Cook
Your kitchen skills are in demand in Germany, where the profession of cook is one of the officially recognised shortage occupations.
The profession
The cook prepares and cooks the dishes, runs a station, handles the mise en place and follows hygiene rules (HACCP).
Salary
The entry salary is around 2,129 €/month (according to the portals) and the median, across all experience levels, around 3,018 €/month (range 2,563 to 3,581 €) (source: Entgeltatlas, Federal Employment Agency, 2025). Pay follows the regional DEHOGA agreements and the statutory minimum wage, is generally lower than in industry, and guest-facing roles are supplemented by tips.
Employers hiring
Restaurants, hotels, collective catering and canteens, event caterers, clinics and retirement homes hire cooks.
Prospects
Prospects are very strong: the cook is a shortage occupation officially recognised by the Federal Employment Agency (source: Federal Employment Agency, 2024).
Career progression
Progression leads to chef de partie, sous-chef, then head chef (Küchenchef) and Küchenmeister.
Language level
B2 is the standard employers expect; as the kitchen has less guest contact, solid practical German is often enough and English is a plus.
Diploma recognition
Hospitality and catering professions are not regulated: for the skilled worker visa, recognition (Anerkennung) of your qualification as equivalent to German training is required. We have it assessed and start the procedure with you.
Visa
The main routes are the skilled worker visa with recognised qualification, the recognition partnership which since March 2024 allows you to enter and work while completing recognition on site (level A2 required), and the Chancenkarte to come and look for a job. The EU Blue Card, reserved for university profiles, does not apply to these professions. We check your eligibility and prepare the application with you. The profession of cook is among the recognised shortage occupations, which makes recruitment easier.
Your Karriere Fähre support
We train you in German up to the level you need, have your qualification recognised, present your profile to German employers, prepare the visa application and support you through to your arrival and settling in.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the cook really a shortage occupation in Germany?
- Yes, the cook is among the shortage occupations officially recognised by the Federal Employment Agency (2024), which makes recruitment easier.
- Is my qualification obtained abroad recognised?
- It must be recognised as equivalent to German training through the Anerkennung procedure, which we have assessed and start with you.
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.