Arts & EntertainmentISCO 3434
Chef
A chef is a person who answers for a kitchen: setting the menu, running the team and deciding what reaches the table and how.
Check yourself in a minute: chef
Rate 5 of the 21 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
store raw food materials
manage staff
design indicators for food waste reduction
think creatively about food and beverages
plan menus
About chef
The chef plans the menu: settling the dishes, choosing the ingredients, writing the recipes and pricing the items. The chef also controls costs: the food cost in a dish, wastage, suppliers' prices; and develops food waste reduction indicators to track how much food is wasted.
Working with the hands stays part of the trade. The chef uses cutting tools, stores fresh food in the right conditions, and finishes the dishes going out, garnishing them. Alongside that, the chef leads the kitchen team — from the sous chef down to the kitchen porter — and works with the whole hospitality team: front of house, bar, purchasing.
The chef complies with health, safety and food hygiene legislation: storage temperatures, separation of raw from ready, records. Catering premises operate a food safety system based on hazard analysis (HACCP) and are subject to food safety inspection.
Key Work Functions
Core areas of responsibility for a chef.
1
Menu Planning and Design
- Design innovative menus that showcase culinary creativity while considering seasonal ingredients and customer preferences
- Plan menus that balance creativity with operational feasibility, food costs, and resource availability
- Think creatively about food and beverages to develop unique dishes that differentiate the establishment
2
Kitchen Operations and Staff Management
- Manage and supervise kitchen personnel, assigning tasks and ensuring consistent quality and productivity
- Instruct kitchen personnel on proper food preparation techniques, plating standards, and kitchen procedures
- Maintain customer service excellence by coordinating kitchen operations with front-of-house staff and managing service flow
3
Food Safety, Hygiene and Quality Control
- Comply with food safety and hygiene regulations, implementing proper food handling, storage, and preparation procedures
- Store raw food materials correctly to maintain quality and prevent contamination
- Control kitchen equipment at correct temperature and maintain cleanliness standards throughout the kitchen facility
4
Food Preparation and Cooking Techniques
- Apply advanced food preparation techniques including chopping, dicing, and other specialized culinary methods
- Use culinary finishing techniques to enhance presentation and flavor of dishes
- Apply reheating techniques that maintain food quality and safety standards when preparing pre-prepared components
5
Cost Control and Sustainability
- Monitor food waste and implement waste reduction strategies to improve profitability and environmental sustainability
- Design indicators and metrics for food waste reduction and regularly track performance against goals
- Use resource-efficient technologies in hospitality operations to reduce energy consumption and operational costs
6
Kitchen Equipment Management
- Maintain and manage kitchen equipment to ensure proper functioning and safety standards
- Properly use and maintain food cutting tools and other specialized cooking equipment
- Oversee handover procedures for kitchen equipment and workstations to ensure smooth shift transitions
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (21)
food waste monitoring systemsfood waste monitoring systemsThe characteristics, benefits and ways of using digital tools to collect, monitor and evaluate data on food waste in an organisation or hospitality establishment.types of whiskstypes of whisksTypes of whisks such as balloon whisks, french whisks, flat whisks, spiral whisks and more their function.comply with food safety and hygienecomply with food safety and hygieneRespect optimal food safety and hygiene during preparation, manufacturing, processing, storage, distribution and delivery of food products.store raw food materialsstore raw food materialsKeep in reserve raw materials and other food supplies, following stock control procedures.manage staffmanage staffManage employees and subordinates, working in a team or individually, to maximise their performance and contribution. Schedule their work and activities, give instructions, motivate and direct the wor...design indicators for food waste reductiondesign indicators for food waste reductionDetermine key performance indicators (KPI) for reducing food waste and managing in line with established standards. Oversee the evaluation of methods, equipment and costs for food waste prevention.think creatively about food and beveragesthink creatively about food and beveragesGenerate innovative and creative ideas to come up with new recipes, preparations of food and beverages and new ways to present the products.plan menusplan menusOrganise menus taking into account the nature and style of the establishment, client feedback, cost and the seasonality of ingredients.maintain customer servicemaintain customer serviceKeep the highest possible customer service and make sure that the customer service is at all times performed in a professional way. Help customers or participants feel at ease and support special requ...work in a hospitality teamwork in a hospitality teamFunction confidently within a group in hospitality services, in which each has his own responsibility in reaching a common goal which is a good interaction with the customers, guests or collaborators ...handover the food preparation areahandover the food preparation areaLeave the kitchen area in conditions which follow safe and secure procedures, so that it is ready for the next shift.use reheating techniquesuse reheating techniquesApply reheating techniques including steaming, boiling or bain marie.use culinary finishing techniquesuse culinary finishing techniquesApply culinary finishing techniques including garnishing, decorating, plating, glazing, presenting and portioning.use food cutting toolsuse food cutting toolsTrim, peel and slice products with knives, paring or food cutting tools or equipment according to guidelines.use resource-efficient technologies in hospitalityuse resource-efficient technologies in hospitalityImplement technological improvements in hospitality establishments, as connectionless food steamers, pre-rinse spray valves and low flow sink taps, which optimise the water and energy consumption in d...develop food waste reduction strategiesdevelop food waste reduction strategiesDevelop policies such as staff meal or food redistribution to reduce, reuse and recycle food waste where possible. This includes reviewing purchasing policies to identify areas for reducing food waste...control of expensescontrol of expensesMonitor and maintain effective cost controls, in regards to efficiencies, waste, overtime and staffing. Assessing excesses and strives for efficiency and productivity.maintain kitchen equipment at correct temperaturemaintain kitchen equipment at correct temperatureKeep the refrigeration and storage of kitchen equipment at the correct temperature.use cooking techniquesuse cooking techniquesApply cooking techniques including grilling, frying, boiling, braising, poaching, baking or roasting.use food preparation techniquesuse food preparation techniquesApply food preparation techniques including the selecting, washing, cooling, peeling, marinating, preparing of dressings and cutting of ingredients.instruct kitchen personnelinstruct kitchen personnelGive instructions to the kitchen staff by guiding and teaching them and by providing them support before, during and after the service.
