Job prospects Specialist Chef in Ontario

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "specialist chef" in Ontario or across Canada.

Job opportunities in Ontario

These outlooks were updated on November 29, 2023.

Prospects over the next 3 years

Good

The employment outlook will be good for Chefs (NOC 62200) in Ontario for the 2023-2025 period.

The following factors contributed to this outlook:

  • Employment growth will lead to several new positions.
  • A moderate number of positions will become available due to retirements.

What Types of Employers Are Out There?

  • Majority employed in restaurants

What are the Main Trends Affecting Employment?

  • The high number of restaurants in the province will support opportunities for chefs
  • Elevated levels of travel and tourism activity expected over the forecast period
  • Opportunities in the ethnic cuisine market and specialized eateries

What Skills Do I Need to Succeed?

  • There is one voluntary skilled trade associated with this occupation in Ontario, namely, Chef
  • Executive chefs often need experience as a sous-chef, specialist chef or chef, and experience in a supervisory role
  • Sous-chefs, specialist chefs, and chefs may need several years of commercial cooking experience depending on the setting.

Here are some key facts about Chefs in Ontario:

  • Approximately 20,850 people work in this occupation.
  • Chefs mainly work in the following sectors:
    • Food services and drinking places (NAICS 722): 75%
  • The distribution of full-time and part-time workers in this occupation is:
    • Full-time workers: 79% compared to 81% for all occupations
    • Part-time workers: 21% compared to 19% for all occupations
  • 39% of chefs work all year, while 61% work only part of the year, compared to 63% and 37% respectively among all occupations. Those who worked only part of the year did so for an average of 36 weeks compared to 43 weeks for all occupations.
  • 13% of chefs are self-employed compared to an average of 15% for all occupations.
  • The gender distribution of people in this occupation is:
    • Men: 74% compared to 52% for all occupations
    • Women: 26% compared to 48% for all occupations
  • The educational attainment of workers in this occupation is:
    • no high school diploma: 17% compared to 9% for all occupations
    • high school diploma or equivalent: 28% compared to 25% for all occupations
    • apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma: 13% compared to 8% for all occupations
    • college certificate or diploma or university certificate below bachelor's: 28% compared to 22% for all occupations
    • bachelor's degree: 10% compared to 24% for all occupations
    • university certificate, degree or diploma above bachelor level: less than 5% compared to 13% for all occupations

Breakdown by region

Explore job prospects in Ontario by economic region.

Legend

0 out of 5 stars
Undetermined
1 out of 5 stars
Very limited
2 out of 5 stars
Limited
3 out of 5 stars
Moderate
4 out of 5 stars
Good
5 out of 5 stars
Very good
Location Job prospects
Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula Region Good
Kingston–Pembroke Region Good
Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie Region Good
London Region Moderate
Muskoka–Kawarthas Region Very good
Northeast Region Good
Northwest Region Good
Ottawa Region Good
Stratford–Bruce Peninsula Region Good
Toronto Region Good
Windsor-Sarnia Region Good

Source Labour Market Information | Prospects Methodology

Labour market conditions over the next 10 years

Explore current and future job prospects for people working as a "specialist chef" Chefs (NOC 62200) or across Canada.

Learn more

Labour Market Information Survey
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