Commis Chef Job Description

The overwhelming focus at commis chef level is prep: preparing mise en place is the single most important thing you do, day in, day out. You will work across multiple sections, learning the rhythms of service and clean-down under the guidance of more senior chefs. In independent kitchens, menus change frequently and you are expected to engage with seasonality and understand ingredients, not just process them. This is where you build the foundations - speed, cleanliness, consistency, palate - that your entire career rests on.

Commis Chef Role Responsibilities

What does a commis chef do? Here’s a breakdown of the key duties and responsibilities:

• Preparing mise en place for all sections as directed by senior chefs, including washing, peeling, portioning and basic butchery - prep is the dominant responsibility at this level
• Assisting Chef de Parties during service, learning to work cleanly and at pace on each station
• Receiving, checking and correctly storing deliveries, including date labelling and FIFO stock rotation
• Maintaining impeccable hygiene standards across your station and shared areas - cleaning as you go is non-negotiable
• Learning and following recipes precisely, developing consistency in portioning, seasoning and presentation
• Supporting with stock rotation, waste tracking and basic ordering under supervision
• Working weekends and evenings as part of a standard rota - weekend availability is expected in almost all independent kitchens

Commis Chef Salary Benchmarks (annual)

How much should you expect to earn as a commis chef?

London:

• Lower quartile: £26,500 – £28,500
• Median: £28,500 – £31,000
• Upper quartile: £31,000 – £33,000

Outside London:

• Typically £2k–£5k lower

Established Skills

Skills and knowledge you should have before starting a commis chef role.

• Basic food safety and hygiene awareness (Level 2 Food Hygiene is the minimum expectation)
• Ability to follow written recipes precisely, with accurate weighing and measuring
• Familiarity with basic kitchen equipment: ovens, hobs, food processors, scales
• Enough physical stamina to work on your feet for a full shift in a hot, fast-moving environment
• A basic understanding of food storage: fridge temperatures, date labelling, separating raw and cooked etc.

Emerging Skills

Skills you should show willingness and aptitude for, which are developed and honed on the job.

• Knife skills: you need to show willing and basic competence, but speed and precision are developed on the job through daily repetition
• Understanding of seasonal ingredients and how they influence menus - this comes from exposure rather than prior knowledge
• Presentation and plating standards - you will learn these by watching and practising, not from a textbook
• Stock rotation and FIFO principles in a commercial setting - different from domestic cooking
• Speed and efficiency in prep: the volume of work in a professional kitchen takes time to adjust to
• Palate development: learning to taste, season and adjust dishes comes with experience and coaching
• Working with specialist equipment like combi ovens, vacuum packers, mandolines and thermometers

Cultural Skills

• Professionalism in conduct, appearance and communication - the most valued quality employers look for at commis level
• Genuine passion for food and cooking - independent kitchens want people who care, not just comply
• Creativity and willingness to engage with ideas, not just execute instructions
• A positive, can-do attitude that contributes to team morale
• Team player mentality - in a small team, everyone supports everyone
• Organisation and the ability to manage your own prep list and time effectively
• Proactive approach: anticipating what needs doing rather than waiting to be told
• Willingness to learn and openness to feedback - independent kitchens value curiosity over experience

Additional Skills to Boost Your Salary

• Pastry and baking skills (viennoiserie, bread, dessert plating) - highly valued in small teams where flexibility matters
• Experience with fermentation, preserving or pickling - increasingly important in seasonal, independent kitchens
• A Level 3 Food Hygiene certificate, or willingness to obtain one quickly
• Any formal training (culinary diploma, NVQ, or recognised apprenticeship)
• Competence in more than one cuisine, particularly if you can bring techniques from a different tradition

Reaching the Next Level: Chef de Partie

Where to focus your growth and how to develop the skills you need to progress.

• Build confidence on multiple sections rather than just one - CDPs need versatility, so volunteer to move around the kitchen whenever the opportunity arises
• Start developing your palate deliberately: taste everything, ask senior chefs why they season or adjust the way they do, and practise correcting dishes before they reach the pass
• Learn basic butchery and fish preparation - ask your CDP or sous chef to show you whole-animal and whole-fish breakdown during quieter prep periods
• Begin understanding the ‘why’ behind recipes, not just the ‘how’: what does the acid do in that dressing? Why does this braise need low heat? This moves you from follower to contributor
• Work on your speed without sacrificing cleanliness - the biggest barrier to progression is not skill but pace
• Pay attention to how your section’s CDP manages their prep list, orders and communicates with the pass — you are learning the next role by watching it
• Take your Level 3 Food Hygiene if you haven’t already - it shows commitment and is often required at CdP level