Requirements for the professional training of a chef. Employment contract with the chef

The admission of a new employee to any vacant position is accompanied by a signature indicating the start of official labor relations. Is no exception to general rule and the position of cook. A cook can be hired by an organization, enterprise or institution (legal entity) or another citizen in need of services of this kind (individual).

As when drawing up any document of this type, the employer needs to take into account a number of features and requirements consistent with the specifics of this work. That is, the conclusion of an agreement implies a written confirmation of rights and obligations not regulated by current labor legislation.

The document may also establish additional social benefits that take into account the specific working conditions and functions of the cook.


The document is necessary for the legal start of labor relations.

It is a guarantee of respect for the cook’s rights (timely payment of wages, calculation of bonus amounts if they are provided for in other local documents, security social insurance and so on).

The employer gets the opportunity to control the actions of his employee and at the same time undertakes to respect his interests.

A well-drafted agreement will help avoid conflict situations in the future. Prevents the employee from contacting judiciary or other authorities with a complaint against the employer.

The content of this document allows you to avoid ambiguous interpretations, since it contains comprehensive information important for labor relations:

  1. Registration data of both parties, their actual residential addresses and locations.
  2. The type of document that is determined by its validity period (, limited validity, or).
  3. Employee powers (indication of place of work, subordination, functional responsibilities, limits of liability for entrusted values, work schedule, possibility of receipt with payment, and so on).

Document structure

Depending on the specifics of work at the workplace, the cook may be assigned various job responsibilities. For example, he must organize other kitchen staff and ensure that food is served smoothly throughout the workday. Also, the responsibilities of this specialist include quality control of finished products and checking them for compliance with proprietary recipes, food standards and other technical requirements.

The cook is obliged to follow cooking technologies, take care of hygiene and comply with sanitary standards in the kitchen. He can assign workers to perform a particular job, instruct them or train them in cooking techniques, the use of equipment and special technical means.

The finished document includes the following sections and paragraphs:

  1. The next paragraph provides a list of rights and obligations for both parties. It specifies who exactly the cook reports to and what duties he must perform. Requirements vary for chefs different categories. For example, an employee with the third category is required to prepare relatively simple dishes. And chefs of the fifth category are responsible for preparing dishes that require complex culinary processing (for example, stuffed poultry, cold cuts, dietary soups).
  2. The subject matter reflected in the document is described below. It is indicated in which organization or enterprise the cook was hired. Is it established for it, and what is the duration of this period. From what date is the employee obliged to begin fulfilling his duties? job functions. What kind of workplace is this place for the employee (main or additional, acquired part-time). At what exact address is the workplace located?
  3. Indication of the parties signing the document. The employer can be represented by a trusted person or sign the document himself if we are talking about an individual.
  4. A header with the name of the document and settlement, in which the production facilities are located, as well as an indication of the date of signing the contract.
  5. The cook is obliged to monitor portion distribution, draw up menus, maintain discipline and routine, take care of the employer’s property, and not give interviews or otherwise disclose information about the employer’s activities.
  6. The employer, in turn, makes every effort to ensure safety and comfortable conditions at the workplace, carries out timely delivery of food products, deducts monthly amounts to insurance funds, helps the employee improve his qualifications (pays for training), and so on.
  7. The third section of the document lists the terms of remuneration. The salary is indicated in numbers and in words (in brackets). If an enterprise or organization has a bonus system, this fact is also reported with reference to the number of the relevant Regulations.
  8. The fourth paragraph of the document is devoted to the regime of working time and rest. Here you enter information on the daily routine and vacation periods provided by the employer.
  9. The fifth paragraph confirms that social guarantees, including insurance, are provided by the employer in accordance with current labor legislation.
  10. The sixth paragraph states that all guarantees and compensation apply to the cook during the period of validity of this agreement.
  11. The seventh point is devoted to the responsibility of both parties. For example, it is said that a cook who performs his work improperly or causes damage to the employer’s property is financially liable for this.
  12. The eighth paragraph specifies the grounds for termination of the document (its termination).
  13. The final provisions clarify that the contents of the document are not subject to disclosure, and any disputes that arise are considered in accordance with current labor laws.

