Food Service
Career Ladder
Learn About The Food Service Career Path
Advance your skills and learn what it takes to move up the Food Service Career Ladder!
Each career level contains information about hourly wages, job descriptions, main job duties, examples of job titles, general skills, and links to educational courses and training opportunities. Select one of the levels to learn more.
To explore other career ladders, please visit our Career Ladders page. If you have further questions about local labour market information, email helpdesk@wdb.ca or visit wdb.ca.
* Many other career paths branch out from apprenticeship within the food service industry.
Entrepreneur / Business Owner
Varies
Supervisors, Food & Beverage Processing
$27.35
Restaurant & Food Service Managers
$23.50
Chefs
$22.00
Cooks
$17.00
Food Counter Attendants & Kitchen Helpers
$16.55
Apprenticeships can lead to careers in food service. It is also possible to enter this career path directly.
Apprenticeship*
$21.00
Apprenticeship
Wages
Low
$16.55
Median
$21.00
High
$25.00
What is Apprenticeship?
- A pathway to a rewarding career in the trades that require a high level of skill, judgement and creativity
- A combination of on-the-job training & in-school learning
- An opportunity to earn an hourly wage while learning from experienced workers
- A 2-5 year process wherein apprentices work for a year, then switch to studying in class for 8-12 weeks
- 144 trades in Ontario that support mechanical, electrical, automotive, manufacturing, building and service industries
Skills
Judgement
Creativity
Examples of Trades with Apprenticeships
Cook
Baker
Chef
Meat Cutter
Education & Training Resources
MINISTRY OF LABOUR, TRAINING AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
SKILLED TRADES ONTARIO
FLEMING COLLEGE
ONTARIO YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
SUPPORT ONTARIO YOUTH
Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.
Cooks
Wages
Low
$16.55
Median
$17.00
High
$20.00
Main Job Duties
- Prepare and cook full meals or individual dishes of food
- Maintain inventory and records of food, supplies and equipment
- Oversee kitchen operations
- May plan menus, determine size of food portions, estimate food requirements and costs, and monitor and order supplies
Skills
Attention to Detail
Communication Skills
Food Safety Organization
Time Management
Job Title Examples
Line Cook
Short Order Cook
Dietary Cook
Education & Training Resources
Trade certification for cooks is non-compulsory in Ontario. Apprenticeship training consists of 5,280 hours on the job work experience and 720 hours of in-school training (approximately 3 years).
SECONDARY SCHOOL
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) – Hospitality & Tourism
COLLEGE
Post-Secondary
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Find your local employment service provider here or adult education and training provider here and contact them for current training programs such as:
- Occupational-specific training, career planning, job search, resume writing, or government-funded programs
- Upgrading and skills development including grade 12 support, customer service, money math, computers, and more
RED SEAL PROGRAM
Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.
Food Counter Attendants & Kitchen Helpers
Wages
Low
$16.55
Median
$16.55
High
$17.75
Main Job Duties
- Take customers’ orders
- Clean, peel, slice and trim foodstuffs using manual and electric appliances
- Use equipment to prepare fast food items and hot beverages
- Portion, assemble, and wrap food or place it directly on plates for service to patrons, and package take-out food
Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Food Safety Organization
Time Management
Job Title Examples
Food Counter Attendant
Kitchen Helper
Dietary Aide
Education & Training Resources
Some secondary school education is usually required.
On-the-job training is provided.
SECONDARY SCHOOL
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) – Hospitality & Tourism
FLEMING COLLEGE
Post-Secondary
SERVICE PROVIDERS
Find your local employment service provider here or adult education and training provider here and contact them for current training programs such as:
- Occupational-specific training, career planning, job search, resume writing, or government-funded programs
- Upgrading and skills development including grade 12 support, customer service, money math, computers, and more
Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.
Supervisors, Food & Beverage Processing
Wages
Low
$21.00
Median
$27.35
High
$34.28
Main Job Duties
- Establish methods to meet work schedules and co-ordinate work activities with other departments
- Resolve work problems and recommend measures to improve productivity and product quality
- Train workers in job duties, safety procedures and company policy
- Prepare production and other reports
- Requisition materials and supplies
Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Attention to Detail
Time Management Leadership Conflict Resolution
Job Title Examples
Manufacturing Supervisor
Production Lead
Quality Supervisor
Education & Training Resources
Several years’ experience working with the same company may be required.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
COLLEGE
Post-Secondary
ONTARIO TOURISM EDUCATION CORPORATION
Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.
Chefs
Wages
Low
$19.00
Median
$22.00
High
$25.00
Main Job Duties
- Plan menus and ensure food meets quality standards
- Estimate food requirements and may estimate food and labour costs
- Supervise activities of cooks and other kitchen workers
- Prepare and cook full meals or specialty foods
- Instruct cooks in preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food
Skills
Interpersonal Skills
Time Management Planning
Job Title Examples
Sous Chef
Specialty Chef
Head Chef
Education & Training Resources
Cooks trade certification or equivalent credential, training and experience are required. Several years of experience in commercial food preparation are required.
COLLEGE
Post-Secondary
Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.
CONTINUING EDUCATION
Restaurant & Food Service Managers
Wages
Low
$20.00
Median
$23.50
High
$28.53
Main Job Duties
- Determine types of services to be offered and implement operational procedures
- Recruit staff and oversee training
- Set staff work schedules and monitor staff performance
- Control inventory, monitor revenues and modify procedures and prices
- Resolve customer complaints and ensure health and safety regulations are followed
Skills
Conflict Resolution Leadership
Communication Skills Planning
Job Title Examples
Hotel Restaurant Manager
Food Catering Manager
Bar Manager
Education & Training Resources
Completion of a college or other program related to hospitality or food and beverage service management is usually required.
Several years of experience in the food service sector, including supervisory experience, are required.
COLLEGE
Post-Secondary
CONTINUING EDUCATION
ONTARIO TOURISM EDUCATION CORPORATION
Online job posting numbers are designated via key word search and may not reflect the exact number of search results for this occupation.
Entrepreneurs / Business Owners
Approximately 25 new businesses in the WDB Region are launched annually for this industry.
Main Job Duties
- Creating and managing a business plan, ongoing research and planning, hiring staff, creating policies, and forecasting
- Maintaining business accounts, payments processing, taxes and general bookkeeping
- Develop marketing campaigns, manage social media and conduct other marketing activities
- Respond to customer service inquiries, including answering phone calls and emails to build a positive reputation for the business
Skills
Customer Service
Organization Accounting
Time Management
Job Title Examples
Small Business Owner
Franchisee
Education & Training Resources
Grant for students aged 15 to 29 to start a new summer business
Grant for Canadians 18+ to start a new business or grow a business that has been in operations for fewer than five years
Financing, mentorship and community support for local small businesses
Supports entrepreneurs in the formation and growth of tech-driven companies
FLEMING COLLEGE
Post-Secondary
TRENT UNIVERSITY
Post-Secondary
Sources:
National Occupational Classification (NOC)
Lightcast (2023.3)
Job Bank
Job posting data is from WDB Local Jobs Hub (WDB Region)
These Career Ladders were developed as part of the Pathways to Prosperity Program
and are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.