Main duties
People in this unit group perform some or all of the following duties.
- Prepare and cook complete meals or individual dishes and foods
- Prepare and cook special meals for patients as instructed by dietitian or chef
- Schedule and supervise kitchen helpers
- Oversee kitchen operations
- Maintain inventory and records of food, supplies and equipment
- May set up and oversee buffets
- May clean kitchen and work area
- May plan menus, determine size of food portions, estimate food requirements and costs, and monitor and order supplies
- May hire and train kitchen staff
Employment requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required
- Completion of a three-year apprenticeship program for cooks or completion of college or other program in cooking or food safety or several years of commercial cooking experience may be required
- Trade certification is available, but voluntary, in all provinces and territories
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified cooks upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination
Job titles in NOC 63200
38 job titles are classified in this unit group. Titles with a job description template on this site are linked.
- apprentice cook
- assistant cook
- banquet cook
- breakfast cook
- broiler cook
- cafeteria cook
- camp cook
- caterer cook
- construction camp cook
- cook
- cook - Canadian Armed Forces
- diet kitchen cook
- dietary cook
- domestic cook
- ethnic food cook
- first cook
- fishing and merchant vessel cook
- grill cook
- hospital cook
- institutional cook
- journeyman/woman cook
- kosher foods cook
- licensed cook
- line cook
- logging camp cook
- mess cook
- pastry cook
- pizza cook
- railway cook
- restaurant cook
Show all 38 job titles
- second cook
- ship's cook
- short order cook
- small establishment cook
- special diet cook
- special order cook - hospital
- therapeutic diet cook
- third cook
Wages for NOC 63200 by province
Hourly wages from Job Bank for cooks.
| Province or territory | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ontario | $17.60 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
| British Columbia | $17.85 | $20.00 | $26.00 |
| Alberta | $15.00 | $17.50 | $23.50 |
| Saskatchewan | $15.35 | $17.00 | $23.08 |
| Manitoba | $16.00 | $16.50 | $21.00 |
| Quebec | $16.10 | $18.00 | $25.00 |
| New Brunswick | $15.65 | $16.40 | $22.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $16.50 | $17.00 | $22.50 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.00 | $17.00 | $27.54 |
| Canada | $15.00 | $18.00 | $25.00 |
Ontario by region
| Region | Low | Median | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | $17.60 | $19.00 | $23.00 |
| Kingston–Pembroke | $17.60 | $17.60 | $23.00 |
| Muskoka–Kawarthas | $17.60 | $18.35 | $29.15 |
| Toronto | $17.60 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
| Kitchener–Waterloo–Barrie | $17.60 | $18.00 | $24.00 |
| Hamilton–Niagara Peninsula | $17.60 | $18.00 | $24.36 |
| London | $17.60 | $18.00 | $23.74 |
| Windsor–Sarnia | $17.60 | $18.00 | $22.00 |
| Stratford–Bruce Peninsula | $17.60 | $19.25 | $23.00 |
| Northeast | $17.60 | $17.60 | $22.00 |
| Northwest | $17.60 | $18.00 | $25.00 |
Source: Job Bank wages, reference period 2023-2024, revised November 19, 2025. Some Ontario figures are below the current general minimum wage of $17.95 per hour (since October 1, 2026); employers must pay at least the minimum wage.
Career progression and other notes
The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
There is mobility among the various types of cooks in this group.
Progression to supervisory or more senior positions, such as chef, is possible with experience and training.
Similar occupations classified elsewhere
These occupations look related but belong to a different NOC unit group.
- Chefs: NOC 62200, Chefs
- Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations: NOC 65201, Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations
Hiring for this occupation in Ontario?
Start from a ready-to-copy template: Line cook job description, Cook job description. Ontario employers with 25 or more employees must include pay, vacancy status and any AI screening in public job postings. Our HR team can prepare the contract, onboarding and policies for the hire.
Questions about NOC 63200
What is NOC 63200?
NOC 63200 is Cooks, a unit group in the 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021 Version 1.0). It belongs to the broad category sales and service occupations and to TEER 3.
What TEER is NOC 63200?
NOC 63200 is TEER 3. TEER 3 generally means: college program under 2 years, apprenticeship under 2 years, or more than 6 months of on-the-job training.
What job titles are in NOC 63200?
The unit group includes 38 job titles, for example apprentice cook, cook, dietary cook, first cook, grill cook, hospital cook.
How much do cooks earn in Canada?
Job Bank reports a national median of $18.00 per hour for cooks, and $18.00 in Ontario. The highest provincial median is in British Columbia at $20.00 (reference period 2023-2024).
Which occupations are similar to NOC 63200?
Related occupations classified in other unit groups include chefs (NOC 62200); food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations (NOC 65201).
Last updated October 2026. Sources:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0, Statistics Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada
- Job Bank wages
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