At the bottom, the addresses and details of both parties are indicated, signatures and the employer’s seal are affixed.

Design nuances

The document is prepared by the HR department in two copies at once. One of them will be placed in the employee’s personal file for storage in the archives of the organization or enterprise.

The second copy is given to the cook and kept by him.

The employee must have medical evidence confirming the absence him infectious diseases. He also undertakes to undergo annual

Requirements for the staff of public catering establishments are determined not only by the organization itself, they are also dictated by GOST. Catering establishments are places where many people come, expecting not only to enjoy delicious food prepared in the right conditions, but also to receive high-quality service. There are state standards that such enterprises must comply with, and these standards also stipulate requirements for personnel.

It is important to note that, despite all the demanding and strict GOST standards, catering establishments - canteens, cafes and restaurants - nothing prevents them from maintaining their own style and making additional requirements when hiring personnel.

Personnel at catering establishments include not only cooks, waiters and kitchen workers. All employees are divided into three categories:

  • administrative staff, which includes the director, accountant and managers;
  • service personnel, which includes those workers who are in contact with customers and are directly responsible for the quality of service in the establishment - administrators, waiters, head waiters, bartenders and bartenders;
  • production personnel, this category includes cooks, technologists, sushi experts, culinary specialists, confectioners, etc., that is, those who prepare food.

General requirements for employees of all categories

There are requirements that apply to employees of public catering establishments when hiring, regardless of
depending on what category they belong to.

First of all, a sufficient level of professional training is required, which guarantees that the employee knows all the theoretical and practical features of the profession. So, cooks must have certificates of completion educational institutions by profession a cook. This characteristic must be strictly observed.

Compliance with sanitation is mandatory, which requires all personnel, including waiters and hall workers, to have a valid medical certificate. This means that the company obliges the employee to observe the rules of personal hygiene and cleanliness of the workplace. Personal hygiene is very important. For example, chefs are prohibited from having long nails or manicures, or from keeping personal items such as cell phones on kitchen work surfaces.

All workers must be made aware that they must comply with occupational health and fire safety regulations in their workplace. Such training should be carried out by the company itself for its employees.

Requirements for production personnel

The most stringent requirements are imposed on those who work in the kitchen and are engaged in preparing food and preparing food for guests of the establishment.

In particular, such employees must always wear only sanitary clothing and shoes at their workplace. They cannot work in their home clothes. At the same time, such clothes and shoes must undergo regular dry cleaning to ensure they are always free of any traces of dirt. It is permitted to place company logos or badges on such clothing.

At the same time, it is prohibited to go into the hall and communicate with consumers of catering services while wearing sanitary clothing.

All personal clothing of staff, in which people come to work, must be stored during the day in a specially designated room.

If public catering workers show signs of illness, cuts or burns on their hands, the administration of the organization should immediately find out about this and immediately remove this employee from work until he has fully recovered.

Requirements for service personnel

The service personnel of a public catering establishment - waiters, administrators, bartenders - are constantly in contact with visitors, so the success and profitability of the business largely depends on their literacy and professionalism.

The main characteristics of such workers are the ability to be polite, tactful, and friendly even during conflict situations. Such personnel should be available to assist guests, such as disabled guests, if necessary.

Waiters must have an excellent knowledge of the menu, including the ingredients and preparation method for each dish.

Administrators must have the skills to work with complaints and claims from guests, and also be responsible for the correct and coordinated work of all employees.

Requirements for administrative personnel

Personnel management in a catering establishment is the responsibility of administrative staff. The competent organization of the activities of the entire institution depends on it.

Such workers must be able to monitor the efficiency of workers and production, know methods for introducing new, modern technologies, monitor the quality of service and conduct safety training in the workplace.

Administrative personnel must carefully monitor compliance with labor protection and sanitary requirements of the enterprise and its employees.

