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Chefs

Chefs plan and organise the preparation and cooking of food in dining and catering establishments.

Hospitality & tourismANZSCO 3513
$1,423/wkMedian full-time pay
133kPeople employed
+12% ▲Growth to 2035
78%Work full time
34Median age
Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3513.More about our sources: How we check our facts

What they do

The main tasks of this occupation, from the national occupation standard.

planning menus, estimating food and labour costs, and ordering food suppliesmonitoring quality of dishes at all stages of preparation and presentationdiscussing food preparation issues with managers, dietitians and kitchen and waiting staffdemonstrating techniques and advising on cooking procedurespreparing and cooking foodexplaining and enforcing hygiene regulations
Source: JSA occupation profileTask list from the Jobs and Skills Australia occupation profile for ANZSCO 3513 (ANZSCO task statements).More about our sources: How we check our facts

The outlook

Room for 15,600 more people in chefs by 2035 ▲

The field grew 4.8% in the year to February 2026, adding about 6,100 workers. Most of the jobs are in NSW and VIC, with QLD third.

Source: JSA · ABS, 2025-26ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3513.More about our sources: How we check our facts
124.9k2025
132.1k2030 PROJ.
140.5k2035 PROJ.

Getting in

Most chefs came through a certificate or diploma. 60% did.

A university degree is rare here: 18% hold one. The trade qualification is the standard way in. These are the nationally recognised courses mapped to this occupation, with the number of registered training providers that offer each one.

Source: JSA · training.gov.auEducation split: JSA (Jobs and Skills Australia) occupation profile, using ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Census data, ANZSCO 3513. Qualification mapping and provider counts: training.gov.au, the national register of vocational education, October 2026. Listed providers are current registered training providers (private providers and TAFE institutes).More about our sources: How we check our facts

Nationally recognised training · most offered first

SIT40521Certificate IV

Certificate IV in Kitchen Management

Tourism, Travel and Hospitality Training Package.

See 402 providers
SIT40821Certificate IV

Certificate IV in Asian Cookery

Tourism, Travel and Hospitality Training Package.

See 8 providers

Providers are shown in A-Z order on each course page. A listing is not a recommendation.

Jobs open right now

133k Australians do this work. See who is hiring this month.

Search job ads by state

Each link opens seek.com.au in a new tab, showing ads posted in the last month. SEEK is a job site; we link there because that is where most Australian jobs are advertised. We have no commercial relationship with SEEK.

Source: ABS · JSA, 2025-26State chart shows people employed, not current job ads. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) Labour Force via Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA), February 2026; ABS Employee Earnings and Hours May 2025; JSA Employment Projections, May 2025 base. ANZSCO 3513.More about our sources: How we check our facts

People employed by state, 2025-26

NSW39.7k
VIC35.7k
QLD27.5k
WA14.9k
SA7.1k
TAS2.7k
ACT2.3k
NT1.9k

Occupations near this one

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