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Career · Hospitality, Tourism and Aviation

Chef

Also called: Cook

Plans, cooks and runs kitchens in hotels, restaurants and food businesses.

Are you a natural Chef?Find out now

DemandSteady

Starting pay₹2-4 LPA

Time to first job0 to 3 months

Who can enterCulinary or hotel management degree or diploma

Compass career assessment

Do you fit as a Chef? Find out before you choose.

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I am in:Class 8-10 Class 11-12 College or fresher Working or switching

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What the work is

Chefs create dishes, run kitchens and manage food quality, cost and hygiene. They start as commis chefs and rise through chef de partie and sous chef to executive chef. Others become pastry chefs, food stylists, cloud kitchen owners or food entrepreneurs.

Hotel management and culinary arts degrees help, but skill, stamina and creativity matter most.

A typical week

Prepare and cook dishes
Create menus and recipes
Manage kitchen staff and stock
Keep hygiene and food safety

It suits people who

Love cooking and food
Work fast under pressure
Are creative and disciplined

Your path to get there

School (Class 8-10)Class 11-12College or fresherWorking or switching

School (Class 8-10)

Cook at home and try new recipes

Class 11-12

Culinary arts degree or B.Sc Hospitality (NCHMCT JEE)

College or fresher

Train in hotel and restaurant kitchens
Learn food safety (FSSAI) standards

Working or switching

Home cooks start with cloud kitchens or catering

Returning after a break?

Start with a skills refresh of 6 to 12 weeks: one short course and one TalentMeter assessment to show where you stand today.
Use returnship and second-career programmes; many large employers in India run them for people back after a break.
Explain the gap in one honest line on your CV and LinkedIn, and list what you did in it (caregiving, freelancing, courses, volunteering).
Contract, part-time and freelance roles are a common way back in; they turn into full-time offers often.

Exams and certifications

Name	What it is for	When
NCHMCT JEE ↗	Hotel management at IHMs	Once a year
FSSAI food safety training	Food safety	Any time

Exam names, eligibility and dates change. Always check the official website for this year's notice.

Job market

Job titles to search

Commis chefChef de partieSous chefPastry chefExecutive chef

Who hires

Hotels and resortsRestaurants and cafesCloud kitchensCruise linesOwn business

Where the jobs are

MumbaiDelhi NCRBengaluruGoaAbroad

See openings on Naukri ↗See openings on LinkedIn Jobs ↗See openings on Indeed ↗

These buttons open a live search for "Commis chef" on each job site. TalentMeter does not list or vouch for the jobs there.

Salary range in India

Typical ranges. Big cities and large companies pay toward the top; smaller towns and firms toward the bottom.

Does this fit you? Find out in one sitting

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Skills to build

Cooking techniquesMenu planningFood safetyKitchen managementCreativity

Next steps on TalentMeter

EQMTREQ MeterTest your level · Assessment, Level 1 COMBCommunication Skills BasicTest your level · Assessment, Level 1 ENGBLEnglish BuilderTest your level · Assessment, Level 2 PERSONAPersonaMeterTest your level · Assessment LEARNCommunication Skills BasicLearning Hub course LEARNInterview ReadyLearning Hub course

Know which careers fit you

Create a free account, take the Compass career assessment for your stage, and every cluster and career here will show how well it fits you.