Conectamos talento, abrimos oportunidades.
Cooking has ceased to be an exclusively craft trade to become a profession with opportunities for qualified professionals and international talent. Today it requires technique, training, adaptability, and increasingly, knowledge of management and organisation.
Spain offers a particularly attractive environment for those who want to develop a career in this sector. Cities and destinations such as Málaga, Cádiz, Granada, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands concentrate significant tourism and hotel activity, with restaurants, hotels, resorts, and international groups that need to incorporate kitchen professionals throughout the year and, especially, in certain seasons.
But for those looking to develop an international career, Spain can offer more than just a job: training, professional experience, quality of life, and the possibility of building a career path within one of the main tourism markets in Europe.
A sector that needs professionals
Data from the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) show the relevance of professions related to cooking within the Spanish labour market. In 2025, 104,725 contracts were registered for foreign salaried cooks, while kitchen assistants reached 130,527 contracts. Furthermore, salaried cooks are among the occupations with the highest volume of hiring of foreign persons in Spain.
The SEPE itself points out that the hiring of cooks is concentrated especially in activities related to food and beverage services and accommodation services. Madrid, Barcelona, and Illes Balears are among the provinces with the highest hiring, to which we can add other destinations with strong tourism development, such as Málaga and different areas of Andalusia.
How much can a cook earn in Spain?
Remuneration depends on factors such as experience, professional category, the applicable collective agreement, the type of establishment, the working hours, and the destination. As a reference, Indeed currently places the average base salary of a cook in Spain at around 1,744 euros per month, while in Málaga it reaches approximately 1,949 euros per month. In certain establishments, professional categories, and tourist destinations, remuneration can be higher.
Therefore, rather than talking about a single salary, it is important to assess the professional profile, experience, and type of establishment. A cook with specialised training, previous experience, and the ability to work in high-level professional environments can access different opportunities than a profile starting their career.
Studying Kitchen Management in Jerez: training, gastronomy, and quality of life
Jerez brings together many of the characteristics that an international student or professional looking to live an experience in Spain might seek: a city with its own identity, tourism and gastronomic activity, culture, good connections, and an environment that allows one to enjoy a high quality of life.
The city is internationally known for its tradition linked to wine, horses, and flamenco, but it also has significant tourism, gastronomic, and service activity. In addition, its proximity to other destinations in the province of Cádiz allows one to enjoy both urban life and the beaches, nature, and other places in Andalusia.
In 2026, it was chosen as the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy, a recognition that highlights its cuisine, its products, its tradition, and its ability to generate new experiences around gastronomy. The city is also consolidating its growth as a tourist destination. During the first seven months of 2026, it registered 188,328 accommodated travellers, 15.3% more than in the same period of 2025, reaching the historical maximum of the series recorded since 2005.
For an international student, this means more than just studying cooking. It means living in Andalusia, getting to know an internationally recognised gastronomic culture, enjoying a city with a strong personality, and training in an environment connected to tourism and hospitality. In addition, the City Council highlights among the attractions of Jerez its quality of life, the proximity between different points of the city, the closeness to both the beach and the mountains, and a cost of living that can be more accessible than in other Spanish cities.
Discover this training in Jerez de la Frontera and start building your next professional stage in Spain: https://www.maudemobility.com/es/formaciones/destino/cadiz/jerez-de-la-frontera
