Table 1Transition record

cheftosommelier

A chef already meets 31% of what the sommelier role asks for. The move turns on 11 required skills not yet in the profile.

From chef

31%

Overlap1

To sommelier

5 Skills carried over

11 Required, not held

65.6 Difficulty2

adjacent 0–30

moderate 30–55

substantial 55–75

career change 75–100

this move, 65.6

This move: 65.6 of 100 · substantial

1 Share of the sommelier 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 5 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A sommelier 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 assist customers assisting and caring
already held comply with food safety and hygiene assisting and caring
already held maintain customer service communication, collaboration and creativity
already held order supplies communication, collaboration and creativity
already held train employees communication, collaboration and creativity

All 5 carried skills, including the 5 the sommelier role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 12 missing skills fall into 5 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 assisting and caring 4 required

required, not held decant wines required
required, not held prepare alcoholic beverages required
required, not held select glassware for serving required
required, not held serve wines required

02 communication, collaboration and creativity 3 required, 1 supplementary

required, not held compile wine lists required
required, not held recommend wines required
required, not held upsell products required

optional, not held apply foreign languages in hospitality optional

03 engineering, manufacturing and construction 2 required

required, not held sparkling wines required
required, not held wine characteristics required

04 information skills 1 required

required, not held check wine quality required

05 management skills 1 required

required, not held organise wine cellar required

Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a sommelier 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 5 skills that carry over

Skill Type

already held assist customers skill
already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
already held maintain customer service skill
already held order supplies skill
already held train employees skill

1 supplementary skills, helpful but not required

Skill to acquire Tier

optional, not held apply foreign languages in hospitality optional

44 held skills the sommelier role does not ask for

Skill Type

not needed by the target role check deliveries on receipt skill
not needed by the target role compile cooking recipes skill
not needed by the target role conduct research on food waste prevention skill
not needed by the target role control of expenses skill
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 pastry products 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 create decorative food displays skill
not needed by the target role design indicators for food waste reduction skill
not needed by the target role develop food waste reduction strategies skill
not needed by the target role ensure cleanliness of food preparation area skill
not needed by the target role execute chilling processes to food products skill
not needed by the target role food waste monitoring systems knowledge
not needed by the target role handle chemical cleaning agents skill
not needed by the target role handover the 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 kitchen equipment at correct temperature skill
not needed by the target role manage staff skill
not needed by the target role manage waste skill
not needed by the target role molecular gastronomy knowledge
not needed by the target role perform procurement processes skill
not needed by the target role plan menus skill
not needed by the target role plan shifts of employees 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 flambeed dishes 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 set prices of menu items skill
not needed by the target role store raw food materials skill
not needed by the target role think creatively about food and beverages skill
not needed by the target role types of whisks knowledge
not needed by the target role use cooking techniques skill
not needed by the target role use culinary finishing techniques skill
not needed by the target role use food cutting tools skill

4 further entries not listed here

2 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 sparkling wines required
required, not held wine characteristics 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.