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Culinary Apprentice Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Ventura Foods

Culinary Services Manager

Irvine, CA · Hybrid

AA/AOC Culinary degree, professional certificate, or recognized apprenticeship program, equivalent culinary and product development will be considered. * 7+ years of progressive culinary experience ...

Ventura Foods

Culinary Services Manager

Irvine, CA

AA/AOC Culinary degree, professional certificate, or recognized apprenticeship program, equivalent culinary and product development will be considered. * 7+ years of progressive culinary experience ...

Ventura Foods

Culinary Services Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

AA/AOC Culinary degree, professional certificate, or recognized apprenticeship program, equivalent culinary and product development will be considered. * 7+ years of progressive culinary experience ...

Ventura Foods

Culinary Services Manager

Irvine, CA · On-site

AA/AOC Culinary degree, professional certificate, or recognized apprenticeship program, equivalent culinary and product development will be considered. * 7+ years of progressive culinary experience ...

American Home Care

Housekeeper & Cook's

Oakland, CA · On-site

$19 - $20/hr

Cooking experience is preferred or a culinary apprenticeship * A high School diploma or GED accepted * To be successful you will need to have the ability to handle multiple priorities, effective ...

American Home Care

Housekeeper & Cook's

Oakland, CA · On-site

$19 - $20/hr

Cooking experience is preferred or a culinary apprenticeship * A high School diploma or GED accepted * To be successful you will need to have the ability to handle multiple priorities, effective ...

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How much do culinary apprentice jobs pay per hour?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for culinary apprentice in California is $16.15, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $13.75 and $19.47 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a culinary apprentice?

Culinary apprentices are individuals who are learning the skills and techniques required to work in a professional kitchen, typically under the guidance of experienced chefs. They combine hands-on training with classroom instruction to gain a comprehensive understanding of cooking methods, food safety, and kitchen operations. Culinary apprenticeships are often part of formal programs that may lead to certification or qualifications recognized in the culinary industry. This role is ideal for those who want to gain practical experience while learning the trade. Apprentices may rotate through different kitchen stations, assisting with food preparation, cooking, and plating, while gradually taking on more responsibility.

What does a culinary apprentice do?

As a Culinary Apprentice, you can expect a hands-on learning experience that includes assisting with food preparation, maintaining kitchen cleanliness, and supporting chefs with various cooking and plating tasks. You'll likely rotate through different kitchen stations to gain exposure to a range of culinary techniques and cuisines. Apprentices are often responsible for ingredient measuring, chopping, and basic cooking, as well as learning proper food safety standards. Collaboration with chefs and other kitchen staff is key, and you'll receive ongoing feedback to help you develop your culinary skills.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a culinary apprentice?

To thrive as a Culinary Apprentice, you need a basic understanding of food preparation, kitchen safety, and a passion for learning, typically supported by a high school diploma or equivalent. Familiarity with kitchen equipment, knife skills, and sometimes completion of a food handler certification are important for this role. Attention to detail, strong work ethic, teamwork, and the ability to take direction help apprentices excel in fast-paced kitchen environments. These skills and qualities are crucial for building foundational culinary techniques, ensuring safety, and supporting efficient kitchen operations.

What is the difference between Culinary Apprentice vs Culinary Intern?

AspectCulinary ApprenticeCulinary Intern
CredentialsOften requires basic culinary training or certificationMay have limited or no formal credentials, often students
Work EnvironmentApprentices work in professional kitchens, learning hands-on skillsInterns may assist in kitchens or food service settings, focusing on observation and learning
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in culinary schools, restaurants, hotelsTypically found in hospitality or food service programs, internships
Search & Comparison IntentPeople seeking entry-level culinary training or apprenticeshipsIndividuals exploring internship opportunities in culinary fields

In summary, a Culinary Apprentice is usually engaged in structured training with hands-on experience, often requiring some certification, while a Culinary Intern generally focuses on observational learning, often as part of an educational program. Both roles serve as entry points into the culinary industry but differ in scope and responsibilities.

What are the most commonly searched types of Culinary jobs in California?

The most popular types of Culinary jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Culinary Apprentice jobs in California?

For Culinary Apprentice jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Culinary Apprentice jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Culinary Apprentice jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Culinary Apprentice jobs?

Cities in California with the most Culinary Apprentice job openings:

Culinary Apprentice jobs near you
Infographic showing various Culinary Apprentice job openings in California as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 63% Full Time, and 37% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $33,591 per year, or $16.1 per hour.

Culinary Services Manager

Irvine, CA • Hybrid

Ventura Foods
Food and Drink Manufacturing • 1 - 5K employees
Learn more about Ventura Foodsexternal

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 25 days ago

Ventura Foods rating

6.9

Company rating: 6.9 out of 10

Based on 33 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Employment Type: Salaried
Work Arrangement: Hybrid- Sandy Springs, GA.  

