This is our guide to working as a cook or a chef in Spain.
The tourist sector is extremely important to the economy of Spain upon which it relies heavily.
The fantastic weather and climate attracts tourists from all over Europe to enjoy the fantastic summer in Spain.
Naturally there are thousands of restaurants to cater for the tourists and a massive need for extra kitchen staff in the summer including cooks and chefs. The great thing is you can be an English-speaking person and get a culinary job as little Spanish (perhaps none) is required.
We invite restaurant owners and employers to list your job vacancies at the bottom of this page – it is free of charge to list your positions for chefs and cooks in Spain.
If you are a chef then please feel free to leave your jobs wanted at the bottom of the page with your contact details so employers can contact you directly.
Do you work as a chef in Spain? Please write in to tell us how much you get paid and earn – this will help jobseekers.
Where Can I Get a Job as a Chef in Spain?
This is one industry in which you can get a job in any Spanish town.
Of course it makes sense to consider the biggest tourist resorts which are generally located on the coast or some of the big cities such as Madrid and Barcelona are also good for finding catering work as a cook or chef.
Why not start your search in one of the Spanish islands? For example the Canary Islands have an all year round climate and tourist season.
The busiest Canary islands would be Tenerife, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Gran Canaria.
The Balearic Islands which are much closer to the mainland include Ibiza and Mallorca.
The Costa del Sol is also a great tourist area with major towns being Marbella, Fuengirola, Benalmadena, Malaga and Torremolinos.
Because of the large expatriate populations attracted to Spain by the sunshine and low cost of living compared to Northern Europe there is a market for many different types of cuisine – not just Spanish. Spain is crying out for Indian chefs and cooks, the large British expat population loves a good curry!
Types of Catering/Chef Jobs 2026
- Assistant cook
- Baker
- Banqueting
- British/English chef
- Butcher
- Chef de partie
- Chinese chef
- Italian chefs
- Commis chef
- Demi chef