Cook Ausbildung Guide
Short answer: Cook Ausbildung (Koch/Köchin) is a three-year dual training in which you learn to prepare, plan and present dishes and menus, store and order goods, calculate prices and inform guests about allergens and diets. The training regulation names no required school certificate, so employers decide. The final exam has two parts, and pay is not fixed in the regulation.
This guide explains what the training involves, how the exam works, what happens if you do not pass, who can apply and where to find the official information. Visa and entry rules are outside the scope of this site.
Cook Ausbildung at a glance
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| German name | Koch / Köchin |
| Type | Dual training: company and vocational school (Berufsschule) |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Related training | Fachkraft Küche, with its own regulation. A completed Fachkraft Küche can be credited with 24 months |
| School certificate | None named in the training regulation. Employers decide |
| Final exam | Two parts: Part 1 in the fourth half-year, Part 2 at the end |
| Optional extra | Additional qualification “Vertiefung für vegetarische und vegane Küche” (vegetarian and vegan cooking) |
| Training pay | Not set in the training regulation. See the pay section below |
What cooks do
The training regulation lists nineteen job-profile areas. In the first 18 months you learn the basics:
- Guests and team. Behaving professionally, communicating in the team and handling guest wishes and complaints.
- Goods. Receiving and checking deliveries, including the cold chain, and storing goods properly.
- Kitchen basics. Planning work steps, using cutting techniques, tools and machines, and the main cooking methods such as blanching, boiling, frying, deep-frying and steaming.
- Simple dishes. Preparing egg dishes, snacks and finger food, vegetables, salads, potatoes, rice and pasta dishes, soups, sauces and stews.
- Meat and fish basics. Preparing portioned meat, poultry and fish, with attention to product hygiene.
- Service basics. Helping with service and cleaning in guest and utility rooms.
From month 19 you go deeper: vegetarian and vegan dishes, boning meat and poultry, filleting fish, shellfish, doughs and masses, desserts and ice cream, kitchen hygiene including the HACCP concept, planning menus and menu cards, labelling allergens, buying goods and calculating prices, kitchen administration, advising guests and leading staff. The regulation also lists using technical terms in foreign languages and giving simple information in a foreign language.
The final exam
The final exam has two parts. Part 1 should take place in the fourth half-year and covers the first 18 months. Part 2 takes place at the end of the training. Both also cover the vocational school material that matches the training content. The regulation sets the content, times and weighting:
| Part | Area | Form | Share of the result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Preparing simple dishes | A written exam of 60 minutes (30% of the area) and a practical task (70% of the area). In the practical task you prepare a starter (a salad or simple soup) and a main dish with meat, poultry or fish, a sauce, a vegetable side and a starch side, for four people. It takes 4 hours in total, including a work-task discussion of up to 15 minutes | 25% |
| Part 2 | Planning, preparing and presenting a three-course menu | A menu for six people: starter, main dish with a sauce, two vegetable sides and a starch side, and a dessert with a cream dish and a frozen or baked part. You make a work plan (45 minutes), hold a case discussion of up to 15 minutes about your menu plan, then cook and present. It takes 6 hours in total | 35% |
| Part 2 | Products, storage and goods management | Written, 90 minutes | 15% |
| Part 2 | Technology, guest information and teamwork | Written, 90 minutes | 15% |
| Part 2 | Economics and social studies | Written, 60 minutes | 10% |
You get some notice. For both practical exams, the exam committee announces food lists 14 calendar days before the exam: a list of compulsory items and a list to choose from. For the menu exam there are two baskets, and you prepare a menu plan for both. The committee picks one on the exam day. Each basket includes meat or game to bone, fish to fillet or poultry to bone.
To pass, you need at least “sufficient” (ausreichend) overall, in Part 2, and in at least three areas of Part 2, and no area of Part 2 may be graded “insufficient” (ungenügend). If one of the three written areas is worse than sufficient, you can ask for an oral supplementary exam of about 15 minutes in that area when it could decide the result. For admission, repeating and preparation, see our guide to Ausbildung exams.
If you do not pass: Fachkraft Küche
The regulation links cook training with the related Fachkraft Küche training. If you do not pass the cook final exam, you can apply for the Fachkraft Küche qualification, provided Part 1 was at least sufficient and your results in the written areas “products, storage and goods management” and “economics and social studies” meet the requirements of that training’s own regulation. In the other direction, a completed Fachkraft Küche training exempts you from Part 1 and can be credited with 24 months if you and the employer agree.
Optional extra: vegetarian and vegan cooking
The regulation allows an additional qualification in vegetarian and vegan cooking to be agreed, with about eight weeks of training. It covers vegetarian and vegan ingredients and alternatives, composing and preparing dishes and menus, buying with sustainability in mind and advising guests on their diets. It is examined separately on your request, around the time of Part 2, in a written exam of 90 minutes.
Who can apply
The training regulation names no required school certificate, so each employer sets its own requirements. Read the posting carefully. Kitchens run on precise instructions and teamwork, so expect to work and study in German, and see our guide to the German level for Ausbildung.
Training pay
The training regulation does not set pay, so it depends on the employer and the training year. Do not rely on a figure from a random website. See our Ausbildung salary guide for the legal minimum and how to compare offers, and check the employer’s posting.
How to apply
- Search for “Koch” and “Köchin” on the official boards. Our guide on where to find Ausbildung openings lists them.
- Check the type of kitchen and whether the employer offers the vegetarian and vegan extra.
- Send a tailored application: a cover letter, a CV and copies of your certificates.
- Prepare for the interview by learning about the kitchen and its menu.
Is it right for you?
- You enjoy cooking and working with fresh ingredients.
- You can follow hygiene rules precisely and work to a plan and a schedule.
- You can work in a team and take instructions.
- You are comfortable with numbers for recipes, costs and prices.
- You are ready to study in German, including food and kitchen terms.
Common mistakes
- Thinking it is only cooking. The exam also covers goods management, calculation, guest information and economics.
- Not preparing the menu plan. You must plan for both baskets before the menu exam.
- Using an older guide for the exam. The exam structure changed with the 2022 regulation.
- Relying on a pay figure from a random website. Check the employer’s offer.
- Underestimating the written areas. Three written exams make up 40 percent of the result.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the cook Ausbildung?
Three years, according to the training regulation.
What happens if I fail the final exam?
You can repeat it, as explained in our exams guide. The cook regulation also lets you apply for the Fachkraft Küche qualification if you meet its conditions, including at least a sufficient result in Part 1.
Do I need a particular school certificate?
The regulation names none. Employers set their own requirements, so check each posting.
Do I know what I will have to cook in the exam?
Partly. You receive food lists 14 calendar days before each practical exam, with compulsory and optional items. The exact dishes are your own choice within the lists.
Can I specialise in vegetarian and vegan cooking?
Yes. The regulation allows an additional qualification in vegetarian and vegan cooking, examined separately in a written exam of 90 minutes.
Sources
Last updated: 25 October 2026. Training rules, requirements and pay change, so check the official pages above and the employer’s posting before you apply.