{"id":996,"date":"2021-07-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-07-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/articles\/how-to-become-a-chef\/"},"modified":"2025-07-21T10:53:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T10:53:10","slug":"how-to-become-a-chef","status":"publish","type":"knowledge","link":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/","title":{"rendered":"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dreaming of becoming a chef but also working for yourself? You could become a freelance chef and prepare and cook food in restaurants, client kitchens, or even private yachts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Going it alone as a chef is challenging though, so it\u2019s a good idea to have some experience in the kitchen before you take the leap into self-employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/business-name-generator\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"6\"><strong>Business Name Generator<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-structure\/register-as-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1501\"><strong>How to register as self-employed with HMRC<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/starting-out\/how-to-become-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1418\"><strong>How to go self-employed in the UK<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/business-insurance\/faq\/what-type-of-business-insurance-do-i-need\/\"><strong>What type of business insurance do I need?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whatdoesachefdo\">What does a chef do?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A chef not only prepares and cooks food, but also has an eye for food presentation. Chefs can work in pubs, restaurants, schools, hospitals, and even private households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This article focuses on how to become a chef on a self-employed basis, whether that\u2019s as a freelance chef or a personal chef for individual people and families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whatisapersonalchef\">What is a personal chef?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A personal chef can help clients by coming into their homes to cook for them if they have busy schedules or just don\u2019t enjoy cooking. This typically involves:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">meal planning based on health and dietary requirements<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">shopping for ingredients<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">cooking and preparing meals<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">cleaning up the kitchen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on your contract, you might prepare everything from breakfast through to dinner, or you might just work one or two evenings a week. Your clients could be anyone from busy professionals with disposable incomes to athletes who need meals that\u2019ll complement their training, or even families living on a private yacht.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whatisafreelancechef\">What is a freelance chef?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Often chefs will be employed full-time by a pub or restaurant for example, but sometimes businesses might need a chef on a short-term or temporary basis. For example, if they need specialist skills, last-minute cover, or are putting on a particular event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a freelance chef you\u2019ll be looking after the running of a kitchen, creating menus, and checking the food going out. Depending on the size of the event or type of client, you could be managing kitchen staff too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"reasonstobecomeaselfemployedchef\">Reasons to become a self-employed chef<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Be creative<\/strong> \u2013 from designing menus, to learning skills, to jumping on new trends, you can be in control of your cooking.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Choose your hours<\/strong> \u2013 the working hours of a chef are known for being long and physically demanding, but if you\u2019re self-employed you\u2019ll have more flexibility to choose your hours \u2013 and you\u2019ll be paid for every hour you work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Work with a range of clients<\/strong> \u2013 whether it\u2019s stepping into different restaurants and cuisines, supporting families with their cooking, or joining a cruise ship for the summer, you can embrace variety and build new skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-001\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"683\" width=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg?w=1024\" alt=\"Chef preparing pasta in modern kitchen\" class=\"wp-image-2747\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg 8256w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg?resize=800,533 800w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/chef-preparing-pasta.jpg?resize=150,100 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"chefskillsyoullneed\">Chef skills you\u2019ll need<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chef skills and qualities you need include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">passion for food<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">knife skills<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">food production methods, such as roasting and frying<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">attention to detail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">communication<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">working well with your hands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">able to perform under pressure<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">leadership<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a chef you\u2019re legally required to have a <strong>Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety for Catering Certificate<\/strong>. For more information, check guidance on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hse.gov.uk\/catering\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">health and safety law for the catering and hospitality industry<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.food.gov.uk\/business-guidance\/food-hygiene-for-your-business\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">food hygiene requirements<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To work as a self-employed chef, you\u2019ll also need to be <strong>adaptable to any kitchen<\/strong> and  able to cook many <strong>different dishes and cuisines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"chefcourses\">Chef courses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You don\u2019t need specific training to be a chef, but a formal catering qualification may be a good idea to help you stand out when looking for work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">City &amp; Guilds offers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cityandguilds.com\/qualifications-and-apprenticeships\/hospitality-and-catering\/hospitality-and-catering\/7100-professional-cookery#&amp;acc=level3\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">professional chef courses<\/a>, which cover everything from how to cook and prepare different dishes to developing a creative menu, as well as the health and safety standards you need to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Importantly, you\u2019ll need to stay up to date on <a href=\"\/knowledge\/hospitality\/food-labelling-regulations-for-small-businesses\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"870\">allergen information<\/a> and let your clients know if any of the major allergens are in your dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you\u2019ve got a flavour for different cuisines and techniques, you might choose to specialise, for example by looking into pastry chef courses or patisserie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"marketyourselfasachef\">Market yourself as a chef<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a few ways to find work as a freelance chef beyond contacting local restaurants and hotels, and replying to job adverts (although this is an important first step).