At a glance
Pay shows the low (10th percentile) to high (90th percentile) Canada-wide wages for Chefs, from Job Bank (2023–2024), as yearly amounts for full-time work. Pay varies by province, city and experience. See wages in your area on Job Bank
What you'll do
- Run the line and lead the kitchen during service
- Train and supervise cooks and prep staff
- Manage prep lists, ordering and inventory
- Keep food quality and presentation consistent
- Enforce food safety and kitchen cleanliness
How to get there
- Start as a line or prep cook; a culinary diploma from a Canadian college can help.
- Cook is an apprenticeable trade: register as an apprentice in your province to earn hours toward certification.
- Earn the Red Seal Cook endorsement to show your skills across Canada.
- Get food handler certification.
Food premises must follow provincial food safety rules, including food handler training. Cook is a Red Seal trade; certification is voluntary in most provinces but widely recognized.
Your bilingual advantage
Speaking two languages makes you stand out in Sous Chef jobs. Here's where it helps most and how to prove it.
Where bilingual skills are in demand
- Quebec, where French is the language of work and English or other languages often help with clients outside the province
- New Brunswick, Canada's only officially bilingual province
- Ottawa–Gatineau and the federal public service, where many positions are designated bilingual
- National companies serving customers across Canada, and employers serving newcomer communities in other languages
Prove your level
Employers trust a recognized result more than "fluent". For French, common tests include the DELF and DALF diplomas and the TEF and TCF tests. Federal public service jobs use their own Second Language Evaluation (levels A, B and C). Describe your level for speaking, reading and writing separately.
Expect part of the interview in each language
Bilingual employers often switch languages during the interview or give a short written task. Practise answering the questions on this page in both languages.
What employers look for
Usually required
- 3+ years in professional kitchens, including a lead or supervisory role
- Food handler certification
- Strong knife skills and cooking technique
- Ability to stay calm and organized during busy service
- Availability for evenings, weekends and holidays
Gives you an edge
- Red Seal Cook certification
- A culinary diploma
How to stand out
Describe the kitchens you've worked in: style, covers per night and your station.
Show leadership: training cooks and running service.
Working interviews (stages) are common; employers should pay you for them.
See a full Bilingual Sous Chef résumé example, or get our Bilingual Resume Template.
Interview questions to prepare for
Employers hiring for this job often ask questions like these. Prepare a short, specific example for each.
- How do you run the line on your busiest night?
- How do you train a new cook?
- Tell me about a time an order went wrong during service.
- How do you control food costs and waste?
- Cook us a dish that shows your style (working interview, paid).
Where it can lead
Your rights and tips as a job seeker in Canada
Know the pay before you apply
In British Columbia and Prince Edward Island, public job postings must include the pay or pay range. In Ontario, so must postings from employers with 25 or more employees made since January 1, 2026. Use the pay on this page to judge whether an offer is fair.
New to Canada?
In Ontario, employers with 25 or more employees can't ask for Canadian experience in a job posting or application form. For regulated jobs, such as engineering, teaching or a skilled trade, contact the provincial regulator early to have your credentials assessed.
You're protected from discrimination
Human rights laws mean employers can't make hiring decisions based on your age, sex, gender identity, race, religion, disability, or family or marital status. You can ask for accommodation during the hiring process, for example for an interview.
Hear back after interviews
In Ontario, employers with 25 or more employees must tell you within 45 days of your last interview whether a hiring decision has been made for a publicly advertised job.
Never pay to get a job
Real employers don't charge you to apply, to be trained or to be hired, and they don't ask for banking details before an offer. Only share your Social Insurance Number (SIN) after you're hired. Stay safe from job scams
Starting out young?
Each province sets its own minimum working age and limits on hours for young workers. See the rules by province
General information, checked on October 3, 2026. It isn't legal advice; rules depend on your province or territory.
Find your next Sous Chef job
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