Industry

Employment by Region

Employment by Gender

Employment by Aboriginal Self-Identification

Employment by Visible Minority

Please Note - The source for above charts is the 2006 Census.

Professional Associations, Unions, and Regulatory Bodies...

Canadian Culinary Federation, Winnipeg Branch, P.O. Box 1072, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 2X4, http://ccfcc.ca/
Canadian Culinary Federation, Brandon Branch, 1570-18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 5C0, Telephone: (204) 272-0602.
Hotel & Restaurant Local 206, 357-331 Smith Street, Winnipeg, MB, R3B 2G9.
Manitoba Restaurant and Food Services Association, http://www.mrfa.mb.ca/