NL
ENChefs & hospitality
Experienced Filipino chefs for restaurants and hotels
The Philippines has formal TESDA cookery training and a long tradition of international employment in hospitality. SkillShift recruits chefs and kitchen professionals with experience in hotels, restaurants, resorts, catering, or maritime/cruise hospitality.
Not every candidate has luxury-segment experience; SkillShift maps out the actual kitchen level, cuisine and responsibilities of each candidate before making a proposal.
Why the Philippines for this sector?
Formal cookery training
TESDA offers structured cookery and professional culinary programmes aligned with international kitchen standards.
Long tradition in international hospitality
Filipino chefs have long worked in international hotels, restaurants and on cruise ships.
Diverse kitchen experience
Candidates may have experience in hotel kitchens, restaurants, resorts, catering or maritime hospitality.
Practice-oriented training
The training places strong emphasis on practical skills, hygiene and kitchen organisation.
Role profiles
- Independently working chefs
- Chef de partie
- Sous-chef
- Specialist cooks
- Pastry/bakery, where relevant
- Production cooks
- Hotel kitchen professionals
What we assess
- Cuisine(s)/kitchen style
- Stations
- Level
- Volume
- Hotel/restaurant category
- À la carte experience
- Production work
- Food safety
- Team responsibility
- Practical cooking ability
- English-language ability
Practical assessment
Alongside interviews, assessment can include a portfolio, video recording or practical cooking demonstration in the Philippines. A workplace trial in the Netherlands or Belgium only takes place after the candidate is legally permitted to work there.
How SkillShift supports
- Feasibility assessment
- Recruitment and sourcing
- Screening, portfolio and a cooking demonstration where useful
- Interviews
- Documentation
- Permits
- DMW documentation and pre-departure requirements
- Relocation
- Housing & relocation
- Onboarding
- Aftercare
Which parts SkillShift carries out depends on the agreed scope of service.
Housing
For international hospitality professionals, housing can range from existing staff accommodation to a property nearby or an independent living solution. SkillShift can map this out together with the employer in advance.
For staffing or secondment placements through SkillShift, housing is arranged as standard. For direct hires, this is an additional service.
Netherlands and Belgium
Working in the Netherlands or Belgium
The available route depends on the country, the role and the applicable permit framework. SkillShift assesses each vacancy individually.
Netherlands
Per vacancy, we assess whether the role qualifies for an applicable immigration route; not every chef or hospitality role automatically qualifies.
Belgium
The feasibility of chef and hospitality placements is assessed per vacancy, depending on occupation, salary and labour-market conditions.
Frequently asked questions
Do all candidates have luxury-hotel experience?
No. Experience ranges from hotels and restaurants to resorts, catering or maritime hospitality; SkillShift maps this per candidate.
Does every chef automatically qualify for a Dutch or Belgian work permit?
No. Per vacancy, we assess whether the role qualifies for an applicable immigration route.
How is cooking skill assessed?
Alongside interviews, this can include a portfolio, video recording or a practical cooking demonstration.
We are a staffing or secondment provider. Can SkillShift support us too?
Yes, in most cases we can. A staffing or secondment structure is usually more complex than direct employment because the employment relationship, client agreements, immigration route and Philippine DMW documentation and pre-departure requirements must fit together correctly. SkillShift assesses the proposed structure in advance and can help set up and coordinate the process where it is legally and practically feasible.
Discuss a vacancy
Looking for this type of professional?
SkillShift assesses the vacancy, sector-specific requirements and the applicable route before recruitment starts.