Position Summary:

The Manager, Culinary Services,  will champion our Food Innovation Services, technical expertise, and commercial growth for Ventura Foods and its customers. Reporting directly to the VP, this position serves as a lead culinary interface between Customers, Sales, Product Development, Insights, and Marketing. The Manager will play a lead role in executing the company’s innovation services, strengthening customer relationships, and ensure alignment between product development and business objectives. This role will develop concepts and products to accelerate speed-to-market, menu innovation and drive revenue growth for our customers. This role will act as the culinary lead for the Sandy Spring, GA Innovation Center. 

Major Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Provides menu and product innovation services to key customers in multiple business channels. Develops menu concepts and products. Collaborates and/or leads cross-functional teams to present these solutions to customers. Plays a key role in the execution of our Vista Food Innovation Service. 
  • Employs and/or develops digital tools such as videos for menu concepts, product category training, social media, YouTube, and direct to customer engagements. Expands our culinary reach through these tools. 
  • Is the culinary site leader for this location. Owns and manages the kitchen event calendar and culinary execution those events. Ensures the kitchen is cleaned, maintained, and organized. Develops and maintains relationships with third-party culinary facilities. This includes our area broker kitchen for project work involving food preparation. Includes contracted facilities for executing presentations to customers. 
  • Provides and/or leads culinary support for company and industry events where culinary and food service is required. Includes developing concepts, products, menus, execution plans, and communcation. 
  • Documents all customer project acitivty in the Salesforce CRM system to capture the value and time investment provided to customers.  
Education and Experience:

Required:              

  • Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Arts, Food Science, or related field is preferred. AA/AOC Culinary degree, professional certificate, or recognized apprenticeship program, equivalent culinary and product development will be considered.
  • 7+ years of progressive culinary experience in restaurant operations, food manufacturer, or culinary sales.
  • 3+ years experience in a food manufacturer role is preferred.
  • Experience includes hands-on kitchen operations, menu innovation, product development, direct customer engagement, team leadership, commercialization, and turning strategy into business growth.
  • Experience in collaborating and/or leading cross-functional teams to create customer solutions.
  • Proven success in building customer relationships and translating culinary trends into customer menu solutions. 
    •    Ability to travel up to 40% for customer meetings and industry events.

Highly Preferred:        

  • Possesses or meets requirement to acheive CEC and/or CRC certifications are preferred.
  • Food Protection Manager certification is preferred. 
  • Demonstrated working knowledge and use of digital/video capability.
  • Strong business acumen with ability to connect culinary innovation to commercial growth
  • Strong presentation, communication, and negotiation skills
  • Deep knowledge of food safety, product development, regulatory, product commercialization, trends, and marketing strategies. 
  • Proven profiency in food preparation and execution at a high-level.
Knowledge and Skills:
  • Passionate about food and delivering customer value through food innovation.
    •    Strategic thinker with customer-centric approach to culinary innovation.
    •    Ability to work independently with broad direction. 
    •    Skilled in project management and cross-functional collaboration.
    •    Relationship-driven culinarian with strong commercial instincts.
    •    Kitchen operations expert – fine dining, high-volume food service, casual, fast-casual, QSR, and retail food service. 

Why Join Us:
Ventura Foods innovates and manufactures food solutions for foodservice and retail businesses.  We make exclusive products for the world's most iconic restaurants and retailers, we provide ready-to-go product solutions for professional kitchens, and we make consumer brands everyone knows and loves.  When you work for Ventura Foods, you get a strong foundation of training, a manager who cares about you and celebrates your success, a safe environment, and challenging work.  As part of our team, your future is limited only by how much you’re willing to push yourself to get there. We invest in your growth because you invest in ours.  

Ventura Foods offers career growth opportunities as well as competitive compensation and benefits:​

  • Medical, Prescription, Dental, & Vision – coverage beginning on your 1st day for eligible employees​
  • Profit Sharing and 401(k) matching (after eligible criteria is met)​
  • Paid Vacation, Sick Time, and Holidays​
  • Employee Appreciation Events​ and Employee Assistance Programs
  • Salary Base Range of $114,801.00 - $150,678.15*

*The “base salary range” provided above is a good faith estimate of what we expect to pay for this position in the specified markets.  Ventura Foods reserves the right to pay outside of the given range based on a variety of factors including but not limited to: candidate skills and experience, complexity of the job, budgetary factors, and location/geography.  Ventura Foods conducts regular reviews of compensation ranges and therefore reserves the right to alter this range at any given time.  

Diversity & Inclusion:
Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive environment in which all employees are treated with respect is evident in our company culture and values.  We believe that fostering an environment of inclusion and a focus on diversity across our organization is vital to attracting top talent, driving innovation, and meeting the high expectations of our customers in a rapidly evolving global marketplace.

Ventura Foods is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Ventura Foods may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) assisted tools at certain stages of our hiring process, including identifying & sourcing candidates, reviewing applications and matched candidates on job boards and websites, and generating screening questions to help us work more efficiently and consistently. We regularly review our tools to promote fairness and reduce the risk of bias. However, while these tools support our process, every hiring decision is made by a real person on our team.  Applicants in the State of New York may request an alternative process by contacting us at VFaccessibility@rescocompany.com.

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