Cook employment in Switzerland: restaurants, hotels, resorts and nursing homes

Brigades, canteens and nursing homes: where cooks work

Work as a cook in Switzerland means preparing meals in restaurants, hotels, mountain resorts, company canteens, hospitals and nursing homes. Cook vacancies are plentiful, with pay set by the national collective agreement and raised by a CFC diploma or a cantonal minimum wage. The occupation involves split shifts, weekend duties and, in resorts, seasonal contracts that suit mobile candidates.

Vacancies come from city restaurants, hotels in Montreux or Lucerne, company canteens run by contract catering firms, hospitals and EMS nursing homes. Working hours and weekend duties vary widely between these employers.

The cook CFC and the kitchen assistant AFP

Swiss training means a three-year apprenticeship leading to the CFC (Federal VET Diploma) as a cook, or two years for the AFP (Federal VET Certificate) as a kitchen assistant. The CFC places the employee in a higher pay category of the collective agreement.

The CCNT, the hotel and restaurant agreement

The CCNT, the national collective agreement for hotels and restaurants, applies to almost every establishment in the country. It sets minimum wages by category, a thirteenth salary, holidays and working time, generally 42 hours a week, more in small or seasonal businesses.

Geneva, Neuchatel and Ticino: the cantonal minimum

In cantons with a minimum wage, the cantonal amount prevails when it exceeds the CCNT. In Geneva it reaches 24.59 CHF per hour in 2026, which lifts the categories without apprenticeship above the national scale.

Cooking for a winter or summer resort season

Verbier, Zermatt, Crans-Montana and St. Moritz hire cooks for four to five months, often with board and lodging deducted from pay. The guide to seasonal work in Switzerland covers contracts, L permits and recruitment periods.

Getting a CAP or foreign diploma recognised

Cooking is not a regulated profession: a French CAP or a foreign hospitality diploma lets you work without any procedure. To be classed as a CFC holder under the CCNT, however, you need an equivalence from SEFRI, which the employer may require.

Food hygiene and self-monitoring

Federal food law requires documented self-monitoring, inspected by the cantonal chemist. A cook must know traceability, temperatures and allergen labelling, all of which are often checked during a trial day in the kitchen.

The language of the brigade by region

In French-speaking Switzerland the brigade works in French, but in Zurich, Bern or the Grisons German dominates, even though teams are very international. In Ticino and several resorts, Italian and Portuguese are commonly spoken in the kitchen.

Split shifts, overtime and rest days

Split shifts covering lunch and dinner are the norm in traditional restaurants. The CCNT requires a record of hours, weekly rest days and compensation for overtime; asking for this record every month helps avoid disputes.

From commis to chef de partie

The classic career runs from commis to demi-chef de partie, chef de partie and then sous-chef. The federal diploma as head chef then opens the way to a head chef job in Switzerland and a higher CCNT category.

Contract catering and regular hours

Kitchens in hospitals, nursing homes and companies offer more regular hours without late service. They demand precision with special diets, adapted textures and large quantities, and also hire diet cooks trained in Switzerland.

Permits for cooks coming from abroad

An EU national receives an L permit for a season or short contract, a B permit with a lasting contract, or a G permit as a cross-border commuter. For non-EU countries, unspecialised cooks are practically never granted authorisation.

How to land a cook job in Switzerland

1. Choose between an a la carte restaurant, a hotel, a seasonal resort or contract catering, depending on the hours you want.
2. Ask SEFRI for an equivalence of your CAP or diploma if you want to be classed as a CFC holder.
3. Prepare a Swiss CV with photo, establishments, brigade positions held and specialities, plus your employment references.
4. Apply to resort hotels from September for winter and from February for summer.
5. Pass the trial day in the kitchen, often decisive, by showing organisation, hygiene and speed.
6. Check the CCNT category and any housing in the contract, and have the canton issue your permit.

CCNT wages and expenses for a cook

What a cook needs to provide

• Swiss-format CV with photo and brigade positions held
• Employment references or certificates of employment
• CFC, CAP or hospitality diploma and any SEFRI equivalence
• Passport or identity card and any existing permit
• Photos of dishes or a menu you created, useful for a chef de partie role

Mistakes that cost you a kitchen job

• Accepting pay below the CCNT category matching your training because you did not check the current wage scale.
• Applying to resorts in November, when winter brigades are usually full from the autumn onwards.
• Working without a written contract or record of hours, which prevents you from claiming overtime.
• Neglecting German for a season in the Grisons or the Bernese Oberland, where the brigade speaks German.
• Paying fees to a so-called recruiter promising a job with housing in Switzerland, a typical sign of fake offers.

Cooks' questions about working in Switzerland

Kitchen teamwork and the working day of a cook in Switzerland

A professional kitchen runs on communication and discipline. Orders are called out, stations are coordinated and every plate must leave at the right moment. Newcomers quickly learn that speed alone is not enough: cleanliness, order at the workstation and respect for colleagues keep the whole brigade efficient, even during a busy service.

Preparation is the hidden part of the job. Before guests arrive, vegetables are cut, sauces are made and stations are set up so that the cooks can work smoothly during service. Afterward comes cleaning, which is shared and taken seriously. Employers notice who arrives early, helps others and accepts feedback from the head cook without taking it personally.

In an application, mention the type of kitchen you know, such as a restaurant, a canteen or a hotel, and the dishes or cooking styles you handled. Previous employers' certificates and a short trial shift often count more than a long letter. Many chefs ask a candidate to work a morning in the kitchen, so bring a clean uniform, good shoes and a willing attitude. Curiosity about local products and seasonal menus is also appreciated.

Food safety is part of everyday conduct. Show that you wash hands often, label products, separate raw and cooked items and follow cleaning plans without being reminded. Employers watch these habits closely during a trial shift.

Mention the adaptability. Menus change with the seasons, suppliers vary and unexpected guests arrive. A cook who stays calm, adjusts the plan and communicates clearly with the service staff is greatly appreciated.

Finally, speak about the ambitions in a realistic way. Many head cooks like to train motivated people who wish to progress step by step, and they prefer a candidate who is honest about current abilities to one who exaggerates. Stay humble.