One of the most important requirements is knowledge of the technological process, the procedure for developing and compiling menus, and skills in determining the norms for losses of raw materials. Thus, a technologist or process engineer must be able to monitor the quality of products used in the preparation of dishes, produced by workers of semi-finished products and other culinary products. They are also responsible for screening and organoleptic testing, which must be carried out in a timely manner by all organizations working in the field of providing public catering services.

The requirements for a warehouse manager are the ability to properly organize warehouse management and equip warehouse facilities, as well as supply the organization with the material resources that are necessary for uninterrupted operations.

The warehouse manager must know all the standards and technical specifications, which stipulate the storage of products and semi-finished products. He must also be able to systematize and correctly save all incoming documents to account for raw materials stored and used. The warehouse manager is responsible for monitoring the correct operation and timely execution of repair work warehouse and refrigeration equipment. If breakdowns occur, the warehouse manager must immediately notify the directorate and call repair specialists.

The main requirement for a storekeeper is the ability to receive incoming food products, check documentation on site and distribute supplies.

Additional requirements

It is important that all staff know how to properly store the products from which dishes are prepared for guests of the establishment.

First of all, personnel must ensure that all food products received for storage and use are labeled. He must control the quality of these products and their timely disposal.

When receiving packaged products, it is necessary to monitor the correctness and integrity of the packaging. An important requirement is knowledge of the rules of commodity proximity during storage ready meals, blanks and semi-finished products.

The meaning of a chef's job title usually includes the general term, the level of experience, and any special requirements. The generic term "cook" will optimize a job title to appear in general searches for jobs of the same nature. Experience level will help attract the most qualified candidates by indicating the scope of responsibility and prior knowledge required. And if the position is specialized, you might want to consider including the specialization in the job title.

When looking for a culinary professional to be first or second in command in the kitchen, the establishment must follow specifications and guidelines. The successful candidate will use their culinary and management skills to play an important role in maintaining and increasing customer satisfaction of the establishment. A great job description starts with a compelling summary of the position and its role in the company. The resume for the search for a chef should contain an overview of the company and expectations regarding the position of the employee. The activities and responsibilities required for the job should be described so that job seekers can determine whether they are qualified.

Chefs are trained kitchen professionals who oversee the operations of a restaurant or dining facility. They are responsible for the food that comes out of the kitchen, from conception to execution. While many of these professionals acquire the necessary skills through experience as chefs, academic programs in culinary arts are widely available. Some chefs learn through apprenticeships.

A chef, also sometimes known as a head cook, oversees many different aspects of a restaurant or cafe. He manages and works closely with other chefs, creating menu items and determining inventory needs. It works in a range of food service settings including universities, hospitals, residential care centers and catering establishments. He can also work as a personal chef. Sous Chef, in turn, is one of the most sought after in the culinary industry. This job is second in the hierarchy to the head chef, meaning that a person in this position has complete control over the kitchen and is directly responsible for the quality of food produced there under his supervision. Due to its importance, this work has great recognition among peers and clients, but also carries a high degree of responsibility. While the position of sous chef is the dream job for every junior chef. It is important to fully understand its requirements.

General provisions

Examples of required chef skills in most cases:

  • A specific degree in culinary arts is required.
  • 5 years of experience as a chef in a full-service restaurant.
  • More than 2 years of experience in a supervisory role.
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills. Ability to share responsibilities and monitor progress. Leadership skills.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
  • Attention to quality and quality control
  • Knowledge of proper food handling and sanitation standards.
  • Exceptional proven kitchen management ability.
  • Knowledge of modern culinary trends and optimization of kitchen processes.
  • Good understanding of useful computer programs (MS Office, restaurant management software, POS).
  • Authority for health and safety training.

A chef's tasks and responsibilities are varied and range from preparing food or plating specific dishes to creating menus and working with ingredient suppliers. Therefore, the position requires both culinary and management skills. In addition to this, solid experience in the kitchen is required to land a chef job.

