Kitchen Lead Education Requirements And Courses

Kitchen lead education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Usually, kitchen leads don't need a college education. The most common degree for kitchen leads is high school diploma with 37% graduates, with only 25% kitchen lead graduates earning associate degree. Kitchen leads who decided to graduate from college often finish Johnson & Wales University or University of Phoenix. Some good skills to have in this position include customer service, culinary and food products.

Popular kitchen lead certifications include ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification, Certified Food Manager (CFM), or Certified Professional - Food Safety (CP-FS). To improve kitchen lead qualification and skills, we prepared some online courses to help in kitchen lead education paths.

What education do you need to become a kitchen lead?

What degree do you need to be a kitchen lead?

The most common degree for kitchen leads is high school diploma, with 37% of kitchen leads earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 25% and associate degree degree at 24%.

High School Diploma, 37%

Associate, 25%

Bachelor's, 24%

Diploma, 9%

Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a kitchen lead?

You should major in culinary arts to become a kitchen lead. 23% of kitchen leads major in culinary arts. Other common majors for a kitchen lead include business and general studies.

Culinary Arts, 23%

Business, 21%

General Studies, 6%

Criminal Justice, 6%

Other Majors, 44%

Best majors for kitchen leads

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Culinary Arts	22.6%
2	Business	21.0%
3	General Studies	6.4%
4	Criminal Justice	5.7%
5	Communication	4.8%

Show more common kitchen lead majors

20 best online courses for kitchen leads

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1. Fun food safety and sanitation course

4.6

(539)

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

2. 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...

3. 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...

4. OSHA Workplace Safety (General Industry 6 Hr Class)

4.5

(2,583)

Learn the requirements and standards associated with OSHA and workplace safety. Safety best practices for the workplace...

5. Complete Health and Safety Auditor Course. OHSAS 18001.

4.5

(2,235)

How to implement and audit a health & safety management system and obtain certification to OHSAS 18001 Standard...

6. OSHA Safety Pro: Deadly Concrete Dust. Crystalline Silica.

4.4

(478)

OSHA's General, Construction, and Maritime Industries Hazard Prevention and Safety Standard...

7. Occupational Health & Safety Training

4.4

(1,198)

Workplace Health and Safety Course For Employees & Managers...

8. OSHA Safety Training: Conducting Safety Meetings

4.5

(958)

A Brief Safety Management Course for Current and Aspiring Safety Professionals...

9. Basic Fire Safety Awareness

4.3

(776)

Basic Fire Safety Awareness - Your Gateway towards Career in Fire Safety...

10. OSHA Safety Pro: Personal Protective Equipment

4.5

(1,881)

Impress management or get that job with you your ability to display life and dollar saving work place safety practices...

11. OSHA Safety Pro: Trenching Excavation & Soil Mechanics

4.3

(727)

A quick yet detailed certification in OSHA safety with a focus on Trenching, Excavation, & Soil Mechanics...

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

4.4

(618)

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

13. Fire Safety: Become A Fire Safety Expert

4.3

(484)

Become an expert in Fire Safety, Fire Hazards Control, Fire Evacuation Plans, and Fire Risk Assessment...

14. ISO 45001. Occupational health & safety management system

4.6

(4,258)

Upgrate your health and safety career by understanding the requriements for an OH & S management system from ISO 45001...

15. Supervisor Leadership Skills for a Safe Workplace

4.5

(2,008)

Learn safety communication skills to foster safety accountability, responsibility and correct safety behaviours...

16. NEBOSH health and safety Management System

4.3

(448)

It Shows the Start point to Build your Health & safety Career and how to Join the field and becoming HSE Specialist...

17. OSHA Safety Training: Heat Stress Management

4.6

(465)

A Workplace Safety Management Course for Current and Future Safety Professionals...

18. Fire Safety and Prevention Planning

4.4

(1,467)

Become an expert in understanding Fire Safety and Prevention Planning for your workplaces and organizations...

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

4.6

(1,644)

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

20. Advanced Process Control & Safety Instrumented Systems SIS

4.5

(783)

Learn how the main process equipment such as chemical reactors , pumps , compressors & heat exchangers are controlled...

Average kitchen lead salary by education level

According to our data, kitchen leads with a Associate degree earn the highest average salary, at $38,977 annually. Kitchen leads with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $38,840.

Kitchen lead education level	Kitchen lead salary
High School Diploma or Less	$36,341
Bachelor's Degree	$38,840
Some College/ Associate Degree	$38,977