Cook

Overview:

Learn to prepare food for hotels, restaurants and other establishments.

If you like a challenge, are passionate about food and enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, you will enjoy a career as a cook. Their major responsibilities are nutrition, food costs and sanitation.

Depending on the establishment, you may be involved in studying menus to estimate food requirements and obtain the necessary food from storage or suppliers, washing, peeling and cutting vegetables, cleaning and cutting meats, fish and poultry and cleaning kitchen equipment and cooking utensils.

You may also be involved in preparing, seasoning and cooking such foods as soups, salads, meats, fish, gravies, vegetables, desserts, sauces and casseroles, carving meats, preparing portions on a plate and add gravies, sauces and garnish to servings or baking pastries.

Throughout your career, you may also prepare buffets (for example, platters, showpieces), prepare special diets and oversee menu planning, regulating stock control and supervising kitchen staff.

While specific duties vary depending upon the type of establishment, it will be your responsibility to prepare meals that are both appealing and nutritious.

This is a non-compulsory trade – individuals can work in the trade without certification if the employer deems the individual to have the skills of a journeyperson. However, individuals who are working in the trade and learning the trade must become a registered apprentice.

Is this the right fit for me?

Students who have the following characteristics see greater success in the cook trade:

• be fluent in English with reading and writing competency

• have good basic mathematics skills

• have a genuine interest in preparing food and working with people

• be in good health and able to stand for long periods of time

• have a keen sense of taste and smell

• be ready to work as members of a team or independently

• be willing to maintain the high standard of cleanliness necessary in any food establishment

• a commitment to safe work habits

Credentials:

Upon successfully completing the required working hours and technical training periods, graduates will be awarded journeyperson status by Alberta’s Apprenticeship and Industry Training.

This is a Red Seal Endorsed trade – a recognizable standard that allows tradespeople to work across Canada.