First Cook Education Requirements And Courses

First cook education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, first cooks don't need a college education. The most common degree for first cooks is associate degree with 44% graduates, with only 21% first cook graduates earning bachelor's degree. First cooks who decided to graduate from college often finish Johnson & Wales University or Culinary Institute of America. Some good skills to have in this position include cleanliness, patients and food handling.

Popular first cook certifications include Certified Food Manager (CFM), Food Safety Manager Certification, or Certified Culinary Administrator (CCA). To improve first cook qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in first cook education paths.

What education do you need to become a first cook?

What degree do you need to be a first cook?

The most common degree for first cooks is associate degree, with 44% of first cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 21% and bachelor's degree degree at 21%.

Associate, 44%

Bachelor's, 21%

High School Diploma, 21%

Diploma, 8%

Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a first cook?

You should major in culinary arts to become a first cook. 54% of first cooks major in culinary arts. Other common majors for a first cook include business and hospitality management.

Culinary Arts, 54%

Business, 8%

Hospitality Management, 7%

Liberal Arts, 4%

Other Majors, 27%

Best majors for first cooks

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Culinary Arts	54.0%
2	Business	8.5%
3	Hospitality Management	7.3%
4	Liberal Arts	4.5%
5	General Studies	3.1%

Show more common first cook majors

20 best online courses for first cooks

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1. Cooking for Busy Healthy People

Cooking is one of the most powerful ways in which we can optimize our enjoyment of great quality food while protecting our health. Even on a tight budget, cooking can be a cost-effective, joyful and rewarding way to love the food that will love us back for a lifetime. In this course, you’ll learn some basic recipes from a home cook and two professional chefs who prioritize healthful eating. You’ll also learn some of the fundamentals of principle-based cooking that can help you break free from...

2. Cook Real Food: How to Make Simple Plant-Based Meals

4.6

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Learn how to cook whole plant foods to make quick, easy, and healthy vegan meals for practical everyday eating...

3. Fun food safety and sanitation course

4.6

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The food safety course will help prepare you for safely working in a kitchen and food handler tests like Servesafe...

4. ISO 22000:2018. Food Safety Management System

4.4

(976)

Understand the requirements for a food safety management system applicable for any organization in the food chain...

5. Customer Service Mastery: Delight Every Customer

4.7

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Master Customer Service using this practical customer care course...

6. Food Safety for Managers and Supervisors

4.3

(489)

The Highfield Food Safety Level 3 syllabus presented in two hours of video tutorials. Boost your food safety knowledge...

7. Fundamentals of Logistics, Supply Chain & Customer Service

4.5

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Learn Logistics, Supply Chain and Customer Service. 3 Courses in 1...

8. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience

4.6

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Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...

9. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives

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Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...

10. Customer Service: 6 Keys To Exceptional Customer Service

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Master Customer Satisfaction & Astonish Your Customers With A+ Customer Service...

11. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service

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Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...

12. ISO 22000 (HACCP and PRPs) for Food Safety

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Standards, analysis, control points, and risk management related to ISO 22000 for food industry professionals...

13. SAP Customer Service (CS/SM) - Service Management module

4.4

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Real World SAP CS and SD, Repair Orders, Service Orders, Service Contracts...

14. Customer Service Basics: Improve your Service now

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The basic golden rules to kickstart your service...

15. Your Customer Service Toolbox: Best Practices for Beginners

4.5

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Excel as a front-line customer service agent using problem-solving & relationship-building skills, etiquette, and more...

16. The Customer: Build a Customer Service Strategy (BITE SIZE)

4.5

(10,168)

For you and your team to be successful in providing great customer service, start by putting your customer first...

17. Customer Service

4.6

(11,267)

How to Approach New Customers and Maintain Existing Ones...

18. Customer Service: Keep 'em coming back!

4.5

(3,150)

How to give the best customer service in your industry and keep those customers raving about your business...

19. Customer Service Success: Take Your Skills to the Next Level

4.5

(2,276)

3-in-1 Customer Service Training: Levels 1, 2, 3 Improve Your Soft Communication Skills, Customer Support & Experience...

20. Food Photography: Capturing Food in Your Kitchen

4.7

(3,133)

With DIY Food Photography, you'll be taking better photos in no time with what you have in your own kitchen!...

Average first cook salary by education level

First cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $36,164 annually. With a Associate degree, first cooks earn a median annual income of $35,374 compared to $34,639 for first cooks with an High School Diploma degree.

First cook education level	First cook salary
High School Diploma or Less	$34,639
Bachelor's Degree	$36,164
No Education	$34,258
Some College/ Associate Degree	$35,374