Certifying authority: SkilledTradesBC (formerly ITA BC). Last checked 2026-09-10.
This trade is not on British Columbia (BC)’s compulsory list, so you may work in it without a certificate. The Red Seal still travels across Canada as a recognised credential, and employers frequently ask for it — but in British Columbia (BC) it is a qualification, not a licence.
Source: SkilledTradesBC — Skilled Trades Certification (compulsory trades)
Whether it is required or not, the exam itself is the same paper everywhere in Canada. What your province decides is whether you must hold the certificate, how you apply, and where you sit it.
The Red Seal Occupational Standard sets the split below. It does not change by province.
| Major Work Activity | Weighting | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| MWA A: Hygiene, sanitation and safety | 9% | 13 Qs |
| MWA B: Common occupational skills | 7% | 11 Qs |
| MWA C: Produce | 8% | 12 Qs |
| MWA D: Stocks, broths and soups | 8% | 12 Qs |
| MWA E: Sauces | 9% | 13 Qs |
| MWA F: Cheese, dairy, plant-based dairy alternatives, eggs and egg products | 7% | 10 Qs |
| MWA G: Pastas, noodles, stuffed pastas and dumplings | 7% | 10 Qs |
| MWA H: Grains, pulses, seeds, nuts and alternative proteins | 7% | 11 Qs |
| MWA I: Meats, game, poultry, game birds and variety meats | 11% | 16 Qs |
| MWA J: Fish and seafood | 10% | 15 Qs |
| MWA K: Salads and sandwiches | 6% | 9 Qs |
| MWA L: Specialty preparation | 5% | 8 Qs |
| MWA M: Sweet and savoury baked goods and desserts | 7% | 10 Qs |
Source: Red Seal Exam Breakdown — Cook (415A), red-seal.ca
4 hours, and a 70% pass mark. These are set provincially rather than by the Red Seal standard, and the four hours is the same whether your paper is 100 or 150 questions.
Confirmed against Skilled Trades Ontario’s Exam Preparation Guide and SkilledTradesBC. Check your own authority before exam day.
Booking is handled by SkilledTradesBC (formerly ITA BC); confirm current locations and dates with them.
Our Cook (415A) bank is built to the weighting above, with a worked explanation on every question.
Start Cook (415A) practice questions → Take the full 150-question timed mock exam →