Cook's responsibilities

The duties section is the most important part of the job description. Here you need to describe the functions that this position will perform on a regular basis, how the work works in the organization.

The chef is responsible for the following functions:

  • Manage relationships with distributors and promptly resolve problems with suppliers.
  • Follow the budget set by the restaurant manager.
  • Ensure kitchen safety and sanitation.
  • Manage kitchen staff and delegate tasks related to food preparation, preparation and delivery of food to customers in a timely manner.
  • Maintaining kitchen work schedule.
  • Monitoring food and labor costs.
  • Follow industry trends and create new recipes.

Restaurateurs are looking for an experienced and qualified chef to organize the kitchen. The chef is the first to create and test the dishes before they reach the customers.

Required responsibilities for a chef include:

  • Control and management of the food preparation process.
  • Build menus with new or existing culinary ideas to ensure variety and quality portions.
  • Approval of dishes before they reach the customer.
  • Control and direct the cooking process.
  • If necessary, organize repairs.
  • Eliminate any problems or defects in the kitchen.
  • Be fully responsible for the reception, management and training of kitchen staff.
  • Supervise the work of subordinates.
  • Assessment of workload and personnel compensation.
  • Maintain payroll and attendance records.
  • Fostering a climate of collaboration and respect between co-founders.
  • Estimating quantities and costs of needed supplies, such as food.
  • Inspects supplies, equipment and work area to ensure compliance with established standards.
  • Instructing instructors and other employees in preparing food.
  • Monitor sanitation conditions to ensure employee compliance with standards and regulations.
  • Orders or requisitions food and other supplies needed to ensure efficient operations.

The job of a chef is very demanding and involves performing a wide variety of tasks in both the culinary and management sectors. No day is identical to another in a position as a chef: there are days when the menu must be set up and days on which ingredients must be purchased. The chef is responsible for both activities, as well as supervising his staff during kitchen operations.

Being a chef requires discipline, an intense workload, a lot of dedication, extensive on-the-job training and an active mind, always ready to learn and be challenged.

Although not required, chef certification can demonstrate competency and lead to promotion and higher pay.

Schedule

Chefs work in high-end restaurants, as well as in restaurants and catering canteens of various institutions. Each of these establishments has different opening hours; therefore, the chef's schedule varies depending on the hours the kitchen is open. In restaurants, chefs work shifts that allow them to prepare the kitchen from early morning (when breakfast is served) until late at night(when the last customers finish dinner). On the other hand, cooks working in cafeterias have regular 9-5 work hours.

Most cooks and chefs work full-time hours, including early mornings, late evenings, weekends and holidays. Many chefs work 12-hour days because they oversee food deliveries early in the day and use the hours to prepare special menu items.

Additional Responsibilities

The chef is often involved in staffing the kitchen, developing menu offerings, forecasting supply needs, and estimating costs. Chefs are expected to ensure that the restaurant adheres to all regulations, including hygiene and safety guidelines.

Head Chefs are primarily involved in creating recipes and preparing advanced dishes, while handling the less complex tasks of Head Chefs and Cooks. The main goal is to maintain kitchen efficiency and produce consistent quality food. But responsibilities also extend to operational matters, including accounting and planning.

Since chefs are responsible for the success and failure of a restaurant, chefs must work long hours to ensure that the restaurant is running properly. As far as personal conduct is concerned, here are the most important and unspoken duties that a chef must observe:

  • Attention to detail. It is important that all kitchen surfaces and stoves are perfect when workers leave the kitchen, and the chef must check the work being done by subordinates. A critical eye will instantly see possible problems and will correct them.
  • Initiative. Cooking for others is an art in which one must always innovate. A person with initiative towards this endeavor will certainly have a smoother path to success.
  • Flexibility. Working in a kitchen with a group of people can lead to unexpected situations. The chef must be flexible and easily adapt to new working conditions.
  • Good stress tolerance. In cooking for others, the responsibility is enormous and the stress level is also high. A chef must have great resistance to stress.
  • Leadership. The chef is a leader who works with the team.
  • Work done as a team. Working in a kitchen requires good team spirit, as in most cases a well-organized team has much better results than the same number of people working on their own.

