What does a Chef do?
Chefs are typically employed by restaurants but they also work for households and private facilities. They work closely with kitchen staff to prepare and cook food in a timely manner. Their job is to use kitchen appliances and equipment to prepare and cook food properly. They also have a responsibility to use fresh ingredients to ensure the health and safety of their customers. They may also be responsible for creating menu items and teaching their staff how to make each one
Chef job description intro paragraph
When writing a Chef job description, start by introducing the job and company to prospective Chefs. Briefly highlight the work environment, what sets your company apart and why the role is important to your company.
For example:
“Company ABC is looking for a passionate and creative Chef to join our full-service breakfast and brunch restaurant. If hired, you’ll play a key role in providing support and guidance to our culinary team, and help ensure a positive guest experience.
At Company ABC, we’re proud to have a 4.5 star rating on Indeed Company Pages and an above average Work Happiness Score from our employees. We offer career advancement opportunities, competitive compensation (with quarterly bonuses) and a 401(k) with employer match.
Chef skills and qualifications
The most important skill for a Chef is the ability to cook well and arrange beautiful dishes, but they need lots of other qualifications as well, including:
- Customer service
- The ability to manage a team of cooks
- Organization skills
- Time management skills
- Attention to detail
- The ability to work under extreme pressure
- The ability to communicate in a fast-moving environment
- The ability to make good food consistently, even in a busy kitchen
Chef Salary expectations
A Chef makes an average salary of $15.07 per hour. Pay rate may depend on level of experience, education and the geographical location.
Chef Salary expectations
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Common salary:
19.85 HOURLY -
Typical salaries range from
7.25 -46.65 HOURLY - Find more information on Indeed Salaries
*Indeed data –
Chef education and training requirements
Many Chefs complete formal education before entering the workforce, such as culinary degrees and management programs. Chefs typically don’t receive on-the-job training, since it’s expected that they will have completed experience as a cook before moving into a role taking on broader responsibilities. You also want to consider the type of experience, such as the types of restaurants where a Chef candidate worked.
Chef experience requirements
Chefs typically have five or more years of experience, though exceptions may be made depending on the type of experience or the Chef’s educational background. Chefs typically gain real-world experience through cook positions or other junior-level roles.
Chef Job Description Template
We are looking for a Chef to join our team and prepare delicious meals for our customers. Chef responsibilities include studying recipes, setting up menus and preparing high-quality dishes. You should be able to delegate tasks to kitchen staff to ensure meals are prepared in a timely manner. You should be familiar with sanitation regulations. If you have experience with advanced cooking techniques and non-traditional ingredients, we’d like to meet you. Ultimately, you’ll prepare and deliver a complete menu that delights our guests.
Responsibilities
- Set up the kitchen with cooking utensils and equipment, like knives, pans and kitchen scales
- Study each recipe and gather all the necessary ingredients
- Cook food in a timely manner
- Delegate tasks to kitchen staff
- Inform wait staff about daily specials
- Ensure appealing plate presentation
- Supervise Cooks and assist as needed
- Slightly modify recipes to meet customers’ needs and requests (e.g. reduce salt, remove dairy)
- Monitor food stock and place orders
- Check freshness of food and discard out-of-date items
- Experiment with recipes and suggest new ingredients
- Ensure compliance with all health and safety regulations within the kitchen area
Requirements
- Proven work experience as a Chef or Cook
- Hands-on experience with various kitchen equipment (e.g. grillers and pasta makers)
- Advanced knowledge of culinary, baking and pastry techniques
- Leadership skills
- Ability to remain calm and undertake various tasks
- Excellent time management abilities
- Up-to-date knowledge of cooking techniques and recipes
- Familiarity with sanitation regulations
- Culinary school diploma preferred
Job description samples for similar positions
If you’re not finding everything you need for your job description here, check out a few other samples for similar positions:
*Indeed provides this information as a courtesy to users of this site. Please note that we are not your recruiting or legal advisor, we are not responsible for the content of your job descriptions, and none of the information provided herein guarantees performance.