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You could sign up to an agency who\u2019ll find you work and negotiate your pay. This is a good way to build your network and make industry connections, but the downside is the agency will also take a cut of your pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The other option is to promote yourself with a good business website and marketing techniques like email, leaflets, and social media. Here\u2019s just a few ideas you could try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>share photos, recipes, and tips on Instagram<\/strong> \u2013 people will love to see your food creations and it\u2019s a great way to show off your passion and market yourself as a personal chef<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>enter chef competitions<\/strong> \u2013 make a name for yourself while developing and testing your skills in one of the many chef competitions in the UK<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><strong>run online cookalong experiences<\/strong> \u2013 invite people to join you for a fun virtual event that gets them cooking and following one of your delicious recipes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"chefequipment\">Chef equipment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ll be moving from kitchen to kitchen, and some will be better setup than others. Here\u2019s just a few things that are good to keep with you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">chef whites<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">chef knives<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">knife roll or bag<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">vegetable peeler<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\">knife sharpener<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"stayontopofyourtaxes\">Stay on top of your taxes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keeping up to date with your business admin as a self-employed chef is important. You\u2019ll need to register as self-employed with HMRC by 5 October and file your <a href=\"\/knowledge\/business-tax\/self-employed-tax-changes\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1514\">Self Assessment<\/a> by 31 January every year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep a note of the <a href=\"\/knowledge\/self-assessment\/self-assessment-deadline\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1509\">tax year dates<\/a> too so you don\u2019t miss important deadlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"organiseyourbudgetandfinances\">Organise your budget and finances<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a personal chef you\u2019ll be buying ingredients and will need to keep to a strict budget depending on your client\u2019s requirements. We\u2019ve created a <a href=\"\/knowledge\/income\/how-to-budget-calculator-and-guide-for-the-self-employed\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"956\">free budget template<\/a> you can download and use for your business.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When it comes to banking, it\u2019s a good idea to keep your personal and business finances separate. This keeps things simple when the time comes to filing your tax return. Check out our guide to the <a href=\"\/knowledge\/banking\/best-small-business-bank-account\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1332\">best business bank accounts<\/a> to help you get set with your finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"getchefinsurance\">Get chef insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, you\u2019ll need to organise business insurance when setting up as a self-employed chef. The main ingredient in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business-insurance\/private-chef-insurance\/\">private chef insurance<\/a> is <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a>, which covers you if someone is injured or their property is damaged as a result of your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For example, you might have a claim made against you if someone falls ill after eating one of your meals, or a supplier might trip over on your premises while delivering ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s likely that you\u2019ll be working in different kitchens and venues, so make sure your policy covers you for that too. And remember, if you start to employ people in your business, it\u2019s a legal requirement to have <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/employers-liability-insurance\/\">employers\u2019 liability insurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"exploreotherculinarycareers\">Explore other culinary careers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re still not sure about being a self-employed chef but still want to work in hospitality, you could look at starting a:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-start-a-food-truck-business\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1449\">food truck business<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/hospitality\/opening-a-takeaway-guide\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"903\">takeaway business<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"wp-block-list-item\"><a href=\"\/knowledge\/hospitality\/starting-a-cake-business-from-home-guide\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"1539\">cake and baking business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With experience, you might even choose to <a href=\"\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-open-a-restaurant-guide\/\" data-type=\"knowledge\" data-id=\"892\">open a restaurant<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Is there anything else you want to know about chef careers and how to get started? Let us know in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-azure-200-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94e519ba wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"readytosetupyourcover\">Ready to set up your cover?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">As one of the UK&#8217;s biggest <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"5152\">business insurance<\/a> providers, we specialise in <a href=\"\/business-insurance\/public-liability-insurance\/\">public liability insurance<\/a> and protect more trades than anybody else. Why not take a look now and build a quick, tailored quote?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-a89b3969 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/quote.simplybusiness.co.uk\/business\">Start your quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"nba-body-end\">\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dreaming of becoming a chef and working for yourself? Learn how a freelance chef prepares food in restaurants, client kitchens, or even private yachts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2746,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"sb_hreflang":"","sb_hreflang_url":"","disable_breadcrumbs":false,"sb_breadcrumbs":[],"sb_reviewed_by":"","sb_review_date":"","sb_enable_content_gating":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[345,110],"hidden-category":[],"coauthors":[25],"class_list":["post-996","knowledge","type-knowledge","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hospitality","category-business-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to become a freelance chef in the UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dreaming of becoming a chef and working for yourself? Learn how a freelance chef prepares food in restaurants, client kitchens, or even private yachts.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Your guide to being a professional chef\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Follow this step-by-step guide to becoming a chef and setting up as self-employed.