A professional chef has a wide range of specific responsibilities that he must perform on a daily basis. The first responsibility is to supervise subordinates in their daily work environment. The cook is responsible for supervising all the people who work under them in the kitchen. The Chef will oversee food and ingredient preparation, final plating, sanitation issues, and staff timeliness.

The chef is also the primary planner for menu items and any dishes the establishment offers. Along with menu planning, the chef is also responsible for creating recipes. Someone in the position of a chef will spend many hours developing their recipes. The cook may also be involved in preparing a few or many menu items each week. This may occur due to a lack of a stocked kitchen.

Administrative duties are also part of a chef's daily routine. Items such as ensuring the work of employees, processing payroll, calculating purchase order costs, placing purchase orders from traders and handling employee grievances are all duties that fall under the administrative category. In addition, the cook is the first person in charge of the entire kitchen when a customer has a complaint about the preparation or quality of the food.

The cook is one of the main people responsible for training the kitchen staff. The cook will tell you in detail what the employee's duties are and how they should be performed.

Finally, whoever takes on the role of cook must ensure that all food handling regulations are followed. The Chef must ensure safety and sanitation standards are met every day.

Levels and categories of cooks and their responsibilities

Currently, the market for chefs is stable, so the demand for specialists in this field is growing too much over the years. Until 2020, the number of jobs for chefs will only increase to 5%. This gave rise to a division of responsibilities among the cooking profession. This division has taken several forms in the form of different job levels:

  • Chef. In French, the word "chef" means "chef". This suggests that the chef is the one who is in charge of something. The head chef, also sometimes referred to simply as the "chef de cuisine," is in charge of the entire kitchen. Every part of the food service operation, including menu planning, purchasing, hiring and staffing, is part of the chef's job description. This means that he or she also has overall responsibility for all food that comes out of the kitchen. But the chef doesn't usually cook. The tools of his work are a table, a telephone and a money changer, and not a knife, a whisk or a frying pan.
  • Sous Chef (second chef). The sous chef is responsible for all preparations. In some kitchens, a sous chef's job involves directly supervising all kitchen staff, including cooks, cooks, and dishwashers. The sous chef may also do some actual cooking, such as substituting for one of the cooks if necessary. A sous chef's job description also often includes expediting or relaying orders to line cooks and ensuring the team works together to prepare orders. The sous chef is a professional who assists the head chef and takes his place when the latter is unable to be in the kitchen. The name "sous chef" comes from French and means "under the chef." Therefore, the person holding this position reports directly to the head chef and has all other members of the kitchen staff at his disposal. However, there are also cases where a sous chef aspires to a higher position in a competing kitchen, especially when there is no chance of promotion in the near future. Another promotion prospect is to be upgraded to the position of Kitchen Manager.
  • Senior cook (“chef de partie”) is a person whose job is to work for hotline cooking and regulate the work algorithm of other chefs.
  • Saute-chef. The chef-technologist also performs the functions of co-chef. The sot-chef or saucier is responsible for all soy products and sauces. Often the person in charge of preparing fish items is also responsible, although there may be a separate fish cook.
  • Roasting chef may also be a grill cook. Responsible for fried and stewed items. Can also cook fried foods.
  • Vegetable cook. Responsible for soups, starches such as pastas and potatoes, and other vegetable products.
  • Other chef jobs. Some kitchens will have various other chefs on staff. A pastry chef who prepares desserts and other baked goods. Cook responsible for cold foods such as salads, canned foods, sausages, pates. Some operations will also employ a separate cook whose specialty is separating and preparing meat and poultry.

Typically, a sous chef becomes a manager or executive chef after a period of working in the respective kitchen. The executive chef and head chef can be promoted to management positions, and the positions left empty are usually filled by chef technologists.

A cook who has experience and good skills can be promoted to a higher position when the possibility arises. Positions available for promotion are Head Chef and Sous Chef.

