Job Prospects... At a glance
Chefs prepare menus and food in a variety of establishments. The employment outlook for chefs is good, particularly for experienced chefs. There has always been a high turnover of staff in the hospitality industry.
Chefs prepare and cook food in hotels, restaurants, cafes, catering operations/institutions and bars. Most chefs work across all food areas. However, a small number choose to specialise, for example, as a pastry chef.
Chefs train by completing a full-time Level 3 and 4 New Zealand Certificate in Cookery. This can be done either with a training provider, or in a workplace as an apprentice. Some employers are unable to take on cookery apprentices, but still offer training in either of the Level 3 or 4 certificates as appropriate.
This combination of work and study usually takes two to three years to complete. This is seen by the industry as a pathway for ‘future stars’.
There are generally no entrance requirements for a New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 3). NCEA Level 1 and hospitality subjects or the Tertiary Education Commission’s Gateway programme for schools may be useful.
Many large employers offer the opportunity for ‘work exploration’ so that young people considering a career as a chef can have some ‘real life’ experience in a kitchen before making that final commitment to study or become an apprentice.
If you want to become a fully qualified chef you will need to do an apprenticeship and gain the two national certificates: the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery - Level 3, and the New Zealand Certificate in Cookery - Level 4.
Together with a commercial competence assessment they make the apprentice a ‘trade qualified chef’.
| New Zealand Certificate in Cookery (Level 4) | New Zealand Apprenticeship in Cooking (Level 3 and 4) |
|---|---|
| $6,500 over one year. Some employers offer this qualification as on-job training at little or no cost. |
Free from 2017. |
Average costs in 2015/16 for a domestic student. Some polytechnics may have a zero-fees scheme. Costs vary between institutions. Further costs can include materials, textbooks, equipment and accommodation.
The least expensive way to become a chef is to complete an apprenticeship or on the job training. This way, you can earn money while gaining a qualification.
Rents vary from place to place. Estimated market rents by region, city and suburb are available on the MBIE Tenancy Services website.
The StudyLink website provides general budget advice for students, and the Sorted website provides help with detailed budget planning.
Tenancy Services: www.tenancy.govt.nz/rent-bond-and-bills
StudyLink: www.studylink.govt.nz
Sorted: www.sorted.org.nz/calculators/money-planner
Many training providers across New Zealand offer Certificates in Cookery. Service IQ arranges apprenticeship and on-the-job training.
The number of students completing a Level 4 certificate in the broader category “Food and hospitality” has declined since 2009. This could mean that fewer people are finishing cooking qualifications.
Qualification completions chart
Source: Ministry of Education
A chef’s income depends on the size, type and location of the establishment they work in, and the position they hold.
Most chefs earn an hourly rate. According to the Restaurant Association’s 2013 Hospitality Industry Remuneration Survey, incomes generally range between $27,000 and $55,000. Some typical national average pay rates for different types of chefs are outlined below:
| Position | Hourly rate | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | $16.00 | 33,280 |
| Commis chef | $16.50 | $35,000 |
| Chef de Partie | $18.00 | $39,000 |
| Sous chef | $21.64 | $51,194 |
| Pastry chef | $19.50 | $55,000 |
| Head chef | $23.50 | $58,000 |
| Executive chef | $33.30 | $77,850 |
Source: NZChefs
Chefs’ employment
| Historic | Projected Growth | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 2013 | 2020 | 2025 |
| 38,433 | 41,769 | 54,943 | 64,729 |
| 1.2% | 4.0% | 3.3% | |
Source: Statistics NZ Census and MBIE projections. Percentages are compound annual growth rates.
*Growth projections are for the broader category “Food Trades Workers”.
The number of chefs grew at 1.2% annually between 2006 and 2013, and employment is expected to grow strongly until 2025.
For a variety of reasons, only 40% of graduates are working as a chef five years on. At the same time, restaurants in many regions struggle to recruit experienced chefs.
Employment chart
Source: Statistics NZ Census and MBIE projections
| Overseas | In further study | Receiving a benefit | In employment | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11% | 27% | 12% | 57% | $29,500 |
Source: Ministry of Education
*Two years after completion of L4 Certificate - Food & Hospitality. ‘Overseas’ refers to the percentage of ALL graduates completing this qualification. Other indicators refer only to graduates living in New Zealand.
Most graduates were either in employment or in further study two years after completing a Level 4 diploma in food and hospitality. A few were overseas and some were receiving a benefit. The median salary was around $29,500.
The job prospects for qualified chefs are quite good, due to a shortage of qualified chefs in New Zealand and increasing tourism. The shortage is largely due to:
Chefs are on Immigration New Zealand's long-term skill shortage list, which means that the government is actively encouraging chefs from overseas to work in New Zealand. The demand is for chefs who have a Level 4 qualification and a minimum of 5 years' experience offering a la carte/banqueting or commercial catering, with a minimum of 2 years at chef de partie level.
Immigration NZ, skill shortage list: skillshortages.immigration.govt.nz
Since 2008, the number of online job vacancies for chefs has increased at a much faster rate than the average for all vacancies. In 2016, there were almost 2.5 times as many job ads as there were in 2008. This should mean that it has gotten easier for chefs to find work since 2008.
Jobs advertised chart
Source: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
Some chef vacancies are advertised through public media such as local newspapers and the Trade Me Jobs and Seek websites, though many are offered through industry contacts and word-of-mouth.
Trade Me Jobs: www.trademe.co.nz/jobs
Seek: www.seek.co.nz
On-the-job experience and further training open up various options for qualified chefs to move into different roles in the kitchen.
Most chefs start at an apprentice level as a commis chef, before progressing to a demi chef, chef de partie, sous chef, and then head/executive chef.
Some chefs choose to open their own restaurant or work in restaurant management. You could choose to specialise in a particular type of food, for example, pastry. There are opportunities to be gained by competing in local and international competitions.
The following occupations are related roles or alternative titles. Some of the roles may require a higher level of skill than entry-level chefs.
More information on chefs is available on the Careers New Zealand website.
Careers New Zealand: www.careers.govt.nz
The ServiceIQ is the industry training organisation for hospitality in New Zealand; their website is a good place to find information on industry and training options.
ServiceIQ: www.ServiceIQ.org.nz
The Restaurant Association of New Zealand website is a useful source of restaurant industry news and events.
Restaurant Association of New Zealand: www.restaurantnz.co.nz
The New Zealand Chefs Association (NZChefs) represents and promotes the chef profession. It offers memberships for secondary school students, tertiary students and apprentices, and it manages all regional and national hospitality competitions.
NZChefs gives members opportunities to network with fully qualified chefs to assist and mentor their careers.
NZChefs: www.nzchefs.org.nz
The Australian New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO) is the official classification of occupations in New Zealand.
The occupation of chefs has been coded to the following ANZSCO codes for the purpose of this report:
351 – Food Trades Workers
8513 – Kitchenhands