Chef

There are almost endless opportunities for chefs in hospitality industry businesses that vary widely from restaurants and cafes to flight-catering centers and ships. Their roles may be varied as well, often including managerial responsibilities in addition to their traditional cookery trade tasks.

What would I do?

A chef in charge of the kitchen has many responsibilities that in addition to the planning, purchase, preparation and cooking of foods, include:

• management and/or supervision of staff, including recruitment, training, rosters and planning
• oversight of maintenance and presentation of all equipment and service areas of kitchen areas and facilities in line with hospitality industry regulations for the storage and preparation of food, and occupational health and safety
• complaints resolution
• maintaining financial records

What training do I need?

Certificate IV in Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) is the standard qualification required to become a qualified chef.

What personal attributes do I need?

The personal attributes you need to be a chef focus on interpersonal and customer service skills and your reliability.

These include:

• A passion for food and cooking
• A commitment to providing excellent customer service
• Good interpersonal skills
• Good communication, negotiation and problem solving skills
• Good organisational and time management skills
• Leadership qualities and the ability to work in a team
• The ability to work accurately and respond quickly to requests
• The ability to work quickly and safely under pressure in a sometimes hot, noisy, environment
• A responsible attitude to industry health and safety regulations
• The highest level of personal cleanliness and hygiene

Sound business skills are also required for many positions for chefs.

How much can I earn?

On average, chefs earn about $700 per week before tax. Highly skilled, experienced chefs earn considerably more than that.

How many hours can I expect to work in a week?

Chefs are usually required to work late nights, weekends and public holidays to fit in with industry hours of business. They rarely work a standard nine-to-five day week, and many would work more than 40 hours per week. It is important to have the flexibility to work shifts, sometimes on a 24-hour rotating roster..

What are my employment prospects?

There are excellent job opportunities for chefs. There is currently a shortage of qualified chefs in Australia, and skilled chefs, cooks and apprentices are in high demand..

How do I find a job as a chef?

If you have access to the internet go to discoverjobs.com.au, this a website dedicated to helping you find employment in the hospitality industry. Or you could approach businesses in the areas you’d like to work in and ask to talk to them about employing you. Leave your CV, which should include your workplace achievements and experience and contact details. Make sure you follow up your initial approaches.