You don't need a degree to become a chef. However, an HND, foundation degree or degree in professional cookery or culinary arts will help you to gain knowledge and essential skills.

Many related degrees contain a placement, giving you valuable real-life industry experience of working in a professional kitchen. Some restaurants prefer to recruit professional cookery or culinary arts students and graduates because of their familiarity with cooking techniques and food handling methods.

A graduate scheme could broaden your awareness of the industry and give you a different perspective, which would be a worthwhile insight for any budding chef. Though schemes, where you'd be working as a chef, are unusual, there are employers that offer schemes in nutrition and food development.

Entry requirements vary. Many graduate schemes will consider applicants with a good standard degree (usually a 2:1) from a range of degree courses, including professional cookery or culinary arts.

<Taken from Prospects 2024>

Apprenticeships 

You could get into this career by doing an apprenticeship. There are several available for this role, including:

• Production Chef or Commis Chef Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship

• Chef de Partie Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship

• Senior Culinary Chef Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship

• These take between 1 and 2 years to complete.

You can also train to be a chef by doing an apprenticeship in the armed forces:

• Army

• Royal Air Force

• Royal Navy

See links below for more information: 

https://www.e4s.co.uk/jobs/5-chef-apprenticeships.htm

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/commis-chef-v1-2

https://careerfinder.ucas.com/jobs/hospitality-and-travel/apprenticeship/

https://royalacademyofculinaryarts.org.uk/

https://www.inspirolearning.co.uk/apprenticeship-vacancies/

Although all Apprentice chefs will cover the same units and learn the same skills at Level 2, your experience whilst training will differ, depending on the type of kitchen you are working in. It could be commis chef jobs in a small kitchen or a kitchen with many staff, preparing food for hundreds of covers. You could also be working in a restaurant that specialises in a particular cuisine such as Italian, French or classic British dishes.

As you progress to Level 3 Chef Apprenticeships, you will be able to choose which route you want to take your career in. You will already be a capable commis chef and will have a good idea of where you think your strengths might lie. Your choice of pathway as an Apprentice chef could depend on your place of employment where you are already doing chef jobs or, if the kitchen you are currently working in can’t offer you a role to suit you, you might opt to move on to another kitchen where you can work in a particular field. 

University 

You could study for a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

• culinary arts

• professional cookery

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma

• 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree

https://www.ucas.com/explore/courses?soc=5434&filterBy=all

College

One way into the job is to take a college course, like a Level 3 Diploma in Professional Cookery or Level 4 Diploma in Professional Culinary Arts.

You could take a college course to get into this industry. Courses include:

• hospitality and catering

• professional cookery

• culinary skills

• a T Level in Catering

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

• 1 or 2 A levels, a level 3 diploma or relevant experience for a level 4 or level 5 course