Cook (Koch / Köchin)
A craft driven by passion and skill, officially recognised as a shortage occupation in Germany, where your talent will be sought after for the long term.
The profession
The cook prepares and cooks dishes, runs the kitchen stations, the mise en place, hygiene (HACCP) and ordering.
Salary
The apprenticeship follows the DEHOGA agreement, for example 1,150 € (year 1), 1,250 € (year 2) and 1,350 € (year 3) in North Rhine-Westphalia (slightly less elsewhere). The entry salary is around 2,129 €/month (portal estimate) and the median, across all experience levels, around 3,018 €/month (range 2,563 to 3,581 €) (source: DEHOGA, Entgeltatlas, Bundesagentur für Arbeit, 2024 and 2025).
Duration and path
The training lasts 3 years and ends with the chamber examination (IHK). It was modernised in 2022.
Employers hiring
Restaurants, hotels, communal catering and canteens (Gemeinschaftsverpflegung), event caterers, clinics and retirement homes.
Prospects
Prospects are very strong: the cook is an occupation officially recognised as a shortage occupation by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, 2024).
Career progression
Chef de partie, sous-chef, head chef (Küchenchef), then master chef (Küchenmeister).
Language level
Vocational school, the exam and the work all take place in German. B2 is the standard employers expect and the level we aim for; as the kitchen has less direct guest contact, solid practical German is often enough, and English is an asset in international kitchens.
Recognition and access
For an Ausbildung, no diploma recognition is required: you train directly in Germany and the qualification is recognised across the country. You need an Ausbildung contract, the expected level of German and, generally, a secondary-school leaving certificate.
Visa
Entry is via the vocational training visa (Ausbildung). Once qualified, you move to a skilled-worker residence permit to work in Germany. We check your eligibility and build the file with you. The cook profession is among the recognised shortage occupations in Germany, which makes recruitment easier.
Your Karriere Fähre support
We train you in German up to the required level, find the company and the Ausbildung contract, prepare the visa file and support you all the way to settling in.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the profession really a shortage occupation ?
- Yes, the cook is officially classified as a shortage occupation (Engpassberuf) by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, 2024).
- Do you already need to know how to cook ?
- No, the training teaches you the profession from the ground up; motivation and a taste for doing things well matter more than prior experience.
Indicative gross ranges from public German sources (Federal Employment Agency, Entgeltatlas, Gehalt.de, StepStone, DEHOGA). In hospitality, pay depends on regional collective agreements (DEHOGA) and the statutory minimum wage, tips supplement guest-facing roles, and the work is often seasonal. Recognition and visa rules change: always check your case with the competent German authorities.