Wage

The salary of a chef depends on the place of work. The best paying jobs are in high-end restaurants, while government restaurants usually have lower pay levels. Pay calculations may also vary depending on other factors such as: current economic conditions, level of formal education, years of experience, and scope of responsibilities associated with the position. Typically, a chef's salary is RUB 63,333 for a professional with less than 20 years of experience in the culinary industry. Bonuses can significantly increase your salary, especially when working in high-end restaurants. The annual salary of a chef varies depending on the above factors. Benefits include compensation for retirement, social security, disability, healthcare and vacation.

What is the chef responsible for?

The chef has both managerial and culinary responsibilities; therefore, he or she must excel in both points to successfully perform all assigned duties. Here are the most basic ones professional areas under the responsibility of the cook:

  • Skill control. The head chef and sous chef are responsible for all activities from the kitchen; therefore, they must have greater monitoring capabilities while performing their regular duties.
  • Time management. The chef must estimate the required time required for each dish, as well as the time spent by each employee in preparation different dishes. They need to organize the kitchen perfectly so that every minute is used wisely. Delays or lost time affect the kitchen's reputation and the establishment's income. Additionally, the chef must evaluate the time required for culinary tasks as well as the time that must be devoted to management duties in order to fully handle everything.
  • Financial and resource management. The cook is responsible for creating the ingredient list, wine list and menu, while the chef must properly manage available finances and resources.
  • Good communication links. The cook is in constant communication with the chef and sous chef, as well as with the kitchen staff, ingredient suppliers, technical staff who keep the food preparation machines in order, and even with customers. Therefore, he must know how to customize his discourse according to the target audience.
  • Active listening and learning. Understanding what people are saying, asking questions to understand the problem, and gathering information for a solution are essential when coordinating a team, whether in the kitchen or out.
  • Teaching abilities. The chef must train subordinate cooks and kitchen support staff, so they need a training strategy that conveys information clearly and easily.
  • Analysis and evaluation. An assessment is conducted after each month to monitor the progress made by staff. Review and evaluation should be carried out individually (for each employee) as well as for the kitchen staff as a whole to observe how the team interacts and works together.
  • Computer functions. The cook may communicate with suppliers over the Internet or may need to enter information into a computer, so to perform these tasks, the cook is responsible for creating and managing kitchen information on the computer.
  • Technical information. Most restaurant kitchens have special mechanisms that make cooking easy. The chef must ensure that they are all in good condition and cannot harm personnel when used correctly. When the equipment is broken, he needs to call the experts to fix it.

Education Requirements

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most chefs begin their careers as cooks or food preparation workers and advance to higher positions with time and experience. On-the-job training is a core component of most kitchens.

Formal culinary arts training is available through vocational schools, colleges, culinary schools, and university service-industry programs. 11 percent of chefs and cooks have a diploma high school, and 44 percent have a law degree. Many programs include an apprenticeship or internship to accompany coursework.

Some culinary organizations offer curriculum accreditation throughout the country. They also offer a number of certification programs that allow chefs to demonstrate ability and knowledge in the culinary arts. Certification can help chef managers get promotions and higher salaries.

The cook needs to indicate the required and preferred skills for the position. This may include education, previous work experience, certifications and technical skills. It can also include other skills and personality traits that are useful for successful hiring. While it may be tempting to include a long list of skills and requirements, including too many may dissuade qualified candidates from applying. The list of qualifications should be concise but provide sufficient detail with relevant keywords and terms.

Chef jobs do not require any education or formal training as long as the candidate has the necessary skills and required experience. A high school degree and culinary qualifications are all you need to become a chef. Nevertheless, the completion of specialized courses adds points to the candidate in front of employers. This type of program helps aspiring chefs acquire useful cooking and food safety information that will be used later in their careers. In addition, a bachelor's degree can accelerate your ascent through the professional ladder.

