If you want to become a Chef, earning a relevant certification will go a long way toward helping you reach your goal. If you already work as a Chef, then getting certified will open up plenty of opportunities for promotion and salary increases.
Getting certified is one of the best ways to showcase your food preparation and safety/sanitation skills, as well as other important abilities for the role. While most restaurants prefer employing Chefs with a good resume and a compelling cover letter over a certification, having a certification will definitely not hurt your chances of landing the job.
In this article, we’ll show you how to obtain a certification for a Chef and we’ll list some of the best certification programs you can opt for.
What is a Certified Chef?
A certified Chef is an individual who has completed a program that verifies their cooking, kitchen management and safety/sanitation skills. While you can become a Chef without culinary school, you’ll have an easier time finding employment with a certification.
A Chef certification acts as a stamp of expertise, showing potential employers that you’re ready to run the kitchen in their restaurant. Validating your skills this way can also translate into a higher salary and help you climb the ladder in the Chef hierarchy.
Once you become a certified Chef and land a job in the role, you’ll be working with other Chefs and the rest of the kitchen staff to deliver tasty dishes to customers and ensure the restaurant turns a profit.
Restaurants typically don’t require you to hold a certification, but it can be a nice addition to your Chef resume. In instances when they do, they’ll put it in their job description for the role of a Chef.
How to Earn a Certification for a Chef?
The journey of earning a Chef certification involves several important steps. Let’s take a closer look at each of them and guide you through the entire process.
Step 1: Make a plan
Whether you’re just making your first steps in the culinary industry or you want to advance to a more specialized role, start by thinking about the direction you want your career to go in.
Maybe you want to specialize in baking and preparing sweets. If that’s the case, you can enroll in a pastry-making certification program and become a Pastry Chef. Or, maybe you prefer working with seafood instead. If that’s the case, you can become a Sushi Chef.
You can enroll in different courses and earn different credentials based on the specific Chef niche you want to occupy.
Step 2: Choose a program to enroll in
Once you know the direction you want your career to head in, you can start searching for a program to enroll in. Keep in mind that programs not only vary in specialization, but also in content, costs, time and requirements.
Step 3: Check educational and other requirements
Before you send in your application, it’s important to check whether you’re eligible for the course. Most programs require you to hold a high school diploma or GED to enter.
It’s also important to keep in mind that many Chef certification programs require you to have a certain number of hours working in a restaurant setting as an experience requirement. If you’re just entering the culinary industry, you may have to get some experience working as an entry-level Cook first before you can enroll.
Step 4: Prepare for the exam
Chef certification programs often involve topics such as food safety, kitchen finance and administration. They usually provide learning materials, and going through all of them is a must. You can also conduct extra research regarding food health and safety regulations in your state.
Step 5: Complete testing
Once you’re ready, it’s time to take your certification exam. These exams can either be taken online or in-person. If you’re taking the exam in another city or state to the one you live in, make travel plans well in advance and adjust your schedule accordingly.
Recommended Chef Certifications
To help you earn your certification for a Chef, we compiled a list of ten credentials that individuals looking to become a Chef typically go after.
1. Certified Culinarian (CC)
The American Culinary Federation (ACF) offers a Certified Culinarian program that validates knowledge of both Cooks and Chefs and makes them more valuable candidates for hiring and promotion.
To become eligible for this certification, you need to have a minimum of two years of work experience as an entry-level culinarian. Additionally, you need to complete at least three 30-hour online courses in nutrition, food safety, sanitation and supervisory management through ACF-approved providers.
- Cost: $490 ($250 for ACF members)
- Visit the official ACF website to apply.
2. Certified Foodservice Professional (CFSP)
The Certified Foodservice Professional (CFSP) certification, offered by the North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers (NAFEM), is one of the most common programs Chefs in the U.S. opt for. It teaches standards regarding food preparation and service, which is crucial for working in a kitchen environment.
To earn this certification, you need to complete 35 credits of foodservice experience and pass an online exam. NAFEM provides all the necessary study materials online.
- Cost: $775
- Visit the official NAFEM website to apply.
3. Certified Executive Chef (CEC)
Another Chef certification from the ACF you can obtain is its Certified Executive Chef (CEC) credential. It’s specifically designed for those operating in the Executive Chef role and are heads of their departments.
To earn this certification, you must have at least five years of experience in managing a team of at least five full-time kitchen staff members. In addition, you need to complete five 30-hour ACF-approved courses on different topics.
- Cost: $490 ($250 for ACF members)
- Visit the official ACF website to apply.
4. Certified Professional – Food Safety (CP-FS)
The Certified Professional – Food Safety (CP-FS) certification is a program designed by the National Environmental Health Association (NEFA) for anyone working in the food sector. It teaches all the necessary skills for safe food service in any retail environment.
To become eligible for this certification you need either a Bachelor’s degree in any subject or a high school diploma/GED paired with another food safety training program.
- Cost: $515 ($370 for NEFA members)
- Visit the official NEFA website to apply.
5. Master Certified Food Executive (MCFE)
Another popular certification for Chefs is the Master Certified Food Executive (MCFE). It’s offered by the International Food Service Executives Association (IFSEA) and is the most advanced certification they offer. It serves as proof that you’re highly knowledgeable in nutrition, food safety/sanitation and supervisory management.
IFSEA requires no previous experience to apply for this course. Its stance is that certifications and experience are two sides of the coin and potential culinary employees don’t need to have both to work in the industry.
- Cost: $299
- Visit the official IFSEA website to apply.
6. Certified Sous Chef (CSC)
The ACF offers separate certification programs for all Chef positions, so it’s no surprise it has a third course on this list. Its Certified Sous Chef (CSC) credential aims to prepare you for the role of Sous Chef and assisting a Head or Executive Chef.
The mandatory requirements for this Sous Chef certification include two years of experience supervising a shift or food station and completing three 30-hour courses approved by the ACF.
- Cost: $490 ($250 for ACF members)
- Visit the official ACF website to apply.
7. Certified Personal Chef (CPC)
The United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) designed this program specifically for Personal Chefs who work with individual clients. In addition to food preparation, the program aims to teach you menu planning, financial management, marketing and decision-making.
It requires at least two years of experience as a Personal Chef since the aim is to show potential clients that they’re hiring an individual who has already proven they can deliver top-quality food service.
- Cost: $400 (for USPCA membership)
- Visit the official USPCA website to apply.
8. Certified Working Pastry Chef (CWPC)
Another ACF certification we had to include in this list is the Certified Working Pastry Chef (CWPC). This credential proves you’re knowledgeable in pastry-making and managing a kitchen team.
To be eligible for the program you need at least five years of experience in an entry-level pastry position and managing at least two full-time employees. Additionally, you need to complete the required ACT-approved courses.
- Cost: $490 ($250 for ACF members)
- Visit the official ACF website to apply.
9. Certified Chef de Cuisine (CCC)
This certification program from the ACF specializes in the role of a Chef de Cuisine (typically Head or Executive Chef) who supervises the rest of the kitchen staff during food preparation. To be eligible for the Certified Chef de Cuisine certification, you need to have three years of experience supervising a shift or station.
Like other ACF programs, it also requires you to complete courses approved by the institution.
- Cost: $490 ($259 for ACF members)
- Visit the official ACF website to apply.
10. Food Safety Manager
The Food Safety Manager certification from the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) is designed to verify your knowledge in keeping customers safe from foodborne illnesses.
This certification program has no requirements. To pass it, you need to take a live, in-person exam in front of an NRFSP proctor.
- Price: $35.99
- Visit the official NRFSP website to apply.
