Cook
A Cook prepares a wide range of foods for public consumption in various settings, for small or large groups or individual dishes in restaurants and test kitchens. Specifically, a Cook:
- prepares, cooks, and assembles food such as meats, salads and dressings, soups, sauces, sandwiches, vegetables, desserts, pastries, baked foods, hot and cold buffets and non-alcoholic beverages
- creates specialty dishes and develops recipes
- performs menu and nutrition planning, food costing, purchasing, scheduling and receiving deliveries and checking product quality and quantity
- estimates food, liquor, wine and other beverage consumption to anticipate purchases or requisitions
- practices according to food safety standards for hygiene, sanitation and safety
Red Seal trade
Apprenticeship Resources
Apprenticeship Training Standard (PDF) Curriculum Training Standard (PDF) Trade ReportAPPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
An apprenticeship training program consists of on-the-job and in-school training. Generally, the time-frame to become competent in the trade of Cook is 6,000 hours (approximately three years) consisting of 5,280 hours of on-the-job work experience and 720 hours of in-school training.
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
An apprenticeship involves practical training provided on-the-job by a skilled worker, or trainer. The skills or competencies to be developed are set out by the trade’s apprenticeship training standard and are recognized by the industry as being essential to the practice of the trade.
As these essential skills are developed, the apprentice’s sponsor or trainer signs the relevant sections of the training standard to indicate that the apprentice has met the individual training objectives by demonstrating the skills required of a skilled worker, or journeyperson, in the trade
IN-SCHOOL TRAINING
A Cook apprenticeship includes two levels of theoretical training, which includes but is not limited to instruction in:
- culinary techniques
- quantity food preparation
- food theory
- basic nutrition
- bake and pastry theory and techniques of baking
- cuisine à la carte
- kitchen management
- food, beverage and labour cost control
- sanitation, safety and equipment
- communications and calculations
- workplace health and safety
Depending on the training delivery agency, in-school training may be available in one of the following ways:
- block release (full-time, for a set number of weeks)
- day release (one day per week from September to June)
- part-time (night-school programs)
- alternative delivery (online, correspondence, etc.)
Cook is a trade named under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021.
This trade has an apprenticeship program that is administered by the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Upon completion of an apprenticeship program, the Ministry issues a Certificate of Apprenticeship.
This trade has a certifying exam. When the certifying exam is passed, Skilled Trades Ontario will issue a Certificate of Qualification in this trade. Because this trade is non-compulsory, this certificate does not have to be renewed, and the information of individuals practicing this trade will not appear on the Skilled Trades Ontario Public Register.
In Ontario, the trade is part of the Interprovincial Red Seal Program—the national standard for the trade across Canada: www.red-seal.ca.