Professional Cookery and Culinary Arts EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES The University of West London Careers Service promotes equal opportunities both as a service provider and in its interaction with students, graduates, staff, employers and other external agencies regardless of age, colour, creed, disability, ethnic or national origin, family responsibilities, gender (including gender reassignment), marital status, political beliefs, race, religion, sexual orientation, sexuality and socio-economic background.

This statement is in compliance with the University of West London’s Equal Opportunities Policy Statements which can be accessed on the website: uwl.ac.uk/equalitydiversity

We value your feedback. If you feel we have not addressed any issues concerning the above, please let us know.

www.facebook.com/UWLcareers @UWL Careers www.uwl.ac.uk/careers

Leaflet last updated: August 2017, Edmund Lewis Design: Marketing Office A qualification in professional cookery or culinary arts can open up a wide variety of opportunities as a chef. The restaurant sector in the UK is buoyant meaning there are vacancies in kitchens across the country. Depending on your experience, you would usually start as a commis chef or chef de partie but it may be possible to access sous chef or head chef roles, particularly if it is a small kitchen or if you have excellent culinary knowledge.

If working in a restaurant setting does not appeal to you, chefs are also employed in the NHS, the armed forces, in contract catering, in schools/colleges/universities, cruise ships, pubs and in hotel restaurants. More than 250,000 people are employed as a chef in the UK, however only a fifth of those are female. Recruiting more female chefs is important to the growth and success of the industry.

Leadership, communication and time management skills that will have been developed in culinary courses, provide graduates with the transferrable skills to work in a variety of non-chef positions. Directly related roles include working as a catering manager, nutritionist or dietician. Further training/qualifications may be needed to access such job roles. We recommend coming to speak to a careers advisor to discuss your options further before starting your job search.

Below are some of the areas which may be of interest: • Food Production • Working in a chef role within a kitchen at a restaurant • Working in a chef role within a kitchen at a hotel (see hospitality leaflet) • Working for a contract catering company at large organisations or events • Working abroad as a chef on a cruise ship • Working as a chef in the armed forces • Teaching • Professional cookery/ food technology (see teaching leaflet) • Self-employment • Starting your own food related business (see self-employment leaflet) • Food product research and development • A strong background in science is also required for research roles • Previous experience with high quality cuisine is required for development roles, preferably from working as a chef in a rosette or Michelin starred restaurant • Food policy • Commercial • Food buying and procurement • Food sales and marketing • Food journalism – writer or blogger • Food stylist CONTRACT CATERING COMPANIES http://baxterstorey.com/people/join-our-family/ Baxter Storey www.incatering.co.uk/corpages/lexington/index.html Lexington www.doco.com/en/jobs DO & Co http://uk.sodexo.com/uken/careers/work-for-sodexo.aspx Sodexo https://careers.delawarenorth.co.uk Delaware North www.compass-group.co.uk/working-at-compass.htm Compass group www.harbourandjones.com /jobs Harbour and Jones www.elior.co.uk /careers-O Elior www.caterlinkltd.co.uk/catering-jobs Caterlink www.harrisoncatering.co.uk Harrison Catering http://chandco.net CH and Co www.companyofcooks.com/index.php Company of Cooks www.coverpoint.co.uk Coverpoint Catering www.bartlettmitchell.co.uk Bartlett Mitchell www.restaurantassociates.co.uk Restaurant Associates www.gatherandgather.com Gather & Gather www.leeming-pilkington.co.uk Leemi