Red Seal Cook Exam 2026: 150 Questions, Chef Certification

What's on the Red Seal cook exam?

The 150 questions are spread over 13 areas:

Area	Questions
Meats, game, poultry, game birds and variety meats	16
Fish and seafood	15
Hygiene, sanitation and safety	13
Sauces	13
Produce	12
Stocks, broths and soups	12
Common occupational skills	11
Grains, pulses, seeds, nuts and alternative proteins	11
Cheese, dairy, plant-based dairy alternatives, eggs and egg products	10
Pastas, noodles, stuffed pastas and dumplings	10
Sweet and savoury baked goods and desserts	10
Salads and sandwiches	9
Specialty preparation	8

red-seal.ca doesn't say which standard this breakdown follows, so check it with your province if it still uses the older Cook exam.

No area has more than 16 questions. About 55 to 65% of questions are procedural and application, 30 to 40% knowledge and recall, and under 10% critical thinking. There's no formula sheet for Cook, only an acronym list.

Is there a new Red Seal cook exam?

Yes, it's being phased in. Red Seal says new exams based on the new Cook standard are being implemented, and asks you to check with your province or territory whether they're in use where you'll write. Ask before you choose study material, because the standard you study should match the exam you sit.

How to become a Red Seal chef

Cook is Red Seal in all 13 provinces and territories. Your provincial authority decides if you can write, and sets the fee.

Finish a cook apprenticeship, or gather proof of enough cooking experience to challenge the exam.
Apply to your province's or territory's apprenticeship authority to write.
Ask which Cook exam you'll get, the older one or the new one.
Pass with 70% or more, and your certificate carries the Red Seal.

Red Seal certification routes →Challenge the exam →Red Seal in Ontario →

Study material for cooks

Start with the Cook standard and the exam page, which lists the acronyms you'll be given (AP, EP and PPE among them). Red Seal also has cook sample questions. If you're a baker, note that Baker is its own Red Seal trade, with its own 150-question exam.

Free official study guide →Cook wages by province →

Sources: Red Seal and 3 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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