Optional (25) — show
molecular gastronomymolecular gastronomyThe analysis of scientific research applied to food preparation, which focuses among others on how the interaction between ingredients can modify the structure and appearance of food, for example by c...cook pastry productscook pastry productsPrepare pastry products such as tarts, pies or croissants, combining with other products if necessary.order suppliesorder suppliesCommand products from relevant suppliers to get convenient and profitable products to purchase.identify nutritional properties of foodidentify nutritional properties of foodIdentify the nutritional value of food, including proportion of fats, carbohydrates, sugars, vitamins. Label products appropriately if required.set prices of menu itemsset prices of menu itemsFix the prices of main course dishes and other items on the menu. Ensure that they remain affordable within the organisation's budget.prepare sandwichesprepare sandwichesMake filled and open sandwiches, paninis and kebabs.prepare salad dressingsprepare salad dressingsMake salad dressings by mixing desired ingredients.cook seafoodcook seafoodPrepare seafood dishes. The complexity of the dishes will depend on the range of seafood used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.cook vegetable productscook vegetable productsPrepare dishes based on vegetables in combination with other ingredients if necessary.cook sauce productscook sauce productsPrepare all kinds of sauces (hot sauces, cold sauces, dressings), which are liquid or semi-liquid preparations that accompany a dish, adding flavour and moisture.manage wastemanage wasteManage or dispose of significant amounts of waste materials and/or hazardous materials, in accordance with legislation, thereby respecting environmental and company responsibilities. Ensure required l...plan shifts of employeesplan shifts of employeesPlans shifts of employees to ensure completion of all customer orders and satisfactory completion of the production plan.perform procurement processesperform procurement processesUndertake ordering of services, equipment, goods or ingredients, compare costs and check the quality to ensure optimal payoff for the organisation.prepare dessertsprepare dessertsCook, bake, decorate and present hot and cold savoury and sweet pastry products, desserts and puddings.conduct research on food waste preventionconduct research on food waste preventionResearch and evaluate methods, equipment and costs for reducing and managing food waste. Monitor recorded measurement data and identify areas for improvement relating to food waste prevention.cook fishcook fishPrepare fish dishes. The complexity of the dishes will depend on the range of fish used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and cooking.train employeestrain employeesLead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the perform...cook dairy productscook dairy productsPrepare eggs, cheese and other dairy products, combined with other products if necessary.create decorative food displayscreate decorative food displaysDesign decorative food displays by determining how food is presented in the most attractive way and realising food displays in order to maximise revenue.cook meat dishescook meat dishesPrepare meat dishes, including poultry and game. The complexity of the dishes depend on the type of meat, the cuts being used and how they are combined with other ingredients in their preparation and ...compile cooking recipescompile cooking recipesOrganise recipes with regards to taste balance, healthy eating and nutrition.check deliveries on receiptcheck deliveries on receiptControl that all order details are recorded, that faulty items are reported and returned and that all paperwork is received and processed, according to the purchasing procedures.prepare flambeed dishesprepare flambeed dishesMake flambeed dishes in the kitchen or in front of customers while paying attention to safety.ensure cleanliness of food preparation areaensure cleanliness of food preparation areaGuarantee the continuous cleanliness of kitchen preparation, production and storage areas according to hygiene, safety and health regulations.prepare canapésprepare canapésMake, decorate and present hot and cold canapés and cocktails. The complexity of the products will depend on the range of ingredients used, how they are being combined and their final decoration and p...
Related Occupations
Occupations that need many of the same essential skills, so the move between them is shortest.
Frequently asked questions
What does a chef do?
Chefs are culinary professionals with a flair for creativity and innovation to provide a unique gastronomic experience.
What skills does a chef need?
A chef needs 21 essential skills, including food waste monitoring systems, types of whisks, comply with food safety and hygiene, store raw food materials, manage staff.
Will AI replace chef jobs?
The AI disruption score for chef is 32/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: store raw food materials, food waste monitoring systems, order supplies. Most resilient: cook sauce products, use cooking techniques, cook fish.
AI Replacement Risk
32/ 100
Low Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
SectorArts & Entertainment
ISCO GroupLegal, social, cultural and related associate professionals
Essential Skills21
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