Culinary institutes, technical schools, and community schools offer culinary arts programs that take 2 to 4 years to complete. By attending these programs, aspiring chefs learn about hygiene and sanitation in the kitchen, learn how to improve their culinary skills and gain insight into food shopping. Some programs also include management courses that help students better manage kitchen staff. Some culinary schools offer their support to aspiring chefs by sponsoring various apprenticeship programs that combine theoretical courses with practical training.

Experience, however, is of paramount importance when choosing a chef. Typically a chef has been in the kitchen for at least 10 years before joining the chef position. This ensures that the person is well prepared from a culinary point of view and has sufficient maturity to regulate all staff.

Most cooks and chefs learn their skills through work experience. Others are educated at a community college, technical school, culinary arts school, or 4-year college. Students in culinary programs spend most of their time in kitchens practicing their culinary skills. Programs cover all aspects of kitchen operations, including menu planning, food sanitation procedures, purchasing and inventory techniques. Majority curricula also require students to gain experience in a commercial kitchen through an internship or apprenticeship program.

The profession of a cook is a big responsibility, and this is what determines a number of requirements that apply to candidates for this position.

The applicant must have a specialized secondary education; a higher technological education will be an advantage. It is advisable to have some category (II-VI). A valid medical record is also required. If work activity involves manufacturing products using alcohol, then only an adult will be accepted.

The employee must have sufficient knowledge of current collections of recipes and be able to apply them when preparing food. Another important quality for a cook is to determine the types, properties and other characteristics of products and semi-finished products. Particularly important is the ability to determine the good quality of products.

During the cooking process, the cook must demonstrate his skills in the use of aromatic substances and food additives, as well as know the basic combinations of spices and types of products. In other words, this can be called an understanding of the cooking process. It is necessary to ensure that products are preserved greatest number nutrients and did not lose their taste.

Considering that the work of a cook is connected not only with products and food production, but also with those who consume the dishes he prepares, the following is an important aspect:

  • strict compliance with all sanitary and hygienic standards;
  • compliance with product storage conditions;
  • exclusion of the use of low-quality raw materials or raw materials that contain substances hazardous to human health.

In addition to the main dishes, the cook must have skills in preparing therapeutic and dietary foods, as well as food for children and schoolchildren. This knowledge is necessary when working in enterprises of the relevant profile, for example, in preschool educational institutions.

Working in restaurants may require knowledge national cuisines of different nations, knowledge about the ceremonial or ritual features of dishes, the ability to prepare dishes in front of visitors. These requirements are specific and apply depending on the place of work.

Is higher education required?

A higher education for a cook is required if he is a manager or production manager. In other cases it is not required, but will be a priority for the employer.

What documents will you need to present when applying for employment?

Here is a short list of documents that are usually required when applying for a job.

  1. Passport
  2. Employment history
  3. Pension certificate
  4. Military registration documents
  5. Diplomas and certificates of education
  6. A valid medical book with a set of examinations for tuberculosis, blood tests, urine tests, feces tests (helminth eggs), a conclusion from a dermatovenereologist, a therapist, an ENT and dental examination. Information about vaccinations (hepatitis, diphtheria, measles), examination for HIV status, hepatitis, staphylococcus, examination for brucellosis. Information about vaccination is certified by the seal of the medical institution that performed it.

The peaceful and noble profession of a cook has always been associated with beautiful and aromatic dishes, as well as the snow-white cap of a smiling fat man. But hiring a cook is fraught with a number of nuances that are related to compliance with sanitary legislation and requirements for the position of a cook.

Requirements for a candidate

The profession of a chef has a number of requirements, which primarily relate to professional skills and experience. After all, the chef will do almost the same routine and monotonous work every day, at the same time. At the same time, the result of his work - the taste of the prepared dish - must meet consumer expectations every day. In addition, it is important to be able to remain attentive throughout the working day, because most often the chef prepares several dishes at the same time, and one wrong movement of the pepper shaker can ruin the results of long and painstaking work. Simply automatically reproducing a recipe will not allow the employer to gain popularity among customers. But this is precisely the key to its prosperity. Therefore, candidates for the position of cook in specialized organizations will have requirements related to work experience, qualifications, special knowledge or recommendations. Although the chef’s “regalia” will not be reflected in the employment contract, it will influence the employer’s choice of candidate.

