Chef or Cook

BlackEdelweiss

Can anybody tell me the difference between a chef and a cook for the purposes of visa applications. I am a fully trained chef and have worked in different classes off kitchens ranging from fine dining, a hospital,a work place kitchen(large american call center canteen),a normal restaurant, a carvery and I am now running a take away in a entertainment center.
I thought I would be called a chef as it is my job title but looking at the forms I see chefs are on the list and cooks are not and some of my work experience would be classed as a cook.

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

"COOKS prepare, season and cook food in dining and catering establishments."

markymark21

BlackEdelweiss wrote: »

Can anybody tell me the difference between a chef and a cook for the purposes of visa applications. I am a fully trained chef and have worked in different classes off kitchens ranging from fine dining, a hospital,a work place kitchen(large american call center canteen),a normal restaurant, a carvery and I am now running a take away in a entertainment center.
I thought I would be called a chef as it is my job title but looking at the forms I see chefs are on the list and cooks are not and some of my work experience would be classed as a cook.

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

"COOKS prepare, season and cook food in dining and catering establishments."

I'm in the business myself and I would view a 'chef' as someone who has experience running a kitchen - not just cooking in it. So if you have experience in designing menus, hiring and training staff I would class you as a 'chef'

The Sweeper

I also think it's a numbers game - Australia actually has a show called 'The Cook and the Chef' - Maggie Beer (Delia-style cook) and Simon Bryant (executive chef at the Hilton) cook for the cameras.

Basically a cook puts together a dish to a recipe, can be trusted to prepare a meal, and will offer new recipes. A chef puts together an entire menu, manages staff, and has an understanding of things beyond the ingredients - in other words, the chef will understand the number of diners likely to order his special, the cost of the ingredients for that special, how to make the most of those ingredients, so on.

Sort of like a cook with business and or management acumen.

If you're a fully trained chef and have a qualification as that, that's what you put yourself down as. I'm pretty sure, visa-wise, a chef could work as a cook, but a cook couldn't work as a chef.

Mellor

I don't think there is much of a difference from a visa point of view
If I had to split them I consider a chef as somebody who makes meals, but cook makes larger scale catering type food

aido79

Mellor wrote: »

I don't think there is much of a difference from a visa point of view
If I had to split them I consider a chef as somebody who makes meals, but cook makes larger scale catering type food

There is a huge difference from a visa point of view. As the OP said, chefs are on the list and cooks aren't. They were taken off the list along with hairdressers last year and it was too easy for someone to come over on a student visa and do a short course and then apply for PR using the qualification.

Mellor

Not what I meant.
I was talking about 457 for example, if you cab secure a position that counts as chef (having previous been a cook) then it shouldn't be a problem.

Obviously PR with only a short cookery course completed is not going to be a runner