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Simply Business UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-21T10:53:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@simplybusiness\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"Catriona Fuller\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/\"},\"author\":{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Catriona Fuller\",\"description\":\"Catriona Fuller is a content and marketing professional with 12 years\u2019 experience across the financial services, higher education, and insurance sectors. She\u2019s also a trained NCTJ Gold Standard journalist. As a Senior Copywriter at Simply Business, Catriona has in-depth knowledge of small business concerns and specialises in tax, marketing, and business operations. Catriona lives in the seaside city of Brighton where she\u2019s also a freelance yoga teacher.\"},\"headline\":\"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-30T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T10:53:10+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/\"},\"wordCount\":1292,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Food and hospitality\",\"Small business news\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/\",\"name\":\"How to become a freelance chef in the UK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-30T00:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T10:53:10+00:00\",\"description\":\"Dreaming of becoming a chef and working for yourself? Learn how a freelance chef prepares food in restaurants, client kitchens, or even private yachts.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg\",\"width\":5760,\"height\":3840,\"caption\":\"how-to-become-a-chef.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Knowledge\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049\",\"name\":\"elliottstocks\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp\",\"caption\":\"elliottstocks\"}},{\"@type\":\"PostalAddress\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#local-main-place-address\",\"streetAddress\":\"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row\",\"addressLocality\":\"London\",\"postalCode\":\"EC1Y 8LZ\",\"addressCountry\":\"GB\"},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#local-main-organization-logo\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png\",\"width\":533,\"height\":187,\"caption\":\"Simply Business UK\"}]}<\/script>\n<meta name=\"geo.placename\" content=\"London\" \/>\n<meta name=\"geo.region\" content=\"United Kingdom (UK)\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to become a freelance chef in the UK","description":"Dreaming of becoming a chef and working for yourself? Learn how a freelance chef prepares food in restaurants, client kitchens, or even private yachts.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Your guide to being a professional chef","og_description":"Follow this step-by-step guide to becoming a chef and setting up as self-employed.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/","og_site_name":"Simply Business UK","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/simplybusiness","article_modified_time":"2025-07-21T10:53:10+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/06\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_title":"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself","twitter_site":"@simplybusiness","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"7 minutes","Written by":"Catriona Fuller"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Catriona Fuller","description":"Catriona Fuller is a content and marketing professional with 12 years\u2019 experience across the financial services, higher education, and insurance sectors. She\u2019s also a trained NCTJ Gold Standard journalist. As a Senior Copywriter at Simply Business, Catriona has in-depth knowledge of small business concerns and specialises in tax, marketing, and business operations. Catriona lives in the seaside city of Brighton where she\u2019s also a freelance yoga teacher."},"headline":"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself","datePublished":"2021-07-30T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-21T10:53:10+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/"},"wordCount":1292,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg","articleSection":["Food and hospitality","Small business news"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/","name":"How to become a freelance chef in the UK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg","datePublished":"2021-07-30T00:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2025-07-21T10:53:10+00:00","description":"Dreaming of becoming a chef and working for yourself? Learn how a freelance chef prepares food in restaurants, client kitchens, or even private yachts.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg","width":5760,"height":3840,"caption":"how-to-become-a-chef.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Knowledge","item":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/%category%\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/","name":"Simply Business UK","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/73ec77668d0ec554cd7df8942c664049","name":"elliottstocks","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp9df6147f02078f0218660330fdfbacf3","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/simply-business\/dist\/images\/default-author-avatar.webp","caption":"elliottstocks"}},{"@type":"PostalAddress","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#local-main-place-address","streetAddress":"Hylo, 105 Bunhill Row","addressLocality":"London","postalCode":"EC1Y 8LZ","addressCountry":"GB"},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/#local-main-organization-logo","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/logo.png","width":533,"height":187,"caption":"Simply Business UK"}]},"geo.placename":"London","geo.region":"United Kingdom (UK)"},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"How to become a chef \u2013 and work for yourself","url":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/knowledge\/hospitality\/how-to-become-a-chef\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/05\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg"},"articleSection":"Food and hospitality","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Catriona Fuller"}],"creator":["Catriona Fuller"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Simply Business UK","logo":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2024\/04\/icon-512x512-1.png"},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2021-07-30T00:00:00Z","datePublished":"2021-07-30T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-07-21T10:53:10Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"How to become a chef \\u2013 and work for yourself\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/hospitality\\\/how-to-become-a-chef\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/knowledge\\\/hospitality\\\/how-to-become-a-chef\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/how-to-become-a-chef.jpg\"},\"articleSection\":\"Food and hospitality\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Catriona Fuller\"}],\"creator\":[\"Catriona Fuller\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"Simply Business UK\",\"logo\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/3\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/icon-512x512-1.png\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2021-07-30T00:00:00Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-30T00:00:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T10:53:10Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/simplybusiness.co.uk\/p.js"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/knowledge"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=996"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39700,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/knowledge\/996\/revisions\/39700"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2746"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=996"},{"taxonomy":"hidden-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hidden-category?post=996"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.simplybusiness.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}