Additional terms of the agreement

Employment contract with the cook must contain some additional, in addition to those provided Labor Code Russian Federation, conditions. For example, the rights of a cook.
For getting best result It is advisable to give the cook some freedom of action and decision-making. After all, even weather conditions will influence the consumer’s choice of dishes. And the shelf life of most prepared dishes will expire at the end of the working day in the organization. It is important for a chef to orient himself in a timely manner to today’s customer preferences, which will significantly save the employer’s costs. In higher-class establishments, the chef can be given the opportunity to give regular customers “compliments” (meals as a gift), which will increase the attractiveness of the establishment in the eyes of consumers.

Thus, if the organization does not have a separate document providing for the rights of the cook, then they will have to be written down in the employment contract.

Another very important feature of the work of workers in this profession is constant sanitary control. After all, besides taste qualities and the harmlessness of ready-made dishes to humans, the production process itself is subject to regular or sudden inspection by regulatory organizations. Therefore, in an employment contract with a chef, the latter’s obligations section must include his obligation to maintain sanitary requirements during the processes of receiving, storing food, preparing dishes and disposing of waste. It is also advisable to provide for the obligation of the cook himself to undergo medical examinations and the obligation to ensure that his subordinates undergo medical examinations. The presence of a valid health certificate is not discussed.

Any violation of these requirements may lead to significant losses for the employer. Controlling authorities can not only punish the employer with fines, but also suspend the activities of the enterprise for up to 90 days (according to administrative law), and then we are talking about the continued existence of the business itself.

Description of labor functions

The imposition of disciplinary sanctions on a cook will directly depend on how detailed his functionality is specified in the employment contract. In other words, it will be possible to clearly track which specific obligations the chef is not fulfilling or performing improperly.
The parties may specify the employee’s responsibility (Part 2 of Article 232 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). For example, a case may be envisaged when a cook spoils a dish and it is impossible to sell it, or damages equipment through his guilty actions. However, the limits of his liability are limited in this case to the average monthly earnings in accordance with Art. 241 Labor Code of the Russian Federation.

We should also not forget about safety precautions, the obligation to comply with which should also be specified in the contract in the obligations section. After all, the cook is constantly near hot and very hot objects, electrical equipment and hazardous substances (for example, vinegar) and uses traumatic tools and devices - knives, graters, meat grinders and many others.

Employer obligations

Among the employer's obligations, the following should be considered:


  • availability of additional life and health insurance;
  • providing the cook with special clothing;
  • ensuring the functionality of special equipment, etc.

The listed features must be reflected in the employment contract along with the legally established mandatory conditions:


  • place of work;
  • job functions;
  • the start date of the contract and its duration (often catering establishments operate seasonally);
  • the amount of wages, additional payments and allowances;
  • work schedule, shift start and end time, break time for eating and rest;
  • working conditions in the workplace;
  • conditions of social insurance, including mandatory and additional.

A cook is such a profession that not only an organization, but also a private individual may need his services. Article 303 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation allows an individual who does not have the status of an individual entrepreneur to hire workers. In this case, an employment contract is concluded in accordance with all the rules for concluding with legal entity. The difference between such an employment contract is that it will need to be registered with the administration at the place of registration of the employer - individual. Such registration is subject to notification procedure.

In practice, persons in need of domestic staff rarely enter into written employment contracts; as a rule, these are oral agreements. But then you need to understand that any disagreements will be resolved only peacefully, since the parties to the dispute will have nothing to refer to. The employee will not be able to prove the time of his work with an individual (experience), the employer will not be able to punish the employee other than by failing to pay him the agreed amount as payment for work. For some employees, the moment when the employer transfers insurance premiums will be important, and this presupposes the existence of a written employment contract.

Thus, it should be remembered that the success and profit of the employer will largely depend on the completeness and quality of the employment contract with this specialist.