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Red Seal Cook Examination (Interprovincial Standards)
Find the current format, timing, scoring, fees, eligibility, and testing options for Red Seal Cook, with direct links to official sources.
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Questions150 questions
Testing time4 hours (240 minutes) writing time
ScoringPass mark of 70% (each multiple-choice question worth one mark)
Exam feeNo national fee — the cost of the exam varies by province and territory (set by the provincial/territorial apprenticeship authority, in CAD)
Prep options
Study resources for Red Seal Cook
Independent prep
Courses and study resources
Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- CCDA
- Category
- Culinary
- Current version
- Current specification; no public version label — the exam is developed from the Cook Red Seal Occupational Standard (RSOS); the trade page notes new exams based on the new standard are being implemented province by province
- Where it applies
- Canada — national
- Exam languages
- English, French
- Score scale
- Percentage of correct answers; 70% to pass (one mark per question, 150 marks total)
- Testing provider
- Provincial and territorial apprenticeship and certification authorities (exam developed under the CCDA Red Seal Program)
- Format
- Multiple-choice examination (four options A–D, exactly one correct); question-type mix for Cook is 30–40% knowledge and recall, 55–65% procedural and application, and under 10% critical thinking; acronym list provided with the exam sitting
- Availability
- Scheduled by the apprenticeship authority in the candidate's province or territory; acronyms and any required reference material are provided at the sitting
Exam structure
One 150-question multiple-choice exam across 13 Major Work Activities: A Hygiene, sanitation and safety (13); B Common occupational skills (11); C Produce (12); D Stocks, broths and soups (12); E Sauces (13); F Cheese, dairy, plant-based dairy alternatives, eggs and egg products (10); G Pastas, noodles, stuffed pastas and dumplings (10); H Grains, pulses, seeds, nuts and alternative proteins (11); I Meats, game, poultry, game birds and variety meats (16); J Fish and seafood (15); K Salads and sandwiches (9); L Specialty preparation (8); M Sweet and savoury baked goods and desserts (10)
Where rules vary
One national interprovincial examination used across Canadian provinces and territories as the final certification exam in the Cook trade; administered locally by provincial and territorial apprenticeship and certification authorities (fees and eligibility set locally). Cook is designated Red Seal in AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, NU, ON, PE, QC, SK, YT (trade titled Professional Cook 3 in BC and Cook - Level 2 in QC).
Eligibility
Eligibility (training and/or work experience in the trade) is determined by the apprenticeship authority in the candidate's province or territory and can differ by trade and by type of trade