Table 1Transition record

cheftohead chef

A chef already meets 58% of what the head chef role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.

From chef

58%

Overlap1

To head chef

29 Skills carried over

13 Required, not held

52.1 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 52.1

This move: 52.1 of 100 · moderate

1 Share of the head chef role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the chef profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 29 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A head chef role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a chef background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area

already held prepare flambeed dishes assisting and caring
already held compile cooking recipes communication, collaboration and creativity
already held set prices of menu items information skills
already held cook pastry products assisting and caring
already held think creatively about food and beverages communication, collaboration and creativity
already held types of whisks services

All 29 carried skills, including the 19 the head chef role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 23 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier

01 management skills 4 required, 3 supplementary

required, not held manage budgets required
required, not held manage hospitality revenue required
required, not held manage stock rotation required
required, not held recruit employees required

optional, not held identify suppliers optional
optional, not held manage medium term objectives optional
optional, not held plan medium to long term objectives optional

02 assisting and caring 3 required

required, not held monitor the use of kitchen equipment required
required, not held supervise food quality required
required, not held maintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environment required

03 communication, collaboration and creativity 2 required, 4 supplementary

required, not held train staff to reduce food waste required
required, not held handle customer complaints required

optional, not held advise guests on menus for special events optional
optional, not held manage contract disputes optional
optional, not held negotiate supplier arrangements optional
optional, not held upsell products optional

04 information skills 2 required, 2 supplementary

required, not held keep up with eating out trends required
required, not held estimate costs of required supplies required

optional, not held forecast future levels of business optional
optional, not held manage inspections of equipment optional

05 handling and moving 1 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held ensure maintenance of kitchen equipment required

optional, not held attend to detail regarding food and beverages optional

06 engineering, manufacturing and construction 1 required

required, not held food storage required

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a head chef role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 29 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held assist customers skill
already held compile cooking recipes skill
already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
already held control of expenses skill
already held develop food waste reduction strategies skill
already held food waste monitoring systems knowledge
already held handover the food preparation area skill
already held manage staff skill
already held perform procurement processes skill
already held plan menus skill
already held plan shifts of employees skill
already held set prices of menu items skill
already held train employees skill
already held types of whisks knowledge
already held use cooking techniques skill
already held use culinary finishing techniques skill
already held use food preparation techniques skill
already held use reheating techniques skill
already held use resource-efficient technologies in hospitality skill
already held check deliveries on receipt skill
already held conduct research on food waste prevention skill
already held cook pastry products skill
already held create decorative food displays skill
already held design indicators for food waste reduction skill
already held execute chilling processes to food products skill
already held handle chemical cleaning agents skill
already held molecular gastronomy knowledge
already held prepare flambeed dishes skill
already held think creatively about food and beverages skill

10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held advise guests on menus for special events optional
optional, not held attend to detail regarding food and beverages optional
optional, not held forecast future levels of business optional
optional, not held identify suppliers optional
optional, not held manage contract disputes optional
optional, not held manage inspections of equipment optional
optional, not held manage medium term objectives optional
optional, not held negotiate supplier arrangements optional
optional, not held plan medium to long term objectives optional
optional, not held upsell products optional

20 held skills the head chef role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role cook dairy products skill
not needed by the target role cook fish skill
not needed by the target role cook meat dishes skill
not needed by the target role cook sauce products skill
not needed by the target role cook seafood skill
not needed by the target role cook vegetable products skill
not needed by the target role ensure cleanliness of food preparation area skill
not needed by the target role identify nutritional properties of food skill
not needed by the target role instruct kitchen personnel skill
not needed by the target role maintain customer service skill
not needed by the target role maintain kitchen equipment at correct temperature skill
not needed by the target role manage waste skill
not needed by the target role order supplies skill
not needed by the target role prepare canapés skill
not needed by the target role prepare desserts skill
not needed by the target role prepare salad dressings skill
not needed by the target role prepare sandwiches skill
not needed by the target role store raw food materials skill
not needed by the target role use food cutting tools skill
not needed by the target role work in a hospitality team skill

1 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier

required, not held food storage required

Index

Other moves recorded from chef

Full index of moves from chef

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.