How To Become An Assistant Chef: What It Is and Career Path

What is an assistant chef and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

The assistant chef supports the head chef in the day-to-day operations of a commercial kitchen, be it in a restaurant, a catering service, a cafeteria, or any other foodservice establishment.

The tasks of an assistant chef may vary, but in general, they are responsible for managing inventory, preparing ingredients, maintaining the cleanliness of workstations, and assisting chefs with menu development. They are also often responsible for helping ensure the compliance of the kitchen and its workers with food safety laws and workplace safety policies.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need formal culinary education to become a chef. With enough experience in the kitchen and at least a high school diploma, you may be able to qualify for most assistant chef positions in various foodservice establishments. Nevertheless, a culinary school can still put you in an advantageous position.

As an assistant chef, you have the potential of earning around $41,000 a year, on average. When it comes to job outlook, you may be able to attain the role of the head chef with enough experience and expertise.

ScoreAssistant ChefUS Average

Salary

2.9

Avg. Salary $37,670

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.2

Growth rate 15%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.74%

Asian 10.98%

Black or African American 9.81%

Hispanic or Latino 18.66%

Unknown 5.33%

White 54.48%

Gender

female 28.56%

male 71.44%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

9.2

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.4

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

0.2

Work life balance is

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an assistant chef

Explore assistant chef education requirements

Most common assistant chef degrees

Associate

32.1 %

Bachelor's

30.8 %

High School Diploma

23.8 %

Start to develop specific assistant chef skills

Skills	Percentages
Kitchen Equipment	14.26%
Safety Standards	13.17%
Culinary	12.39%
Customer Service	9.94%
Compassion	7.28%

Complete relevant assistant chef training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New assistant chefs learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an assistant chef based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real assistant chef resumes.

Gain additional assistant chef certifications

Assistant chef certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific assistant chef certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for assistant chefs include Certified Food Manager (CFM) and Certified Master Chef (CMC).

More About Certifications

Research assistant chef duties and responsibilities

Direct daily activity of staff (prep cook, dishwashers and wait staff), and receive and manage inventory.
Manage food inventory and assist chefs with menu development.
Attain a broad knowledge of ingredient functionality in diverse culinary applications and comfort in a culinary setting.
Learned the cuisine and intricacies of Tuscan style cooking as well as the influences from other regions.

Prepare your assistant chef resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your assistant chef resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an assistant chef resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable assistant chef resume templates

Build a professional assistant chef resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your assistant chef resume.

Apply for assistant chef jobs

Now it's time to start searching for an assistant chef job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do assistant chefs rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Assistant chef reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020

Pros

Design & creating food making customer happy cooking every area as line, prep, steam, broil, grill, creating comfort food desserts and catering. Ordering and managing a kitchen

Cons

Nothing to complain about love being a chef

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2019